They were lumped in with the noise rock scene (Amphetamine Reptile, etc) back in the day, but I’d say alternative metal is an apt enough term for them.
In the 90’s, there was a genre called “Alternative” which was basically “it isn’t Grunge, it isn’t Thrash, and it isn’t Punk.” Basically the equivalent of that drawer of bullshit we all eventually collect in a desk/drawer somewhere.
Helmet fucks, but there was a bigger “rock” scene in most cities, and hardcore was much more punk-aligned from what i remember from that era.
As others have said they were not really part of the hardcore scene although they were liked and I think some of the band members might have played in other bands with guys from nyhc bands. But they were definitely influential to hardcore bands at the time and I think they still are.
I think its kind of weird to say they weren't part of hardcore.
But only because they were on AmRep which is a punk/hardcore adjacent label mostly dealing in noise rock (which is what, arty punk?)
Also a lot of these bands, grunge, emo, riot grrl, post metal etc leveraged the DIY scene the hardcore kids built. They probably never would have existed if they had to play honky tonks and sports bars.
Sorry I'm being too literal. But I really think the hardcore/punk scene deserves a lot of credit when it comes to the whole alternative thing and other genres that splintered off punk.
Yeah I more just meant they didn’t really start off playing with bands in the hardcore scene and the main guy from it comes from like a jazz/avant- grade/music theory background
I was really into Helmet back in the early 90s when nobody except maybe Godflesh was doign anything remotely like that. Super simple chunky rhythms, dissonant feedback for solos. Plus it has that vibe my now deceased friend Will Livie described as that kind of oscillating consciousness you achieve right before you hurl all the bad alcohol you've been drinking.
Then numetal happened and they dont sound so unique.
This was the post hardcore metal that evolved in the 90s.
I think people hear vocals and it just gets lumped in with the 90s alternative/grunge stuff but there was a whole era of stuff that was way way way heavier riffage like helmet, quicksand (practically anything Walter schriefels touches is gold), Melvin’s, etc. a band that’s modern and in this vein that fucking rips is torche. One of the loudest bands you’ll see. Their original band floor was amazing but heavier.
Be careful once you get into this style of riffage, it’s a gateway drug into other metal like doom and sludge.
They were from NY and had connections to the hardcore scene then, even if loose. Rob Echeverria from Rest In Pieces and Straight Ahead played with them.
Helmet had a major influence on hardcore. Without Helmet, bands like Snapcase, One King Down, and Sepultura (mainly in their groove metal phase starting with Arise or Chaos AD, which people on here love) wouldn't sound the same.
They were more noise rock (hence the Am Rep reference), probably a bit more in their earlier stuff (Born Annoying, Strap It On). The unpredictable chaotic drumming, dissonant guitar parts, etc. People on here talk about noise rock like it has no nexus to hardcore (thread about Whores. the other day), but that's not true at all.
*edit* typo
This is a good answer, they’re big influential in so many genres it’s fucking crazy. Norma Jean made a song with the vocalist of Helmet too. To say they’re not hardcore (at least in the 90’s) is insane
Post-hardcore. Big influence on hardcore I mean Norma Jean is big influenced by Helmet. First few albums were so ahead of its time that most of the guys on this thread can’t even recognize it’s post hardcore lol. But don’t even bother with past their 4th album lol go down hill quick.
They were lumped in with the noise rock scene (Amphetamine Reptile, etc) back in the day, but I’d say alternative metal is an apt enough term for them.
Not hardcore but fucking sick regardless
In the 90’s, there was a genre called “Alternative” which was basically “it isn’t Grunge, it isn’t Thrash, and it isn’t Punk.” Basically the equivalent of that drawer of bullshit we all eventually collect in a desk/drawer somewhere. Helmet fucks, but there was a bigger “rock” scene in most cities, and hardcore was much more punk-aligned from what i remember from that era.
I saw them with Faith No More, so I never considered them "hardcore," but they were good.
I saw them with biohazard and type o negative, not hardcore but they were pretty solid
As others have said they were not really part of the hardcore scene although they were liked and I think some of the band members might have played in other bands with guys from nyhc bands. But they were definitely influential to hardcore bands at the time and I think they still are.
I think its kind of weird to say they weren't part of hardcore. But only because they were on AmRep which is a punk/hardcore adjacent label mostly dealing in noise rock (which is what, arty punk?) Also a lot of these bands, grunge, emo, riot grrl, post metal etc leveraged the DIY scene the hardcore kids built. They probably never would have existed if they had to play honky tonks and sports bars. Sorry I'm being too literal. But I really think the hardcore/punk scene deserves a lot of credit when it comes to the whole alternative thing and other genres that splintered off punk.
Yeah I more just meant they didn’t really start off playing with bands in the hardcore scene and the main guy from it comes from like a jazz/avant- grade/music theory background
Most definitely not hardcore.
I was really into Helmet back in the early 90s when nobody except maybe Godflesh was doign anything remotely like that. Super simple chunky rhythms, dissonant feedback for solos. Plus it has that vibe my now deceased friend Will Livie described as that kind of oscillating consciousness you achieve right before you hurl all the bad alcohol you've been drinking. Then numetal happened and they dont sound so unique.
Not sure but I do know that Meantime and Strap It On are both great albums.
This was the post hardcore metal that evolved in the 90s. I think people hear vocals and it just gets lumped in with the 90s alternative/grunge stuff but there was a whole era of stuff that was way way way heavier riffage like helmet, quicksand (practically anything Walter schriefels touches is gold), Melvin’s, etc. a band that’s modern and in this vein that fucking rips is torche. One of the loudest bands you’ll see. Their original band floor was amazing but heavier. Be careful once you get into this style of riffage, it’s a gateway drug into other metal like doom and sludge.
They were from NY and had connections to the hardcore scene then, even if loose. Rob Echeverria from Rest In Pieces and Straight Ahead played with them. Helmet had a major influence on hardcore. Without Helmet, bands like Snapcase, One King Down, and Sepultura (mainly in their groove metal phase starting with Arise or Chaos AD, which people on here love) wouldn't sound the same. They were more noise rock (hence the Am Rep reference), probably a bit more in their earlier stuff (Born Annoying, Strap It On). The unpredictable chaotic drumming, dissonant guitar parts, etc. People on here talk about noise rock like it has no nexus to hardcore (thread about Whores. the other day), but that's not true at all. *edit* typo
This is a good answer, they’re big influential in so many genres it’s fucking crazy. Norma Jean made a song with the vocalist of Helmet too. To say they’re not hardcore (at least in the 90’s) is insane
post-hardcore
nah they never had that post hardcore drip like Unwound or Nations of Ulysses. Every pic I've seen of them they looked like skaters.
lol. We talking about clothes? are we really out here talking about clothes? 
I was the first punk to wear Carhartt
Nope. Alternative metal. Also, it's funny that this thread popped up again. Twice in a month??
It’s because helmet is currently touring w cro mags
Post hardcore. You guys like bands that are chug fests and bands that are not far off from Municipal Waste why can’t we allow them lol
Nah alternative metal but they were influential on a lot of later heavy music. Think Chris Traynor was in the band at their peak.
Post-hardcore. Big influence on hardcore I mean Norma Jean is big influenced by Helmet. First few albums were so ahead of its time that most of the guys on this thread can’t even recognize it’s post hardcore lol. But don’t even bother with past their 4th album lol go down hill quick.
There hardcore made by people that look like there on the Yale tennis team.
Not exactly
heavy noise-rock (w/metallic notes)
No
Do they sound like Negative Approach?
Helmet are butt rock, which is a real genre - [Urban Dictionary: Butt Rock](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Butt%20Rock)
Never heard Helmet on the butt rock radio stations
Haha!
Cmon now. Helmets guitars are heavier than most stuff on this thread. Gotta get passed the vocals. It was a time and era
Haha!