Speed Metal

My favourite genre .

Post a song which you consider to be the very definition of what Speed Metal should sound like. Here is one of my all time favourites:

Does Metal Church count? Jag Panzer? Raven?

If Jag Panzer doesn't count, the genre doesn't exist.

We'll let them in, there is so much crossover between USPM and speed metal I don't know where one starts or ends.

Jag Panzer is USPM, not speed metal.

Someone mentioned Metal Church?




There are many more by them that could be posted.

007 wrote:

Someone mentioned Metal Church?




There are many more by them that could be posted.

I know it has a long intro, but:



And:



Are probably my top 2 faves.

Didn’t Megadeth once deem themselves “state of the art speed metal”?

Temple of Blood wrote:

Jag Panzer is USPM, not speed metal.

Good grief, this is exactly why I generally avoid genre topic threads like this because inevitably Person A's definition of a genre won't be the same as Person B's. 

So for my own edification ToB, please define what differentiates "speed metal" from "USPM" in your mind?  I probably won't agree or maybe even understand it but I'm curious.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Jag Panzer is USPM, not speed metal.

tohostudios wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

Jag Panzer is USPM, not speed metal.

Good grief, this is exactly why I generally avoid genre topic threads like this because inevitably Person A's definition of a genre won't be the same as Person B's. 

So for my own edification ToB, please define what differentiates "speed metal" from "USPM" in your mind?  I probably won't agree or maybe even understand it but I'm curious.

Yay! I posted my eye rolls before I saw your post. Glad I'm not the only one annoyed by genre-nazi.

tohostudios wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

Jag Panzer is USPM, not speed metal.

Good grief, this is exactly why I generally avoid genre topic threads like this because inevitably Person A's definition of a genre won't be the same as Person B's. 

So for my own edification ToB, please define what differentiates "speed metal" from "USPM" in your mind?  I probably won't agree or maybe even understand it but I'm curious.

I gotta agree with ToB on this one.

Speed metal, to me, is fast, double bass drumming in practically every song with usually high-pitched, smooth vocals. The guitars are usually "cleaner" if that's the right term I'm looking for, without that "crunch and distortion" of USPM or thrash. There's exceptions of course, but generally speaking, that defines "speed metal" to me. USPM offered much more variety in tempo and vocals. Not everything is breakneck speed and falsetto.

Accept's 'Fast as a Shark' is a good example. It's a fast paced "speed metal" song, but I don't think anyone would classify them as a speed metal band. Of course, they aren't USPM either, but that's a whole different kettle of fish.

Bands like Jag Panzer and Metal Church certainly offered some fast songs, but they had other styles throughout their albums.

For what it's worth, here's how Wikipedia defines it...

Quote :

Speed metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots. It is described by AllMusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music.

"It is usually considered less abrasive and more melodic than thrash metal, showing less influence from hardcore punk. However, speed metal is usually faster and more aggressive than traditional heavy metal, also showing more inclination to virtuoso soloing and featuring short instrumental passages between couplets. Speed metal songs frequently make use of highly expressive vocals, but are usually less likely to employ 'harsh' vocals than thrash metal songs."

I'd pretty much agree with that statement, however, if you look at their list of "Speed Metal Bands", there are many that disagree with that classification...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_speed_metal_bands

Anthrax? Nevermore? They have Queen on there because of 'Stone Cold Crazy' for Pete's sake! That's stone cold crazy if you ask me.

So there you have it. That should make everything crystal clear, right fellas?

Ohhhhh, now I get it.

No need to discuss genres my dear friends. Just post any song that you consider as a speed metal jewel. Have fun .

If fast songs with frequent use of double kick drums and clean melodic vocals separates speed metal from USPM or thrash, then Wouldn’t early Anthrax with Belladonna fit that definition?

Same thing with the first Flotsam & Jetsam album.

Regardless of genres, i am enjoying this amazing new song by Attacker. Anyone else picked up the EP?

I think bands like Agent Steel, Exciter, Scanner, and early Deliverance fit the speed metal definition pretty good. How bout Cellador? They were called Helloween rip offs so would that make them power metal? To me they sound like speed metal.