How to Combine New Wave Metal

Fuse New Wave and heavy metal for a new genre.

The two popular musical genres of heavy metal and New Wave are quite distinct. But they do have a few things in common. They both started in the UK in the late 1970s and they both use the typical band structure of vocalist, bassist, guitarist and drummer. In addition, a New Wave band usually has a keyboardist. However, the differences are easily recognizable. New Wave music is for dancing. Heavy metal music is for "slam dancing" or "moshing," which are often violent, full-contact dance styles. Fusing the two musical styles would be unusual, but it is possible. The result could be a satisfying and new musical genre.

Instructions

1. Hire a keyboard player. The keyboard player should play simple chords and leads using synthesized string sounds.

2. Use disco-influenced beats. This is a New Wave music staple. Preferably, generate the beats with a drum machine.

3. Play guitar with heavy distortion. Heavily distorted guitar is a staple of heavy metal music.

4. Play fast guitar solos. Fast guitar solos are very common in heavy metal music.

5. For a New Wave vocal style, sing in a monotone using a clipped, clear voice. Sing about themes like relationships and technology. For a heavy metal style, growl and bark or sing with a screech. For heavy metal lyrical themes, sing about war, death and evil.

6. Write long, complex songs for a heavy metal-influenced song structure. Write simple, shorter songs for a New Wave structure.

Tips & Warnings

• Feel free to integrate any element of either musical genre in order to create a style that is your own. Listen to lots of music from both genres for inspiration.

• Accept that few people may accept your new musical style. The fan bases of the two kinds of music are very different and sometimes opposed to each other.

References

• BNET; New Wave Music; Steve Graves; 2010
• allmusic; Heavy Metal; 2011