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Speed Metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music. As the name implies the genre is characterised by its focus on fast playing style and because of this it is often considered to be the progenitor of both thrash metal and power metal. In actuality thrash metal was emerging around the same time as speed metal (and had overtaken it within a couple of years), however much of early thrash metal bears trademarks of speed metal as well, including the Big Four thrash metal bands, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. This has led to some to use the two terms interchangeably, however speed metal is considered to allow for more melody and less aggressive playing than thrash metal, containing more influence from the music's roots in traditional heavy metal and less from hardcore punk (though speed metal/punk hybrid artists are not unheard of). Additionally speed metal bands are less likely to use growled or shouted vocals than thrash metal. Speed metal's influence on European style power metal, which emerged in the late eighties, was much greater, with many early Euro power metal bands, including Helloween, Blind Guardian and Rage, starting their careers with more speed metal based sounds before becoming power metal acts.
While the roots of speed metal may be traced back even further with tracks such as Deep Purple's Highway Star or Queen's Stone Cold Crazy often credited as being proto-speed metal, it was traditional heavy metal bands such as Motörhead, Accept and Judas Priest that are considered to have had the most influence on the speed metal sound and can be said to have produced individual speed metal songs (such as Accept's Fast as a Shark) before there were any actual speed metal bands or albums.
Some of the first artists to really kick-start speed metal as a genre were Venom, Running Wild and Atomkraft, with Venom releasing the Welcome to Hell album in 1981, which could be considered the first speed metal album. Though as is common for speed metal, all these bands had elements of other genres in their sound as artists that exclusively or even primarily play speed metal are comparatively rare next to other metal sub-genres, though there are many thrash/speed, power/speed and heavy/speed metal bands in existence, who each may or may not have made some speed metal dominated albums. An early notable band to play a primarily speed metal based music was Exciter, who released their debut album Heavy Metal Maniac in 1983 and have mostly stuck with their speed metal dominant sound ever since, though they have also released speed/heavy and speed/thrash releases. Venom later turned to making more heavy and thrash metal based albums while Running Wild become an early example of Euro style power metal and later a more straight heavy metal based act.
Most well known examples of speed metal, which along with the aforementioned also includes Agent Steel, Angel Dust (early) and Savage Grace, are from the eighties. There has however been something of a speed metal renaissance starting in the late 2000's with examples of newer speed metal bands including Ranger, Demona, Speedwolf and Evil Invaders.
In addition to classic speed metal sounds, the genre has had a notable merger with black metal to create a blackened speed metal sound, typically consisting of speed metal guitar riffs with black metal vocals styles and an altogether dirtier atmosphere compared to straight speed metal bands or other hybrid styles, taking their cues from the early template laid down by Venom. Examples of blackened speed metal bands include Joel Grind, Bulldozing Bastard, Occult Burial and Midnight.
Certain neoclassical metal artists such as Joe Stump and Marty Friedman have also used speed metal to form the basis of their music on certain releases, such as Stump's 2004 album Speed Metal Messiah or Friedman's 1988 album Dragon's Kiss.
On MMA, speed/thrash and speed/power metal releases will typically be placed under thrash and power metal respectively, while speed/heavy releases will be placed under speed metal. Blackened speed metal will usually be included under speed metal with the work of neoclassical based artists will be included under neoclassical metal.
- Genre definition written by 666sharon666.
Sub-genre collaborators (shared with Thrash Metal and Groove Metal): - Vim Fuego (leader)
- Nightfly
Showing only albums and EPs | Based on members ratings & MMA custom algorithm | 24 hours caching
EP · 1986 ·
Speed Metal
UMUR
"Mad Locust Rising" is an EP release by US, Los Angeles based power/speed/thrash metal act Agent Steel. The EP was released through Combat Records in early 1986 and it bridges the gap between the band´s debut- and sophomore full-length studio albums "Skeptics Apocalypse (1985)" and "Unstoppable Force (1987)". There has been one lineup change since the release of "Skeptics Apocalypse (1985)" as guitarist Kurt Kilfelt has been replaced by Bernie Versailles.
"Mad Locust Rising" features 4 tracks and a total playing time of 11:43 minutes (the original cassette version of the EP features the bonus track "Taken by Force", which is culled from "Skeptics Apocalypse (1985)"). The EP contains 3 originals (one of which is a very short intro track), and a cover of "The Ripper" by Judas Priest. "Mad Locust Rising" and "Let It Be Done / The Day at Guyana" are both incredibly raw and nicely fast-paced speed/thrash metal tracks with lead vocalist John Cyriis´s high pitched screaming vocals in front. Both tracks are in many ways a natural continuation from the material on "Skeptics Apocalypse (1985)". Raw, aggressive, and almost unhinged in nature, but still with a melodic sensibility, which makes both tracks catchy and memorable. Agent Steel´s cover of "The Ripper" is very true to the original and while the cover version is well performed, Agent Steel fail to put much of a personal touch to the song.
"Mad Locust Rising" features a very raw sounding production. What it lacks in clarity, it makes up for in power and savagery, and the sound perfectly suits the material. Upon conclusion "Mad Locust Rising" is a high quality release and a great addition to the band´s early discography. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.
Split · 1984 ·
Speed Metal
UMUR
"Death Metal" is a 4way-split release featuring German artists Running Wild, Helloween, Dark Avenger, and Swiss group Hellhammer. The split was released in October 1984 through Noise Records. None of the band´s have had their breakthrough at this point, and all material on the split are demo recordings. Each artist are featured with two tracks.
"Death Metal" opens with the two tracks by Running Wild, which are culled from their 1984 "Demo 4". They are fairly well played but not particularly interesting heavy metal/speed metal tracks. Hellhammer is up next, and their two tracks are culled from the March 1984 recording sessions which ended up becoming the "Apocalyptic Raids" EP. The two tracks featured on this split, are however leftover tracks from the recording sessions, which originally didn´t make it unto "Apocalyptic Raids". Stylistically Hellhammer played a primitive and raw blackened speed metal style, which subsequently influenced a lot of extreme metal artists. They are arguably the most raw and extreme band on the split.
The Dark Avenger tracks are epic heavy/speed metal tracks, which are well performed, well written, and relatively well produced. As far as I know the two tracks are exclusive to this release. Dark Avenger only released a 1985 demo in addition to the material featured here and then folded. The two Helloween tracks are culled from their June 1984 "Death Metal Demo". Helloween play a more powerful, sharp, and hard edged version of the speed metal style Dark Avenger introduced on the tracks before these ones. The Helloween tracks are also well produced.
Although Hellhammer stick out a bit with their more savage sounding music style "Death Metal" is a pretty good quality split release, featuring some decent quality demo material (in some cases pretty good quality) and some of these bands would of course go on to future greatness. It´s only Dark Avenger who has more or less disappeared from metal history other than their contributions to this split. A 3 star (60%) rating is deserved.
Split · 1984 ·
Speed Metal
UMUR
"Death Metal" is a 4way-split release featuring German artists Running Wild, Helloween, Dark Avenger, and Swiss group Hellhammer. The split was released in October 1984 through Noise Records. None of the band´s have had their breakthrough at this point, and all material on the split are demo recordings. Each artist are featured with two tracks.
"Death Metal" opens with the two tracks by Running Wild, which are culled from their 1984 "Demo 4". They are fairly well played but not particularly interesting heavy metal/speed metal tracks. Hellhammer is up next, and their two tracks are culled from the March 1984 recording sessions which ended up becoming the "Apocalyptic Raids" EP. The two tracks featured on this split, are however leftover tracks from the recording sessions, which originally didn´t make it unto "Apocalyptic Raids". Stylistically Hellhammer played a primitive and raw blackened speed metal style, which subsequently influenced a lot of extreme metal artists. They are arguably the most raw and extreme band on the split.
The Dark Avenger tracks are epic heavy/speed metal tracks, which are well performed, well written, and relatively well produced. As far as I know the two tracks are exclusive to this release. Dark Avenger only released a 1985 demo in addition to the material featured here and then folded. The two Helloween tracks are culled from their June 1984 "Death Metal Demo". Helloween play a more powerful, sharp, and hard edged version of the speed metal style Dark Avenger introduced on the tracks before these ones. The Helloween tracks are also well produced.
Although Hellhammer stick out a bit with their more savage sounding music style "Death Metal" is a pretty good quality split release, featuring some decent quality demo material (in some cases pretty good quality) and some of these bands would of course go on to future greatness. It´s only Dark Avenger who has more or less disappeared from metal history other than their contributions to this split. A 3 star (60%) rating is deserved.
Demo · 1984 ·
Speed Metal
UMUR
"144,000 Gone" is a one-track cassette tape demo by US, Los Angeles, California based speed/thrash metal act Agent Steel. The demo was released in 1984. Agent Steel formed earlier that same year and is a five-piece on this demo.
The fact that the band features two guitarists in the lineup is clearly heard on "144,000 Gone", which is a very melodic power/speed metal track in the harder edged end of the scale. Loads of harmonies and great melodic guitar work on the track. The rhythm section is well playing and drive the music forward with great power, while lead vocalist John Cyriis shows off his powerful voice and incredible vocal range. There are some ear piercing screams on this track, which can´t be described as anything else but amazing. Cyriis is a high class vocalist.
The sound production is very rough around the edges, which is to be expected from a demo from 1984, but although some details may be lost in the slightly muddy mix, you still get a good idea of what Agent Steel are capable of both songwriting wise and performance wise. In those departments the band excel on "144,000 Gone", and a 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.