Nu metal is a subgenre of alternative metal that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop, funk, industrial, and grunge. Nu metal rarely features guitar solos or other displays of musical technique, and emphasizes rhythm with instrumentation that is heavily syncopated. Nu metal guitarists typically use seven-string guitars that are down-tuned to produce a heavier sound. Vocal styles are often rhythmic and influenced by hip hop, and include singing, rapping, screaming and sometimes growling. DJs are occasionally featured to provide instrumentation such as sampling, turntable scratching and electronic background music. Nu metal is one of the key genres of the new wave of American heavy metal.
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, originally formed in 1993 by James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and David Silveria, who were members of the band L.A.P.D. Their current lineup features Shaffer (guitar); Arvizu (bass); Brian "Head" Welch (guitar); Jonathan Davis (vocals), and Ray Luzier (drums), who replaced Silveria in 2007. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream.
Coal Chamber is an American nu metal band formed by Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón in Los Angeles in 1992, initially under the name She's in Pain. The original lineup also consisted of bassist Rayna Foss and drummer Jon Tor. Mike Cox replaced Tor on drums in 1995, and the Coal Chamber lineup was complete. After signing to Roadrunner Records, they released their debut album, Coal Chamber, in 1997.
Dark Days is the third studio album by the American nu metal band Coal Chamber. It was released on May 7, 2002.
Korn is the debut studio album by American nu metal band Korn. It was released on October 11, 1994, through Immortal and Epic Records. Before recording the album, the band was approached by Immortal/Epic Records after a performance at Huntington Beach, California. The band signed to their label because they did not want to "sign away all of their creative freedom". The band would record at Indigo Ranch Studios in Malibu, California, with producer Ross Robinson, who also produced their 1993 demo Neidermayer's Mind. The recording took place from May to June 1994. After the recordings, Korn toured with Biohazard and House of Pain.
DevilDriver is an American heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002, consisting of vocalist Dez Fafara, bassist Jon Miller, rhythm guitarist Alex Lee and drummer Davier Pérez. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, the band changed its name to DevilDriver.
"Shock the Monkey" is a song by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel. It was released in September 1982 as the first single from his fourth self-titled studio album, issued in the US under the title Security.
The Best of Coal Chamber is a compilation album by the American nu metal band Coal Chamber, released through Roadrunner Records on August 10, 2004 on CD. The album mixes several tracks from their three studio albums, Coal Chamber, Chamber Music, Dark Days, recorded from 1994 to 2002. It received 3.5 stars from AllMusic.
Chamber Music is the second studio album by American nu metal band Coal Chamber, released on Roadrunner Records on September 7, 1999. The album has industrial elements, most notably on their cover of "Shock the Monkey". The shift in sound was influenced by the involvement of several keyboardists, such as Jay Gordon and Amir Derakh of Orgy, DJ Lethal of Limp Bizkit and production assistance from Dave Ogilvie of Skinny Puppy. It is their second-most successful record and achieved moderate commercial and positive critical success.
Bradley James "Dez" Fafara is an American vocalist who performs in the metal bands DevilDriver and Coal Chamber.
Amen is the second studio album by American rock band Amen and its first for a major label, released on September 21, 1999, by I Am/Roadrunner Records. The first track on the album, "Coma America", became the band's first single. In 2001, the album was re-released with four new bonus tracks.
Giving the Devil His Due is a 2003 compilation album of remixes and previously unreleased songs by the American nu metal band Coal Chamber. "Blisters" and "Wishes" had been on soundtrack albums prior to this album.
Strictly Diesel is the debut studio album by American metal band Spineshank, released on September 22, 1998, through Roadrunner Records. After forming in 1996, Spineshank shopped a demo tape around the Los Angeles area, bringing them to the attention of Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares. The band subsequently began opening for Fear Factory and other bands from early 1997 onwards, attracting the attention of Roadrunner A&R rep Kevin Estrada, who signed the band. Produced by Jay Baumgardner and Amir Derakh, Strictly Diesel is a nu metal and industrial metal album whose sound was compared to bands such as Deftones, Fear Factory, Korn and Sepultura—all of whom Spineshank cited as musical influences.
Breeding the Spawn is the second studio album by American death metal band Suffocation, released in May 1993 through Roadrunner Records. It was the band's first album with bassist Chris Richards, and their last to feature drummer Mike Smith for over a decade, until Souls to Deny (2004). Building off of the sound of Suffocation's debut album Effigy of the Forgotten (1991), it features more technical songwritng incorporating melodic and dynamic arrangements. The album was produced by Suffocation and Paul Bagin at Noise Lab in West Islip, New York. Suffocation originally planned to record the album in Florida with Effigy of the Forgotten producer Scott Burns, but were prevented from doing so by financial constraints and Roadrunner Records themselves, whose head of A&R, Monte Conner, wanted the band to return to the raw sound of their debut EP Human Waste (1991).
Tura Satana was an American rock band formed by rapper and singer Tairrie B after she departed from her contract with the rap label Ruthless Records. Initially formed as a rap rock band under the name Manhole, the band changed their name due to a conflict with a Texas band of the same name, and shifted to a nu metal sound.
The Height of Callousness is the second studio album by American metal band Spineshank, released on October 9, 2000, through Roadrunner Records. It was produced by Garth "GGGarth" Richardson alongside Spineshank guitarist Mike Sarkisyan and drummer Tommy Decker, and it was recorded at Mushroom Studios in Vancouver, Canada. The album has a heavier, more aggressive sound than the band's debut album Strictly Diesel (1998), and incorporates more melodic and electronic elements. Its themes are depression, betrayal, anger, self-doubt and self-confidence.
"Loco" is a song by American nu metal band Coal Chamber. The song was released as the band's debut single off their 1997 self-titled debut album. It is one of the band's best known songs.
Relief Through Release is the second studio album by the American band Tura Satana and their first since changing their name from Manhole. It was released in Europe on September 29, 1997, and in the United States in April 1998.
"Fiend" is a song by Coal Chamber, from their third album, Dark Days. It is one of the band's most well known songs and is thought to be about how the band and the nu metal genre were getting heavily criticized at the time.
Rivals is the fourth studio album by American nu metal band Coal Chamber, released on May 19, 2015, through Napalm Records. It was the band's first release since Dark Days (2002), and their first with bassist Nadja Peulen.
