Metal Chord Progressions

10 Metal chord progressions. Pick one to see the chords by key, listen to it and download the MIDI.

• Power Chord Basic Progression

  I – IV – V – I

  Key of C: C – F – G – C

  Metal basics. Power chord I-IV-V progression.

• Thrash Gallop Progression

  Im – ♭II – Im – ♭VII

  Key of C: Cm – Db – Cm – Bb

  Gallop rhythm like Metallica's Master of Puppets.

• Phrygian Riff Progression

  Im – ♭II – Im – ♭II

  Key of C: Cm – Db – Cm – Db

  Evil sound using Phrygian mode. Slayer style.

• Doom Slow Progression

  Im – ♭VI – ♭VII – Im

  Key of C: Cm – Ab – Bb – Cm

  Slow heavy progression derived from Black Sabbath.

• Tritone Progression

  I – ♭V – I – ♭V

  Key of C: C – Gb – C – Gb

  Dissonant progression using the devil's interval.

• Prog Metal sus2 Progression

  Imsus4 – ♭VIsus4 – IVmsus4 – Vsus4

  Key of C: Csus4 – Absus4 – Fsus4 – Gsus4

  Progressive progression with sus2 chords. Dream Theater style.

• Chromatic Descent Riff

  I – ♭VII – ♭VI – V

  Key of C: C – Bb – Ab – G

  Classic thrash metal riff descending chromatically.

• Death Metal Modal Progression

  Im – ♭II – ♭V – Im

  Key of C: Cm – Db – Gb – Cm

  Locrian mode-style death metal progression.

• Black Metal Tremolo Progression

  Im – ♭VII – ♭VI – V

  Key of C: Cm – Bb – Ab – G

  Progression for black metal tremolo picking.

• Djent Progression

  Im – ♭II – Im – ♭III

  Key of C: Cm – Db – Cm – Eb

  Polyrhythmic modern metal from Meshuggah.