Djent Metal

Djent is a style of progressive metal named after the onomatopoeic, palm-muted, high-gain guitar sound at its core — a percussive djjt snapped off an extended-range guitar. It is built on seven- and eight-string guitars tuned very low, with riffs organized around polyrhythms and shifting time signatures set against clean, precise production. Sweden’s Meshuggah engineered the blueprint, and guitarist Fredrik Thordendal is credited with coining the term, while later bands like Periphery and Animals as Leaders added melody and jazz-fusion flash. Debate continues over whether djent is a true genre or a guitar tone, but its rhythmic complexity is unmistakable.