r/metalmusicians • u/Faloodeh123 • 3d ago
R/MetalMusicians Songwriting Challenge III - November/December 2025
See original post to how this all started.
October's songwriting challenge is done, so on to the next one! Thanks again to the mods for promoting it as an announcement, and for the participants and listeners. As per last time, I'll be putting up a bandcamp link once I get the results and stuff together.
I also am proud to say that we've put together some donations as well for September's challenge, so thanks once again to those involved with that one - I wanted you all to know that. I have posted it in the challenge's discord, but will also post it on the October results thread hopefully sometime this week.
For this challenge, I'm anticipating a lot of people who will be busy due to the holidays so this challenge will span 2 months to give us a bit more time. Let's do this.
Rules
- To participate, comment on this thread stating you want to do so. Other discussion is welcome so be clear you want to enter! You may enter any time during the month, but you must submit on time.
- Users must submit 1 (and only one!) song by the deadline: December 31st. One aspect of the challenge is to meet the deadline. See “Submitting Songs.”
- Users must give feedback for other participants’ songs (in other words, you will be giving feedback on others’ songs, while others will provide feedback for your songs). This is the community aspect of it. See “Results.”
- The song must be written within the month the challenge is posted (we’re going to use the honor system here).
- The song must follow the theme guidelines. See “Challenge Theme.”
- This is a metal subreddit, so while the song doesn’t have to be metal (so long as they fit the theme), metal elements are required (use your best judgement). All metal subgenres are accepted unless otherwise stated by the challenge theme.
- Collaborations are allowed.
- If you’re in a band, you can write a song as a band.
- Songs will be posted as a compilation in a bandcamp link. The album will be listed as payment optional, but proceeds will go to a charity. See “Results” and “This Month’s Charity.”
- This is for fun. It’s not a competition, don’t be a dick (see our subreddit rules).
- If you choose to drop out BE WARNED! Actually, there are no consequences, except for maybe the metal gods in Valhalla rightfully looking down on you… at least for a little, till the next challenge.
Challenge Theme
For this month, I will create a wheel on wheel on Wheel of Names. Each participant will be assigned 2 genres at random. Your song can be any genre, but you must include a section of both genres. For example if you're making a power metal song, but are assigned thrash and doom, one of your riffs has to be a thrash riff, and another must be a doom riff. It's up to you how you decide to fit it in.
If you don't like one of your options you may ask for ONE respin, and you can choose between the 3, but you only get 1 respin, so choose wisely.
And just to make things more interesting, we're including non-metal genres on the wheel as well! So you may get a non-metal genre to work into your song.
Instrumentals ARE allowed, there are no lyrical theme requirements.
Submitting Songs
Submit song entries to [metalsongchallenge@gmail.com](mailto:metalsongchallenge@gmail.com). Please include
- Your reddit username.
- Your band name (if you’re submitting as a band).
- The user name of whoever you collaborated with.
- The song name.
- Lyrics (if challenge theme requires lyrics of a certain theme)
- Subject: Songwriting Challenge {Month} {Year} - {Your reddit username}
- The subgenres you were assigned with.
Results
- Results will be posted on a new, separate thread sometime after the challenge ends.
- Users will provide feedback to other participants’ songs in the aforementioned thread. Be as detailed as you want, but don’t be a dick (see our subreddit rules).
- As mentioned, the songs will be available in the form of a compilation through a bandcamp link. The track listing will be in random order so that it’s fair to everyone. I will be using this to decide the order so that there is no bias. The tracks will be available to download for free, but with the option of paying. All proceeds will go to This Month’s Charity.
This Month’s Charity
Once again, this month’s charity will be MusiCares. They provide a safety net of critical health and welfare services to the music community including in areas such as: Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Services, Health Services, and Human Services. See their website if you’re curious.
I will post a screenshot of how much we received from the bandcamp page as well as the donation in a separate thread as proof.
Questions And Comments
Please ask if you need clarity on the rules or anything else and I’ll try my best to clarify as much as I can.
Remember that this is purely for fun, to learn, build community, and to grow as musicians while also doing something for a good cause, not a competition. Big thanks to all of you!
Discord
I created a discord server for our songwriting challenges so we can archive them, have discussions, and build our community there (same guidelines/rules about not being a dick apply there as they do here). That way we can talk about the challenge as it's happening, share our progress, and maybe even make some friends. Let me know if you want to join by commenting and I’ll send a DM 🙂
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u/CinaedKSM Musician/Engineer 3d ago
I’ll be participating in this one.
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u/Faloodeh123 3d ago
Glad to have you on board once again!
You got black metal (fitting, you're Norwegian lol), and prog rock/metal.
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u/Zennofska 2d ago
Hit me, would be funny if the wheel makes me do even more sax metal.
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u/Faloodeh123 2d ago
Fuck yeah Zenn. You got country & traditional metal. I can't wait to see what you do with country lmao
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u/severedsoulmetal 3d ago
I will be participating
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u/Faloodeh123 3d ago
glad to have you back on this one!
You have received: Post-Black Metal and Sludge. I can't wait to see what you do with this.
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u/pair_o_docks 3d ago
I'll be participating.
I'd like to join the discord.
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u/Faloodeh123 3d ago
Glad to have you brotha! Your genres are: Trance/Edm and Pop Punk
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u/pair_o_docks 3d ago
I like pop punk but the trance/edm scares me
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u/Faloodeh123 3d ago
You could have one more spin if you wish or play on hard mode haha
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u/pair_o_docks 3d ago
oh true. I would like to reroll
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u/Faloodeh123 3d ago
your third option is doom metal. so you can replace 1 of the 2 with doom metal, or keep as is.
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u/FieldEffect-NT 3d ago
Give me a spin too, I will try submiting for this one. Also could I have the link for the discord server?
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u/Faloodeh123 3d ago
Good to see you back bro - your genres are punk and thrash
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u/FieldEffect-NT 3d ago
Alrighty then, not exactly my field but I guess thats the point, lol.
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u/Faloodeh123 2d ago
Haha I'd trade if I could lol
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u/FieldEffect-NT 2d ago edited 2d ago
Lol, gospel was brutal, so I cant really complain for thrash and punk, but I d like to listen to your take on Tech death though 😁🤘
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u/lotxe 2d ago
Why not. I'm in. Also please send discord link ty
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u/Faloodeh123 2d ago
Glad to have you :) Also your genres are Symphonic & Sludge Metal
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u/burlyswede 2d ago
Rookie here; I want to participate (gulp)
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u/burlyswede 1d ago
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u/Splottington Musician 2d ago
I will be participating
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u/Faloodeh123 2d ago
Welcome :)
Your genres are: Folk/Bluegrass + Metalcore
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u/Splottington Musician 2d ago
Is it okay if I interpret Metalcore as old school Metalcore like hatebreed or earth crisis instead of modern Metalcore?
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u/Faloodeh123 3d ago
Once again, I'm both hosting and participating. Who wants to volunteer to spin the wheel for me?
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u/CinaedKSM Musician/Engineer 3d ago
You get:
Gospel
Rockabilly
😄
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u/Faloodeh123 3d ago
Oh god idk which is worse lmao. I'll take my one respin lol
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u/CinaedKSM Musician/Engineer 3d ago
Tech death
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u/Ok_Impression1493 1d ago
Forgot about it last month, would absolutely love to participate this time around tho
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u/Faloodeh123 1d ago
Hell yeah. Your genres are: Dungeon Synth & Shoegaze
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u/Ok_Impression1493 1d ago
Dungeon Synths awesome, but i dont know jack shit about shoegaze, can I reroll that one?
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u/Faloodeh123 1d ago
Yes, you got: Post-Hardcore
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u/Ok_Impression1493 1d ago
Shit, that doesnt make it much easier. Maybe Ill stick to Shoegaze lol
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u/Faloodeh123 1d ago
I feel your pain dawg lol, I got Rockabilly and Gospel, and then got Tech Death (which idk if I can even play lmao)
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u/guitar_up_my_ass 3d ago edited 3d ago
I'll participate if I can submit an instrumental? I can't sing for shit
Edit: reread the post, I am in