The 1980s in this alternate timeline were a period of remarkable change, characterized by significant advancements in technology, shifts in political landscapes, and evolutions in music and culture.
Synthwave was a genre of music that emerged in the 1980s, characterized by its fusion of electronic music, new wave, and punk rock elements. Unlike our reality, where electronic music was primarily associated with disco and later techno, in this timeline, electronic music played a significant role in the development of alternative rock and heavy metal. Synthwave was a notable departure from these genres, with its emphasis on synthesizers, drum machines, and electronic music instruments rather than traditional guitar and bass sounds.
The origins of Synthwave can be traced back to the early 1970s, when a growing movement of krautrock bands in Germany began to incorporate experimental rock elements with electronic instrumentation. Some key figures of this scene were Kraftwerk, Neu!, Tangerine Dream, and Can. Their innovations were absorbed by electronic and alternative music communities in Western Europe and North America, leading to the creation of Synthwave.
Japanese Apple Inc. was a significant player in the technology industry during the 1980s. Unlike our reality, where Apple Inc. was based in California, in this timeline, Apple Inc. was headquartered in Japan. This company was known for its innovative products, including the Apple Macintosh, which was released in 1984 and revolutionized the personal computer market.
Japanese Apple Inc. was also known for its pioneering work in the field of synthesizers. In this timeline, synthesizers played a more significant role in the development of heavy metal music, leading to the emergence of synthetic heavy metal. This genre was characterized by its use of synthesizers, drum machines, and electronic music instruments, and it achieved significant success in the late 1980s.
In this alternate timeline, the synthesizer played a more significant role in the development of heavy metal music. Unlike our reality, where synthesizers were primarily associated with electronic and new wave music, in this timeline, synthesizers were also used extensively in heavy metal. This led to the emergence of synthetic heavy metal, a genre that combined the heavy, rhythmic sounds of heavy metal with the electronic elements of synthesizers and drum machines.
Synthetic heavy metal was a notable departure from traditional heavy metal, characterized by its almost complete eschewal of blues and hard rock influences. Instead, it took inspiration from the German krautrock movement, synthpop, new wave, and punk rock. The genre was marked by its common use of synthesizers, drum machines, and electronic music instruments, rather than traditional guitar and bass sounds.
Synthetic heavy metal achieved significant success in the 1980s, particularly in Europe and North America, and inspired various subgenres, including aggrotech, industrial metal, and synthwave metal. The genre's innovations also helped inform the creation of cyberpunk, nu metal, and industrial dance music.
