Nu-Metal/Alternative Metal

In MMA terms nu-metal is included under alt metal. They're similar but some differences. I'm not an expert in the area but I always considered nu-metal to one the acts which heavily featured rap vocals, although I'm sure there must be more to it than that. 

One of the reasons for the inclusion of nu metal under alternative metal is that nu metal is partially derived from the alternative metal and alternative rock movement of the 90s. For instance, ome of the first rap metal acts proper, like Rage Against the Machine, H-Blockx, Clawfinger and Senser (and, to some extent Faith No More and Red Hot Chili Peppers) were associated with the alternative metal scene. The nu metal acts latched on to the rap aesthetics introduced into metal by these artists and imported even more elements from hip hop into their style, plus they drew heavily on groove metal which was also big in the 90s.

I see nu metal as a delimited subgenre within the alternative metal/rock sphere, characterized by simplified groove metal inspired riffs, hip hop aesthetics (like turntablism), and rapped vocals. Of course, some nu metal bands fit better into this than others. For instance, the Danish underground nu metal band Boxhead featured nu metal styled riffage and turntablism, but their vocalist did not rap.

Oh, and the term nu metal was applied to a number of metal acts that actually did not display nu metal characteristics, but which just happened to be around in the heyday of nu metal, such as System of a Down.


Edited by Time Signature - 09 Nov 2013 at 12:32pm

Time Signature wrote: One of the reasons for the inclusion of nu metal under alternative metal is that nu metal is partially derived from the alternative metal and alternative rock movement of the 90s. For instance, ome of the first rap metal acts proper, like Rage Against the Machine, H-Blockx, Clawfinger and Senser (and, to some extent Faith No More and Red Hot Chili Peppers) were associated with the alternative metal scene. The nu metal acts latched on to the rap aesthetics introduced into metal by these artists and imported even more elements from hip hop into their style, plus they drew heavily on groove metal which was also big in the 90s. I see nu metal as a delimited subgenre within the alternative metal/rock sphere, characterized by simplified groove metal inspired riffs, hip hop aesthetics (like turntablism), and rapped vocals. Of course, some nu metal bands fit better into this than others. For instance, the Danish underground nu metal band Boxhead featured nu metal styled riffage and turntablism, but their vocalist did not rap. Oh, and the term nu metal was applied to a number of metal acts that actually did not display nu metal characteristics, but which just happened to be around in the heyday of nu metal, such as System of a Down.

This.

Also, a lot of Nu Metal bands featured influence from Tool and from Industrial bands.
A lot of your Flaws and your Colds and others would sound very different if Tool weren't famous. Same goes for industrial. Spineshank, Powerman 5000 and many others feature a bit of industrial influence in their sound but never enough to actually be an industrial band.