The difference, in figures
Black metal is far heavier (+6), clearly faster (+4) and slightly less melodic (−1) than Krautrock. It emerged in 1982, 14 years after Krautrock in 1968. They sit on opposite branches of the tree and share no common ancestor.
Krautrock
Where it sits
Rock › Psychedelic rock › Krautrock
In short
A tireless motorik beat, studio improvisation and a refusal of the chorus. It shaped post-punk, post-rock and electronic music.
How it sounds
- The motorik beat: four to the floor, unvarying, for ten to twenty minutes.
- Studio improvisation later assembled at the mixing desk - the tape is an instrument.
- A refusal of the chorus, of virtuoso solos and of American blues.
Key acts
- Can
- Neu!
- Faust
- Amon Düül II
Start here
The pickNeu! - Hallogallo. Ten minutes that fed four decades of music.
Full page →Black metal
Where it sits
In short
Tremolo picking, blast beats, shrieked vocals and deliberately cold production. More an aesthetic than a technique - atmosphere matters more than clean sound.
How it sounds
- Tremolo picking on open fifth voicings, with vocals in the high register.
- Deliberately thin, cold production - the missing bass is an aesthetic choice, not an accident.
- Fast blast beats, drums often mixed back, atmosphere placed above technique.
Key acts
- Bathory
- Mayhem
- Darkthrone
- Emperor
Start here
The pickDarkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky. The production is intentional, not a flaw.
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