HEAVY METAL GALLOP
A Heavy Metal Gallop is a beat or rhythm typically used in Metal songs, eighth-sixteenth-sixteenth (eighth notebeamed sixteenth notes), played on the rhythm guitar or drum kit (strum or drum pattern), mostly using a double kick pedal.
The Heavy Metal Gallop is usually formed around this skeleton :
This rhythmic figure may be used on palm muted power chords providing accompanimental rhythmic ostinati on the rhythm guitar and may be heard in the introduction to Deep Purple’s “Highway Star”, as well as their “Hard Lovin’ Man” and Black Sabbath’s “Children of the Grave” and “Air Dance”. Also Metallica’s “Motorbreath” and, more famously, “The Four Horsemen”. It has also been used in Slayer’s “Raining Blood”. The pattern has also been used by group such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Black Sabbath. Variations include Triplet Gallop Rhythms.
This pattern has also been used in many non-Metal songs. A classic example is the Scott Walker single “Jacky” released in 1967.
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