Black Sabbath claimed this term was first used by a reporter who described the sound of their band as being like 'heavy metal in your ears'. Using the maximum amount of distortion available, the fastest guitar solos, the loudest settings and the fastest rhythms, heavy metal is extreme in both sound and image. It uses a more discordant sound than traditional rock with a huge emphasis placed of heavy repetitive riffs. The rhythmic palm mute used with these discordant riffs creates an oppressive, manic image and feel that characterises heavy metal music. Lyrics delve into death, Satan, the occult and the strange, with the music being created to back up this image. Because of the more extreme nature of the music, guitar playing was developed to new levels of ability in a race to play faster, louder and weirder than the next person. The whammy bar was employed to a great extent in metal music, as were guitar effects, which guitarists used to create other worldly noises, screaming special effects and deathly growls.

• The Music: discordant, extremely distorted, screaming vocals, riff orientated, complicated song structures and amazing levels of technical ability.
• The Lyrics: death, occult, the supernatural, sex, social breakdown.
• The Guitar Solo: very long, very fast, technically difficult, whammy dives, loads of harmonised lead, use of diatonic harmony modes and scales.
• The Equipment: Ibanez/ BC Rich/ ESP/ spiky guitars with tremolos, Marshal Amps, loads of effects, massive drum kits, huge bass amps.
• The Image: none-more-black, leather, chains, jewellery, very long hair, patches, studs and badges on jackets, gloom, doom and social demise.
• The Bands: Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Wasp, Metallica, Megadeth.