Breakdowns, riffs and raw emotion. Metalcore started in hardcore basements in the '90s and has since split into a handful of very different sounds. This guide covers what metalcore is, the four main metalcore subgenres, the bands that defined each one, and a track to start with.
What is metalcore?
Metalcore is a fusion of extreme metal and hardcore punk. It takes metal's riffs and technicality and pairs them with hardcore's urgency, shouted vocals and, above all, breakdowns: the slow, heavy sections built for the pit. Later bands added sung choruses, which is a big part of why metalcore became one of the most popular heavy genres of the 2000s.
Classic metalcore
Classic metalcore emerged in the ’90s, blending hardcore punk’s raw power with metal’s technicality. It’s known for its intense breakdowns, aggressive vocals, and high-energy riffs.
Bands to start with:
- Converge – Concubine: Chaotic, unhinged and hugely influential. If you only hear one record from this era, make it Jane Doe.
- Earth Crisis – Firestorm: Vegan straight-edge hardcore with a metal-heavy low end. Political, serious and very loud.
- Hatebreed – I Will Be Heard: Fist-in-the-air hardcore built for the pit. The lyrics read like a pep talk you get yelled at.
- Integrity – Systems Overload: Darker and nastier than their peers, with a gritty sound that still shows up in heavy bands today.
- Shai Hulud – A Profound Hatred of Man: Busy, melodic riffing and thoughtful lyrics, and a favorite of the musicians who came after them.
The vibe: Basement shows, raw power, and unfiltered intensity.
Melodic metalcore
Melodic metalcore is the most accessible branch, blending aggressive riffs with catchy choruses and clean vocals. It hit its peak in the early 2000s, appealing to fans of heavy music who enjoy a strong melody.
Bands to start with:
- Killswitch Engage – My Last Serenade: The template for screamed verses and huge sung choruses. This is the band a lot of people start with.
- As I Lay Dying – The Sound of Truth: Tight, twin-guitar riffing and relentless double kick from the genre's mid-2000s peak.
- Bullet for My Valentine – Tears Don’t Fall: Welsh band with big hooks, fast solos and a crossover reach that took the sound to the mainstream.
- Parkway Drive – Carrion: Australian band with some of the best breakdowns in the business. They've grown into a festival headliner.
- August Burns Red – White Washed: Busy, technical guitar parts that still find room for melody. Players love trying to learn their riffs.
The vibe: Big anthems, high energy, and riffs that stick.
Deathcore
Deathcore blends death metal’s brutality with metalcore’s breakdowns. With guttural vocals and earth-shattering riffs, it’s the heaviest branch of the family.
Bands to start with:
- Suicide Silence – Unanswered: Low tunings, punishing breakdowns, and one of the bands that took deathcore mainstream in the late 2000s.
- Whitechapel – This Is Exile: Three guitars, no mercy. Their later records add surprising amounts of melody and clean singing.
- Thy Art Is Murder – Reign of Darkness: Australian deathcore with a political edge and a reputation for brutal live shows.
- Carnifex – Hell Chose Me: Leans into darkness and atmosphere, with touches of black metal over the breakdowns.
- Chelsea Grin – Recreant: Heavy, bouncy riffs and a vocalist range that goes from shrieks to sub-bass lows.
The vibe: Dark themes, brutal riffs, and unrestrained heaviness.
Progressive metalcore
Progressive metalcore pushes musical boundaries, using technical complexity, unusual time signatures, and genre-blending elements. It’s perfect if you like your heavy music technical and a little strange.
Bands to start with:
- Between the Buried and Me – Selkies: The Endless Obsession: Ten-minute songs that jump from death metal to jazz to bluegrass and somehow hold together.
- Periphery – Scarlet: One of the bands behind djent: tight, syncopated riffs on extended-range guitars, plus huge choruses.
- The Contortionist – Language I: Intuition: Started heavy and technical, then drifted toward spacey, atmospheric prog.
- Architects – Doomsday: British band that went from math-heavy chaos to massive, emotional anthems without losing their edge.
- Northlane – Quantum Flux: Australian band that mixes heavy riffs with ambient, almost electronic textures.
The vibe: Experimental sounds, technical riffs, and intricate, layered compositions.
Metalcore vs deathcore
Deathcore is technically a branch of metalcore, but it sounds very different. Metalcore leans on hardcore, with melodic riffs and, often, clean choruses. Deathcore leans on death metal, with lower tunings, guttural vocals and much heavier breakdowns. If a band sounds like it's trying to shake the building apart, it's probably deathcore.
Which metalcore subgenre is for you?
From classic metalcore's raw power to melodic anthems, crushing deathcore and technical progressive sounds, the metalcore subgenres have something for every kind of heavy music fan. If you want to play it, you'll need serious gain: a couple of the best guitar amps under $500 handle it well. New to heavy music altogether? Start with our tour of metal genres.
FAQ
Are there subgenres of metalcore?
Yes. The main ones are classic metalcore, melodic metalcore, deathcore and progressive metalcore, and there's plenty of overlap between them.
Who are the biggest metalcore bands?
Killswitch Engage, Parkway Drive, Architects, August Burns Red and Bullet for My Valentine are among the best-known.