Speed Metal

Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music originating in the early 1980s, rooted in the NWOBHM and hardcore punk. It can be described as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music. Also speed metal eventually toned down its intense tempos and evolved into thrash metal. Some consider the earliest speed metal song to be Deep Purple's "Highway Star" from their 1972 album Machine Head. Queen's "Stone Cold Crazy" from their 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack presaged speed metal, being eventually covered by Metallica. Two of the most influential bands to the genre were English groups Motörhead, and Judas Priest.