If metal sub-genres were Pokèmon
This November marks the release of new Pokèmon games Sun and Moon. That’s seven generations of Pokèmon! Since the ’90s, we’ve come to love Pokèmon of all different types—just like our metal. Metal comes in different styles and from many different backgrounds, so what would happen if we picked Pokèmon to represent those different sounds and backgrounds? Well, we gave it a shot and found 10 Pokèmon that embody their respective metal sub-genre
Thrash: Gyarados
Gyarados is a dragon of the sea that has the ability to create devastating whirlwinds and whirlpools to annihilate its enemies without mercy. This is a relentless Pokèmon, beating and speeding its way from the very beginning of battle (like Slayer's “Reign In Blood” as a Moebius loop).
Nu-Metal: Scizor
Scizor is a steel/bug type, so right there, you’ve got one hell of a fast creature to zip through and cut your opponent down with its metallic claws. With this Pokèmon flying by and buzzing about, you’ll be swatting back and forth wondering how the hell it has lasted this long. We bet Scizor is pumped for the new Korn album.
Stoner: Weezing
Does Weezing actually ever look happy? Do you see the smog erupting from its pores? How the hell does that not scream “stoner metal?” This floating, loathing, toxin-ridden being is the embodiment of hefty soul-crushing metal (that description is more than likely taken from an Electric Wizard song).
Black: Mismagius
How are we going to have a genre that is all about the underworld, ghosts and witchery, and go with anything other than a ghost Pokèmon? Mismagius starts off cute and small, but becomes a power to be reckoned with, bringing incredibly powerful ghost-type attacks that send your opponents somewhere into a cold dark corner. We heard that it’s a personal favorite from the guys in Abigail Williams.
Power: Dragonite
It’s a fuk’n dragon. Those bastards tore through skies, toppling castles and lighting shit up. Everyone in power metal loves dragons. Just ask Manowar.
Sludge: Muk
You know what makes Eyehategod and Crowbar so friggin’ great? It’s those rough vocals accompanied by those brutal, deep, thick notes that drip like slime. That’s Muk in a nutshell. This poisonous blob will strike your opponent's Pokèmon once and BAM, it’s going to start losing a little bit of its strength throughout the match. Sludge metal is a brutal sound that demands a lot of the listener, just like mastering a poison-type Pokèmon like Muk.
Metalcore: Hoopa/Hoopa Unbound
Before you make any judgements, take a moment. Metalcore is an odd genre: By definition it is a mix of metal and elements of hardcore punk. That being said, the term gets thrown around for a lot of bands. We have bands such as A Day To Remember and the Devil Wears Prada being called metalcore (Hoopa), and then we have Hatebreed and Terror that strongly embody that metal/hardcore sound.
Grindcore: Exploud
This is the Pokèmon you have taking over for Mark “Barney” Greenway of Napalm Death when he’s taking a sick day. Exploud is just pure noise, repulsive and unrelenting, just like old-school Carcass and Agoraphobic Nosebleed.
Deathcore: Bisharp
Don’t mistake the small size of this guy for weakness: As a dark/steel type, Bisharp is fast and has access to many strong attacks that are difficult to block. Being able to hold its own, it’s familiar with its death-metal brethren, but has a mix of tricks among its blades, able to adjust on the fly in combat. It stands out as a new heavy force to be reckoned with, like our good friends Suicide Silence and Carnifex.
Folk: Ninetails
Of all the mystical Pokèmon, nothing is more enchanting than the imagery of this beautiful fox racing through woods. But don’t mistake beauty for anything less, for Ninetails is one of the most ferocious fire-type Pokèmon in the game. I’m pretty sure you can find one lurking around an Eluveitie music video.
Death: Mewtwo
For anyone who watched the first Pokèmon movie, this shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. This guy wanted to enslave all humans and create a race of super Pokèmon to take over the world. Don’t tell us this psychic powerhouse wasn’t meditating on his plans for world domination while listening to Cannibal Corpse or Suffocation.
Djent: Deoxys
This cosmic wonder is more than likely the inspiration behind all the Periphery and TesseracT songs you love. Deoxys is one with the stars and emits energy from out of this world; it is said that its psychic wavelengths were used to write the newest Born of Osiris record.
