Alternative metal

The Terminology of alternative metal really depicts what the genre really looks like. Literally means the alternative selection for the metalhead, it differs from the mainstream heavy metal genre. Alternative metal emerged in the late 1980s, and it becomes the genre that is hard to define compared to its family predecessors. After only a few years of appearance, Alternative Metal acquired its own popularity and demand during the 1990s, as the genres are more suitable for the global listeners’ taste. ‘The alternative’ in this genre means that it provides a wide range of combinations, from the progressive rock, funk, punk, and even rap! Hence, this genre distinguishes itself from the ordinary metal genre and creating their own eccentric yet fascinating style.

The alternative metal still emphasizes the heavy metal as the center of the music, which means the elements of heavy metal still exist and serve as its core. Usually, the most striking characteristic of the alternative metal is the utilization of heavy metal guitar patterns on the songs. Occasionally, it even employed the elements of experimental music to enrich the songs. In the vocal sections, alternative metal provides vast ranges of singing style, from sing to scream. Some of the alternative metal bands prefer singing, while some of the other vocalists love to growl and scream. At first, the alternative metal genre becomes the experimental field for many bands to create their own musical style by fusing some genres with heavy metal as the base. The result is, many bands have invented their own approaches to describe and spread the alternative metal genre. For example, the Alice in Chains and Soundgarden who combines the heavy metal with grunge, while some bands such as Corrosion of Conformity blend their heavy metal with garage punk. After its first emergence, the second wave of alternative metal appeared with different characteristics. The example of the bands in the latter waves is Korn and Rage Against the Machine, whose fuse rap music with metal. The successful and influential 1990s bands, such as Korn and Limp Bizkit, become the trendsetter of alternative metal style and since then, many bands are influenced by their personal style and it eventually becomes the face of the alternative metal.

Are you curious about this genre?
Firstly, I will recommend you to listen to Alice in Chains and Soundgarden in your first playlist. The song entitled Man in the Box can be considered as the best of Alice in Chains works during the 1990s, which also shape its uniqueness to what the band becomes now. Try to listen to Beyond the Wheel, Outshined, and Ty Cobb to find the grunge signature from Soundgarden's works. While my own favorite bands are Korn and Limp Bizkit, as they can be considered as one of the most famous alternative metal band. You can try to listen to Nookie and Rollin’ from Limp Bizkit as my personal best. Both of the songs really depict the combination and adding some electronic music to enrich it. Happy listening and headbangin’!