German metal refers to heavy metal music produced in Germany.
Germany has a long and strong history with heavy metal. It is considered by many to be one of Europe's heaviest contributors to the scene. The genre is quite popular within the country.
Early hard rock / heavy metal was brought to German soil with the success of Scorpions.
Germany is a birthplace of the speed metal and power metal subgenres. Early speed metal bands include Running Wild, Grave Digger, Rage and Accept. Power metal became one of the world's most popular heavy metal subgenres with bands like Blind Guardian, Helloween, Gamma Ray gaining international recognition.
The Teutonic thrash metal scene is represented by such groups as Destruction, Kreator and Sodom.
A branch of folk metal incorporates German traditional music with industrial metal. It includes Subway to Sally, In Extremo and Tanzwut.
Neue Deutsche Härte (engl. "New German Hardness") is a term for German industrial metal. It is mostly sung with German lyrics. Bands like Rammstein or Oomph! have gained mainstream success. .
