--- title: "Speed Metal" type: "MusicGenre" url: "https://themetalnet.com/genre/speed-metal" parent: "Heavy Metal" bands: 352 era: "early 1980s" --- # Speed Metal **Speed Metal** is a metal sub-genre, formative in the early 1980s. TheMetalNet maps 352 bands and 794 albums under it. Speed metal is traditional heavy metal played fast and clean, emphasizing galloping riffs, rapid tempos, shredding solos, and usually melodic, high-pitched vocals — more disciplined and tuneful than the thrash it helped inspire. It took shape in the early 1980s from Motörhead’s raw velocity and the NWOBHM, with Canada’s Exciter and America’s Agent Steel refining a distinct speed identity. Songs keep clear structures and hooks even at breakneck pace. It is the high-octane link between classic metal and thrash. ## Facts | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Genre | Speed Metal | | Level | Sub-genre | | Parent genre | Heavy Metal | | Formative era | early 1980s | | Bands | 352 | | Albums | 794 | | Formation span | 1960 to 2026 | ## Notable bands (top 60 by prominence) - [Lordi](https://themetalnet.com/band/lordi) (Finland, 1992) - [Zeke](https://themetalnet.com/band/zeke) (United States, 1993) - [Exciter](https://themetalnet.com/band/exciter) (Canada, 1980) - [Dave Lombardo](https://themetalnet.com/band/dave-lombardo) (United States, 1965) - [Hirax](https://themetalnet.com/band/hirax) (1984) - [Mystic Prophecy](https://themetalnet.com/band/mystic-prophecy) (Germany, 2000) - [Razor](https://themetalnet.com/band/razor) (Canada, 1984) - [StormWarrior](https://themetalnet.com/band/stormwarrior) (Germany, 1998) - [Manticora](https://themetalnet.com/band/manticora) (Denmark, 1996) - [Witchery](https://themetalnet.com/band/witchery) (Sweden, 1997) - [Agent Steel](https://themetalnet.com/band/agent-steel) (United States, 1984) - [Angel Dust](https://themetalnet.com/band/angel-dust) (1984) - [Midnight](https://themetalnet.com/band/midnight) (United States, 2003) - [The Great Kat](https://themetalnet.com/band/the-great-kat) (United States, 1966) - [Bulldozer](https://themetalnet.com/band/bulldozer) (Italy, 1980) - [ADX](https://themetalnet.com/band/adx) (France, 1982) - [Living Death](https://themetalnet.com/band/living-death) (Germany, 1981) - [Su Ta Gar](https://themetalnet.com/band/su-ta-gar) (Spain, 1987) - [Metalium](https://themetalnet.com/band/metalium) (Germany, 1999) - [Nasty Savage](https://themetalnet.com/band/nasty-savage) (United States, 1983) - [Halloween](https://themetalnet.com/band/halloween) (United States, 1984) - [Pokolgép](https://themetalnet.com/band/pokolgep) (Hungary, 1980) - [Flames](https://themetalnet.com/band/flames) (Germany, 1984) - [Hallows Eve](https://themetalnet.com/band/hallows-eve) (United States, 1983) - [Spastic Ink](https://themetalnet.com/band/spastic-ink) (United States, 1993) - [Powermad](https://themetalnet.com/band/powermad) (United States, 1984) - [Nitro](https://themetalnet.com/band/nitro) (United States, 1988) - [G.I.S.M.](https://themetalnet.com/band/g-i-s-m) (Japan, 1980) - [Impaler](https://themetalnet.com/band/impaler-9a88e08c) (United States, 1983) - [Omen](https://themetalnet.com/band/omen) (Hungary, 1990) - [Extrema](https://themetalnet.com/band/extrema) (1986) - [Iron Angel](https://themetalnet.com/band/iron-angel) (1983) - [Killer](https://themetalnet.com/band/killer) (Belgium, 1979) - [Круиз](https://themetalnet.com/band/band-50eaf061) (Russia, 1978) - [Acid](https://themetalnet.com/band/acid) (Belgium, 1980) - [Kylähullut](https://themetalnet.com/band/kylahullut) (Finland, 2004) - [Muro](https://themetalnet.com/band/muro) (Spain, 1984) - [Not Fragile](https://themetalnet.com/band/not-fragile) (1980) - [Blizzard](https://themetalnet.com/band/blizzard) (Germany, 1998) - [Wrath](https://themetalnet.com/band/wrath-bcc17168) (United States, 1982) - [Warrant](https://themetalnet.com/band/warrant-a00df488) (Germany, 1983) - [Abattoir](https://themetalnet.com/band/abattoir) (1978) - [Damien Thorne](https://themetalnet.com/band/damien-thorne) (United States, 1983) - [Heretic](https://themetalnet.com/band/heretic) (United States, 1985) - [Marshall Law](https://themetalnet.com/band/marshall-law) (United Kingdom, 1987) - [Armoured Angel](https://themetalnet.com/band/armoured-angel) (1982) - [Cranium](https://themetalnet.com/band/cranium) (Sweden, 1985) - [Dave Mustaine](https://themetalnet.com/band/dave-mustaine) (United States, 1961) - [UNITED](https://themetalnet.com/band/united) (Japan, 1981) - [Bombarder](https://themetalnet.com/band/bombarder) (Serbia, 1986) - [Ulysses Siren](https://themetalnet.com/band/ulysses-siren) (United States, 1983) - [Whipstriker](https://themetalnet.com/band/whipstriker) (Brazil, 2008) - [Cacophony](https://themetalnet.com/band/cacophony) (United States, 1986) - [Claudio Marciello](https://themetalnet.com/band/claudio-marciello) (Argentina, 1963) - [Joel Grind](https://themetalnet.com/band/joel-grind) (United States, 1984) - [Mastery](https://themetalnet.com/band/mastery) (2001) - [Rezet](https://themetalnet.com/band/rezet) (Germany, 2004) - [Trauma](https://themetalnet.com/band/trauma-09dec2be) (United States, 1981) - [David Ellefson](https://themetalnet.com/band/david-ellefson) (United States, 1964) - [Sodomizer](https://themetalnet.com/band/sodomizer) (Brazil, 1999) ## Where it is played - [United States](https://themetalnet.com/country/us): 61 bands - [Germany](https://themetalnet.com/country/de): 38 bands - [France](https://themetalnet.com/country/fr): 13 bands - [Italy](https://themetalnet.com/country/it): 13 bands - [Japan](https://themetalnet.com/country/jp): 13 bands - [Finland](https://themetalnet.com/country/fi): 10 bands - [Chile](https://themetalnet.com/country/cl): 10 bands - [Brazil](https://themetalnet.com/country/br): 9 bands ## Bands formed by decade | Decade | Bands formed | | --- | --- | | 1960s | 8 | | 1970s | 7 | | 1980s | 92 | | 1990s | 31 | | 2000s | 50 | | 2010s | 70 | | 2020s | 33 | --- Source: [TheMetalNet https://themetalnet.com/genre/speed-metal](https://themetalnet.com/genre/speed-metal). Catalog data from MusicBrainz and Metal Archives. Full site index: https://themetalnet.com/llms.txt