Industrial Metal

A rhythm-heavy fusion blending hip-hop flows, industrial textures, and down-tuned guitar riffs.

Nu metal is a subgenre of alternative metal that fuses heavy metal with elements of hip-hop, funk, industrial, and grunge. Vocal styles are often rhythmic and influenced by hip-hop, ranging from singing and rapping to screaming and growling. DJs are occasionally featured to provide instrumentation such as sampling and turntable scratching. This genre became a key part of the new wave of American heavy metal, with its popularity peaking in 2001 before declining due to oversaturation.

Quick Facts

Band affiliation

Slipknot
Korn
Limp Bizkit
Linkin Park
Static-X
Dope

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.

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?

Blast beats and double bass drumming are uncommon in nu metal, with Joey Jordison of Slipknot and Matt McDonough of Mudvayne being notable exceptions.
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.