NWOBHM

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) was the late-1970s and early-1980s British movement that modernized heavy metal, speeding it up, adding punk’s energy and DIY spirit, and emphasizing twin-guitar harmonies and galloping rhythms over blues. Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Diamond Head led a wave of hundreds of bands that redefined the genre and directly inspired thrash. The songs favored melody, speed, and anthemic choruses. It is the foundation on which most modern metal was built.