NWOBHM

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was the surge of British metal bands that emerged between 1979 and the early 1980s, reacting against both punk's minimalism and the arena scale of 1970s hard rock. Groups such as *Iron Maiden*, *Diamond Head* and *Saxon* sped up the twin-guitar attack of earlier metal, tightened song lengths, and adopted a do-it-yourself economy of independent singles, demos and club tours. The sound centres on galloping rhythms, harmonised lead guitars and high, operatic singing, and it supplied the direct foundation for thrash, power and speed metal.