Is Nü Metal the most divisive music subgenre of the 1990s? It sure seems to generate a lot of hate, but is also beloved by millions of fans. Eschewing the traditions of classic NWOBHM bands (guitar solos, leather, fist-pumping athems), Nü Metal rose from the same underground that embraced both hip-hop and mosh pits, with its own style (baggy pants, tracksuits, baseball caps) more reminiscent of Run D.M.C. than Judas Priest. In the same way that punk was a response to the bloated stylings of 70s corporate and progressive rock, Nü Metal stripped away the overindulgence of previous metal incarnations and focused on rhythm and catharsis. Bands like Korn, Papa Roach, and Linkin Park wrote about the dark underbelly of suburban home life, with varying musical approaches, while others like Slipknot, Mudvayne, and Static-X added a layer of theatrical presentation in their looks. We revisit not just the Nü Metal period, but also what came before it, bands like Anthrax and Public Enemy teaming up, the alternative approaches of Primus, Faith No More, and Rage Against The Machine, and explore the looks, the sounds and legacy of Nü Metal.
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