RockMetal

RockMetal is a term used to describe music that blends elements of rock and heavy metal. It is not a formally defined genre with a single set of rules, but rather a descriptive label applied by critics, fans, and media to acts that combine rock songcraft, often with melodic hooks and verse-chorus structures, with heavier metal instrumentation such as downtuned guitars, aggressive riffs, and powerful drums.

Origins trace to the late 1960s and 1970s when bands began pushing rock into heavier territory, laying groundwork for both hard rock and early metal. In the 1980s and 1990s, various acts merged rock accessibility and metal intensity, producing hybrids often labeled as hard rock/metal, alternative metal, or groove metal. The term RockMetal has continued to be used informally as a catch-all for artists on the boundary between rock and metal or that blend the two styles across albums or songs.

Common features include distorted guitar riffs, extended guitar solos, and a rhythm section capable of both driving rock grooves and metal speed. Vocal styles range from clean singing to aggressive or shouted delivery, and song structures may emphasize melody alongside heavy dynamics. The sound can vary from riff-driven anthems to more atmospheric or progressive textures.

RockMetal overlaps with hard rock, traditional heavy metal, thrash, power metal, alternative metal, and nu-metal. Notable artists frequently discussed in this context include Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Tool, System of a Down, Mastodon, and Slipknot, among others. The term remains informal and its boundaries are fluid across regions and periods.