Why some fans might be struggling to keep up with metal’s evolution

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Modern heavy metal strays from the traditional Black Sabbath-esque sound that your uncle might be familiar with. Back in the early ’70s, music enthusiasts could predictably anticipate a certain gloominess in the songs, characterized by a heavy bassline, one or more guitar solos, and lyrics revolving around accepting the destruction of life without remorse.

Over the years, my gaming experience has morphed quite a bit. Back in the day, a subgenre known as “hair metal” emerged. The outfits (and, you bet your life, the hair) were flamboyant, the performances occasionally cheesy, and the music production was polished to a mirror shine.

By the year 2025, however, the definition of metal music may be growing increasingly complex. Some critics contend that Ghost doesn’t fit the metal mold, yet their creator, Tobias Forge, has never insisted that his band can only be labeled as heavy metal and nothing else. Instead, he has been more influenced by 1970s AOR, which places them closer to hard rock than metal.

The next step for heavy metal is completely unknown

Clearly, the aim is to create quality music, and if listeners categorize it as metal, then that’s fine. Enter Sleep Token, the enigmatic band known for their masks, who have created quite a buzz. Their latest album, “Even in Arcadia“, even reached the top spot in the U.S. charts.

Although they could be labeled as progressive metal or just alternative, a more fitting description would be pop metal. Their music features light, airy tunes with bass lines influenced by hip-hop. However, not every new track aims for a heavy metal sound. Instead, their style leans more towards pure pop music.

Sleep Token has a metallic vibe in terms of ambiance, yet their style of performance veers away from traditional metal techniques. Artists like Bad Omens and Spiritbox also fit this description – while they carry a heavy metal essence sonically, it’s challenging to categorize them strictly as metal or hard rock.

Metallica is undeniably a heavy metal band, and it’s accurate to label them as such. They often amplify their intensity and loudness. On the other hand, Sleep Token frequently chooses to tone things down. Their music incorporates dreamy interludes that could be reminiscent of Philip Glass rather than Iron Maiden.

In essence, is the latest iteration of metal music appealing or not? Possibly so, and it could potentially attract a multitude of new enthusiasts to the genre. Now, let’s consider the future. What impact might bands like Sleep Token have on this scene? And will the music they inspire still fall under the heavy metal umbrella? The answer is intriguing: it could mark the evolution or even the end of the genre as we know it today.

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2025-06-02 18:00