These days, you’re more likely to find me in a boardroom or hanging out with my family than in a band practices. I’ve traded the band life for a corporate career, but my love for heavy music and the art of extreme vocals hasn't faded. It’s a part of my journey I’m still really proud of.
Back in high school, I was the definition of "all heart, no technique." Super cringe. Emo hot topic kid. I’d squeeze my throat, lose my voice after one song, and just hope for the best. It wasn't until I trained with Dubu, the Asian death core pioneer and a true grandmaster of the craft from the Taiwanese band Beyond Cure that I learned the science behind the sound.
Even though I don't perform in bands anymore, I still love that I can go through band practices for 4 hours and still sing cleanly afterward. Here’s a look at the techniques I’ve learned and the science of how they actually work.
I’m sharing my journey today because I really wish someone had been there to teach my younger self what I know now.
The Anatomy of the Scream
The number one rule I learned is: you are singing, not screaming. In a true scream, your vocal cords (vocal folds) are slamming together, which causes trauma. In extreme vocals, we use "distortion" created by other structures while keeping the true vocal folds relaxed.
1. The Death Growl
The deep, "cookie monster" sound isn't coming from your vocal cords—it’s coming from your False Vocal Folds (vestibular folds) located just above them.
The Science: By lowering the larynx (the Adam’s apple) and retracting the tongue, you create a larger resonance chamber. This allows the false cords to vibrate and create a low-frequency distortion without the true vocal folds ever touching.
The Fun Part: To turn this into a Pig Squeal, you curve your tongue into a U-shape and direct the air against the hard palate. This creates a "whirlpool" of air that produces those high-frequency harmonics.
2. Vocal Fry
This is that high-pitched, gritty sound often heard in black metal or death core.
This involves the palatine area and the arytenoid cartilages. You are essentially using "air compression" to create a controlled vibration. Instead of the vocal folds vibrating at a full length, you’re pushing air through a very small, tense opening at the back of the throat to create a "crackling" texture.
3. Melodic Hardcore
To me, this is the hardest to master because it requires a split-brain approach.
You have to maintain supportive tension in the neck and abdominal muscles while keeping the glottis (the opening between the vocal folds) open and relaxed, similar to a yawning position. It’s a delicate balance of "grit" and "note" where the distortion sits on top of the clean tone without choking it.
4. The Whistle Scream
This is the rarest technique in my arsenal, and interestingly, one I lost in my late 20s. The intensive crazy high-pitched dolphin like exhale-scream.
The Science: Most vocals involve tissue hitting tissue. The whistle scream is different. It’s aerodynamic turbulence. Think of it like blowing air through a stretched balloon neck. The sound is created by air whistling through a tiny aperture formed by the epiglottis and arytenoids.
Because it’s more of a physical "trick" than a muscular skill, it often depends on your specific anatomy. I could never "climb" to these notes; I had to "jump" straight into the air-stream to make it happen.
Even though my "vocal booth" is now my car or a quiet corner of the house, I still find it fascinating. It’s a reminder that even the most "aggressive" sounds require immense discipline, relaxation, and a little bit of physics.
Whether you're looking to front a band or just want to understand how your favorite singers do it, remember: if it hurts, stop. Stay relaxed, keep your clean voice safe, and enjoy the journey!
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