Industrial Metal

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The origins of the genre trace back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, with bands like Pantera, Helmet, and Faith No More laying the groundwork through their groove metal and alternative metal styles. Korn is often credited as pioneering the subgenre in 1994 with their self-titled debut album and their 1993 demo, Neidermayer's Mind. Producer Ross Robinson, known as "The Godfather of Nu Metal," was instrumental in shaping these early sounds. The genre merged elements from rap metal, groove metal, and funk metal, often adopting the verse-chorus-bridge structure of pop music rather than traditional heavy metal complexity. By the late 1990s, artists like Limp Bizkit and Slipknot released albums that sold millions of copies, cementing the style's place in mainstream culture.

In Their Own Story

The mid-2000s marked a turning point as the subgenre faced oversaturation and underperformance from high-profile releases. Many bands disbanded or shifted their sound, with metalcore and emo overtaking nu metal in popularity. However, the 2010s brought a revival where bands like Of Mice & Men, Emmure, Issues, My Ticket Home, Bring Me the Horizon, and Motionless in White combined nu metal with metalcore or deathcore. Interest surged again in the early 2020s as artists like Grimes, Poppy, and Rina Sawayama integrated nu metal sounds into electronic pop music. The genre's legacy is defined by its rhythmic aggression, with drummers like Slipknot's Joey Jordison and Mudvayne's Matt McDonough serving as notable exceptions to the rule against blast beats in the style.

Reader's Guide

To understand the sound of this genre, focus on the instrumentation: guitarists often use seven-string guitars down-tuned for a heavier tone, while bassists may utilize five or six-string instruments. The wah pedal is occasionally featured, but mid-song bridges and a general lack of solos contrast sharply with other metal subgenres. Vocals are rhythmic and hip-hop influenced; while bands like Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park utilized rapping, others like Godsmack and Staind did not. Guest appearances from hip-hop artists were common, such as Ice Cube on Korn's "Children of the Korn" or Jay-Z on Linkin Park's 2004 extended play Collision Course. Fashion played a significant role too, with baggy pants, JNCO jeans, and face paint being staples. Some bands like Motograter, Mushroomhead, Mudvayne, and Slipknot wore masks and costumes to enhance their aesthetic.

Did You Know?

• Nu metal guitarists often use seven-string guitars that are down-tuned to produce a heavier sound.
• Blast beats and double bass drumming are uncommon in nu metal, with Joey Jordison of Slipknot and Matt McDonough of Mudvayne being notable exceptions.
• The term 'nu metal' is sometimes attributed to producer Ross Robinson, who has been called the 'Godfather of Nu Metal'.
• Linkin Park's debut album Hybrid Theory was certified diamond in 2005, marking a peak in the genre's popularity.
• Some nu metal bands like Static-X and Dope specifically incorporated elements of industrial metal into their sound.