A modern form of music, influenced, but wholly separate from Heavy
Metal that incorporates
rap, funk, simplified song structures, and subject matter geared towards the teens and youth of
America. Topics often include alienation, parental abuse, and "the
pain inside." Watch for simple rhyme patterns and a general lack of innovation. The oversaturation of the market with mallcore in analogous to the takeover of glam rock in the late 80s and early 90s as record companies scrambled to make a quick profit. The roots of mallcore go back to Anthrax's "I'm the
Man" as well as Faith No More's "Epic." These visible hits which fused
metal and rap inadvertently caused a tidal wave. Bands such as Korn and such spinoffs soon began to take over the market with detuned and substandard products. As the style of music overtook a naive fanbase, many bands, formerly true to heavy metal, began to
lean towards mallcore tendencies. These bands, such as Metallica, In Flames, and others made their sound more accessible by simplifying their work and adding aspects of electronica, whispered vocals, simple chugging riffs, and taking focus off of lead guitars. This style of music as of late has been decreasing in popularity, as record companies have opted to move on to other styles of music. Most likely the style
will experience a revival in the next decade as bands realize they have no
money, having spent it in their prime. Revival tours and reunions
will be common, and the
pain of the past
will be experienced once again.
