Speed Metal is a subgenre that I've really been enjoying lately. For those of you who don't know what it is, imagine a fusion between old-school Heavy Metal, early Thrash, and a stripped-down version of modern Power Metal. As the name suggests, it is characterised by its speed, with double bass drumming, lightning fast riffs that are melodic yet retain a lot of rawness, and ballsy vocals that break into powerscreams now and again.

Many bands have incorporated this style into their own sound, while others play or have played in a purely Speed Metal style. Some notable bands to check out are Exciter, Agent Steel, early Blind Guardian, early Helloween, and Rage. This particular subgenre had its heyday in the mid-to-late 80s, and has since died down after Thrash and Power Metal became big genres in their own right.

The purpose of this thread is to get your opinions on Speed Metal, on the various notable bands that play in this style or have major elements of it in their sound, on the reasons for its decline, and also to give general recommendations about stuff to check out. So, post away!

"speed metal" isn't really a commonly used categorisation in today's metal.. the differences between speed metal and power metal or traditional heavy metal aren't really big enough to even use the term "speed metal" as something different..

obviously I love the sort of music you are referring to.. who could not love Saxon's "20,000 Ft" or Sinner's "Too Late To Runaway" for example - but with stuff like this I just call it traditional heavy metal.. they are just have a bit more pace to them, thats all..

Written by Baz Anderson on 01.06.2007 at 18:08

"speed metal" isn't really a commonly used categorisation in today's metal.. the differences between speed metal and power metal or traditional heavy metal aren't really big enough to even use the term "speed metal" as something different..

I agree about it but I woud not say band slike Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius(NEW) are speed

I moustly like speed metal bands from 80ties i realy enjoy 80ties speed like Blind Guardian, Acid(Bel), X-Wild, Rage, Running Wild, Grave Digger, Digger(Ger), Risk, Evil(Dan), Riped Tears, Solar Eagle, Krakem, Peale Driver, Avalon, ok iMO its not important mention all bands what I like but IMO you get idea

I call speed bands who play fatst lil like Blind Guardian, Risk, also fats and thrasy like early Anthrax, Metallica, Slayer, and I woud not saw Slayer are speed bnut almosut all early thrash bands has speed elements also Metal Church, Sodom, Venom ha slil speed parts even Motorhead and such band slike Possessed can be speedy parts

I hope you get idea

Hmm
From Speed Metal I love Running Wild, old Helloween, old Blind Guardian, Satanic Slaughter, Rage, old Metallica, old Slayer, Venom, first Anthrax, some Mercyful Fate, some Dark Angel, first Megadeth, Heller, some Grave Digger, even latest Exploited albums, and some Darkthrone and Aura Noir ..

But I don't think that Speed Metal like a genre really exist as you can se any of the bands on my list can't be charachterised as Speed Metal

Written by APOHAKC on 01.06.2007 at 21:17

Hmm
From Speed Metal I love Running Wild, old Helloween, old Blind Guardian, Satanic Slaughter, Rage, old Metallica, old Slayer, Venom, first Anthrax, some Mercyful Fate, some Dark Angel, first Megadeth, Heller, some Grave Digger, even latest Exploited albums, and some Darkthrone and Aura Noir ..

But I don't think that Speed Metal like a genre really exist as you can se any of the bands on my list can't be charachterised as Speed Metal

I agree man ist good bands and genre exist, but just like Baz say its not psoible say like we know black ist black, death are death, but speed its can be like speed/heavy, speed/thrash, speed/power

I think Exumer might count as speed metal, but they might just lean more towards thrash metal. They are (were) a German band with reeeeeaaaaalllly fast riffs. Check out Possessed by Fire...it's a great album!

Speed Metal is nice. I love how fast it is, really high energy stuff. Have to say however, I am speaking mostly from experience with Blind Guardian's earlier albums such as Battalions of Fear, and Symphonies of Doom back when they were still called Lucifer's Heritage.

Written by Piro on 02.06.2007 at 14:58

Speed Metal is nice. I love how fast it is, really high energy stuff. Have to say however, I am speaking mostly from experience with Blind Guardian's earlier albums such as Battalions of Fear, and Symphonies of Doom back when they were still called Lucifer's Heritage.

But tahy recoredt only 2 demo whit such name and I agr5ee deme has great 80ties speed sound fast good even demo quality but ist good albums

Speed metal is awesome genre: old Helloween, old Blind Guardian, Running Wild's a mixture of heavy, power and speed metal, Gamma Ray are melodic power/speed metal (they have those solid speedish rhythms that modern MELODIC power metal band's don't), Agent Steel are basically speed metal with some US power thrown in, US Power metal's other speed-influenced greatnesses are: Helstar, Metal Church, Vicous Rumors, Liege Lord..
Cacophony are speed metal with shredding solos.
Grave Digger are speed metal mostly. They have som heavy and power metal (the amount depends of the album) in their sound.. The most speed are Reaper and Heart of Darkness.
All in all, a great genre.. And good characterization, Judas..

Generally, I have to say that speed metal is a faster and more energetic form of power.

Written by Baz Anderson on 01.06.2007 at 18:08

"speed metal" isn't really a commonly used categorisation in today's metal.. the differences between speed metal and power metal or traditional heavy metal aren't really big enough to even use the term "speed metal" as something different..

The big difference between Speed and power/heavy is that it keeps going fast especially with the guitars and drums, and has little parts that are slower. For example: Listen to Blind Guardian's Run for the Night, and then listen to their song Mirror, Mirror, you'll see that Mirror Mirror has some parts that instead of quickly playing the guitars, it slows down, unlike the first.

Written by Bad English on 01.06.2007 at 21:39

Written by APOHAKC on 01.06.2007 at 21:17

Hmm
From Speed Metal I love Running Wild, old Helloween, old Blind Guardian, Satanic Slaughter, Rage, old Metallica, old Slayer, Venom, first Anthrax, some Mercyful Fate, some Dark Angel, first Megadeth, Heller, some Grave Digger, even latest Exploited albums, and some Darkthrone and Aura Noir ..

But I don't think that Speed Metal like a genre really exist as you can se any of the bands on my list can't be charachterised as Speed Metal

I agree man ist good bands and genre exist, but just like Baz say its not psoible say like we know black ist black, death are death, but speed its can be like speed/heavy, speed/thrash, speed/power

I think one of the reasons for that is because it's one of the 'transition' genres. It wasn't an end in itself for most bands, more a stop on the way to their final destination.

Written by Judas on 03.06.2007 at 07:55

Written by Bad English on 01.06.2007 at 21:39

Written by APOHAKC on 01.06.2007 at 21:17

Hmm
From Speed Metal I love Running Wild, old Helloween, old Blind Guardian, Satanic Slaughter, Rage, old Metallica, old Slayer, Venom, first Anthrax, some Mercyful Fate, some Dark Angel, first Megadeth, Heller, some Grave Digger, even latest Exploited albums, and some Darkthrone and Aura Noir ..

But I don't think that Speed Metal like a genre really exist as you can se any of the bands on my list can't be charachterised as Speed Metal

I agree man ist good bands and genre exist, but just like Baz say its not psoible say like we know black ist black, death are death, but speed its can be like speed/heavy, speed/thrash, speed/power

I think one of the reasons for that is because it's one of the 'transition' genres. It wasn't an end in itself for most bands, more a stop on the way to their final destination.

Alos thay follow time seems all bands follow soem how follow time and change and ba dthink are it hepends in music and dressing style

Written by Bad English on 03.06.2007 at 10:08

Written by Judas on 03.06.2007 at 07:55

Written by Bad English on 01.06.2007 at 21:39

Written by APOHAKC on 01.06.2007 at 21:17

Hmm
From Speed Metal I love Running Wild, old Helloween, old Blind Guardian, Satanic Slaughter, Rage, old Metallica, old Slayer, Venom, first Anthrax, some Mercyful Fate, some Dark Angel, first Megadeth, Heller, some Grave Digger, even latest Exploited albums, and some Darkthrone and Aura Noir ..

But I don't think that Speed Metal like a genre really exist as you can se any of the bands on my list can't be charachterised as Speed Metal

I agree man ist good bands and genre exist, but just like Baz say its not psoible say like we know black ist black, death are death, but speed its can be like speed/heavy, speed/thrash, speed/power

I think one of the reasons for that is because it's one of the 'transition' genres. It wasn't an end in itself for most bands, more a stop on the way to their final destination.

Alos thay follow time seems all bands follow soem how follow time and change and ba dthink are it hepends in music and dressing style

Well, when I form a Speed Metal band, we're not going to give a fuck about what's cool and what's not, we're going to play SPEEEEEEEEED!

@Judas - Yes but if you'r enot metal fan and your soul dont belongs there even how hard you try you coud not survive long or be on;y underground band

Personally,I prefer speed metal.Power is a little bit overrated,but there are also some bands in this style which I like.

Written by Elodie Artour on 03.06.2007 at 12:42

Personally,I prefer speed metal.Power is a little bit overrated,but there are also some bands in this style which I like.

I agree power are in all tv stations all atlk about it specely new bands but i cant hear nothing from old metal bands in radio

Ahhh speed metal, its great. I think it should be the proper term instead of this "Extreme Power Metal" crap, I just consider Bodom speed metal. simple as that. Wonder why this term is used as often?

Written by Doc G. on 06.06.2007 at 20:46

Ahhh speed metal, its great. I think it should be the proper term instead of this "Extreme Power Metal" crap, I just consider Bodom speed metal. simple as that. Wonder why this term is used as often?

Bodom is not speed metal, ok maybe first 3 albums was speed whit elements but leither ist extreme power metal speed are fast and old school and I dont see those elements in them music

Written by Bad English on 06.06.2007 at 23:53

Written by Doc G. on 06.06.2007 at 20:46

Ahhh speed metal, its great. I think it should be the proper term instead of this "Extreme Power Metal" crap, I just consider Bodom speed metal. simple as that. Wonder why this term is used as often?

Bodom is not speed metal, ok maybe first 3 albums was speed whit elements but leither ist extreme power metal speed are fast and old school and I dont see those elements in them music

Im not talking speed metal in the old school sense, I think there the newest incarnation of speed metal, I went on wiki and heres what they said the definition of speed metal was:

Quote:
When Speed metal first emerged as a genre, it innovatively increased the tempo of the music template set forth by Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple while keeping their melodic ideas.

I dont know about you, but increased speed with melody sounds like a good description of Bodom for me. And yeah i know there are some slower Bodom tunes like 'Angels Dont Kill' 'Punch Me I Bleed' or 'Everytime I Die' but for the most part Bodoms music is pretty speedy.

Are these bands Speed metal : Razor , Agent Steel , Morbid Saint , Vio-Lence ??

Written by Hembrom on 07.06.2007 at 18:41

Are these bands Speed metal : Razor , Agent Steel , Morbid Saint , Vio-Lence ??

Razor canadian band ye sits speed/thrash metal half speed half thrsh and thos eall bands are speed/us power/thrash

Oh if Helloween, Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray are speed metal then i better stay away from this genre , speed-thrash is very good for me.

Written by Hembrom on 07.06.2007 at 19:22

Oh if Helloween, Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray are speed metal then i better stay away from this genre , speed-thrash is very good for me.

Those all are power but thays tart like speed and one of Blind Guardian was faster how others

I really enjoy speed metal in small doses. The problem with dedicating your whole career to one art "speed". Is that it gets very generic. Demons & Wizards find a good ballance there. They have some brilliant speed metal songs... but they are mixed amongst ballards, classic heavy metal tunes, old school rock elements, and traditional power metal.

Very True, D&W is very much like Blind Guardian, but more spread out, they have a bit of everything in them lol.:P

Written by Hembrom on 07.06.2007 at 19:22

Oh if Helloween, Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray are speed metal then i better stay away from this genre , speed-thrash is very good for me.

What Helloween play currently is not Speed Metal, it's Power Metal, and they've played that since 1987 (in the style that we know as Power Metal today). Their sound on their self-titled EP and the first full-length 'Walls Of Jericho' is a lot rawer. Same with Blind Guardian, their demos as Lucifer's Heritage and the first two full-lengths are speedy and raw, quite unlike a lot of their current stuff. Gamma Ray's first full-length is also a lot rawer than their current sound. I know you're not a Power Metal fan, but the early sounds of Helloween and Blind Guardian are worth checking out if you like 'old-school' metal in general. After all, Helloween's first two songs appeared on a Noise Records compilation called 'Death Metal', along with two songs by Hellhammer!

Oh , i am confused then .... i use to think that Razor , Agent Steel and Morbid Saints are pure speed metal. Helloween type old school speed metal kinda suck IMO i mean not my kinda style !!

Awesome and thanks for the info Judas

I fvcking lovvvve Speed Metal!!!!!!!!!!!!

and i disagree with certain others in this thread, though it's akin to Thrash, it does sound different and is worthy ov it's own categorisation.

Stormwarrior, Helloween, Agent Steel, Exciter.........ahhhhh