Death Metal

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Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes.

Building from the musical structure of thrash metal, death metal emerged during the mid 1980s. It was mainly inspired by thrash metal acts like Slayer, Kreator and Celtic Frost. Along with the band Death and its frontman Chuck Schuldiner (who is often referred to as "the father of death metal"), bands like Possessed and Morbid Angel are often considered pioneers of the genre. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, death metal gained more media attention as popular record labels like Earache and Roadrunner began to sign death metal bands at a rapid rate. Since then, death metal has diversified, spawning a rich variety of subgenres.

Inclusive death metal music subgenres:

  • Brutal death metal See: http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/subgenre/brutal-death-metal
  • Melodic death metal See: http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/subgenre/melodic-death-metal
  • Swedish death metal, also referred to as Scandinavian death metal, should not be confused with melodeath. This genre is characterized by its focus on raw energy and aggression. The guitars are typically extremely distorted and downtuned, and, in addition to traditional death metal elements, artists within this subgenre also draw on hardcore punk and early thrash metal. While not restricted to Sweden, the genre is called death metal because it was largely popularized by death metal artists from Sweden, such as Carnage, Nihilist, early Entombed, Dismember, Grave, and Unleashed. Seeing that many of the prominent artists within this genre were located in around Stockholm, it is sometimes referred to as the Stockholm sound in contrast with the Gothenburg sound. While big in the 1990s, the popularity of this genre waned in the 2000s, as melodeath became more popular, but recently a number of bands based in Eastern Europe, such as Brutally Deceased and Morbider, have taken up the Stockholm sound and are bringing it back onto the scene.
  • Death-grind combines elements from death metal with element of grindcore. From grindcore, the genre inherits song brevity (with the average length being 2:30), emphasis on fast picking and blastbeating as well as the lyrical content (which means that a lot of death-grind deals with gore, pornography or socio-politics). From death metal, it inherits song complexity and focus on performance and technique, although guitar solos are not as common as in other styles of death metal. When Napalm Death started to gravitate towards death metal from pure grindcore, they developed a death-grind sound, and they are probably the most influential band in the death-grind genre. Other death-grind acts are Lock Up, Terrorizer, and Pig Destroyer. On MMA, those death-grind artists and releases that lean more towards grindcore are included under grindcore, while those that lean more towards death metal are included under death metal.
  • Technical/progressive (or tech/prog) death metal See: http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/subgenre/technical-death-metal
  • Blackened death metal combines death metal and black metal, of lyrically the focus is typically on Satanism, occultism and anti-religion. Behemoth is considered one of the most influential blackened death metal bands.
  • Death ‘n’ roll See: http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/subgenre/death-n-roll


The following subgenres are NOT listed under death metal in the MMA:

  • Grindcore: has its own sugbenre section.
  • Death-thrash: included under thrash metal.
  • Deathcore: included under metalcore.
  • Doom-death: included under doom metal.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_metal

Written by Time Signature.

Sub-genre collaborators:
  • Nightfly (leader)
  • Vim Fuego
  • TheHeavyMetalCat

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death metal Music Reviews

CRIMINAL Dead Soul

Album · 1997 · Death Metal
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UMUR
"Dead Soul" is the second full-length studio album by Chilean thrash/groove metal act Criminal. The album was released through BMG Chile in 1997. It´s the successor to "Victimized" from 1994 and there´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as drummer Jose Joaquin Vallejos has been replaced by Jimmy Ponce.

Stylistically the material on "Dead Soul" continue the thrash/groove thrash metal style of the predecessor, but with an added songwriting depth and even better musical performances. It´s still mid-90s Sepultura which is the greatest influence and reference, but I hear a few nods toward an act like Prong too. So this is raw, aggressive, and groove laden thrash metal with a raw sounding lead vocalist in front. The songwriting is reasonably varied for the style and the tracks are generally powerful, sharp, and well written. Some of the standout tracks are the Spanish language "Hijos De La Miseria" (the remaining tracks feature English language lyrics) and the heavy closing track "Guilt". The latter features quite a few great guitar solos which are worth a mention. The remaining tracks are overall strong and effective too.

"Dead Soul" features a raw, powerful, and brutal sounding production, which suits the material well. The only minor issue I have with the sound production, is the clicky powerless sound of the bass drums. That part of the sound could have prospered from a more natural tone. "Dead Soul" is overall still a strong release though and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is fully deserved (and maybe even a bit low).

AEON Rise to Dominate

Album · 2007 · Death Metal
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"Rise to Dominate" is the second full-length studio by Swedish death metal act Aeon. The album was released through Metal Blade Records in September 2007. It´s the successor to "Bleeding the False" from 2005 and it features one lineup change since the predecessor as bassist (and founding member) Johan Hjelm has been replaced by Max Carlberg.

Right off the bat album opener "Helel Ben-Shachar" sets the tone and reveals that Aeon have made zero changes or compromises since the release of "Bleeding the False" (2005) and therefore continue to play a brutal and blasphemous/anti-christian themed Deicide influenced style of death metal (with the occasional nod towards Morbid Angel). It´s sharp, brutal, and hateful death metal played with great technical skill and featuring a lead vocalist with a commanding deep growling yet intelligible delivery. His deep growls are complimented and often layered by high pitched screaming (not completely unlike the vocal style of Glen Benton).

The lyrics are as primitive/juvenile as on the preceding releases going out of their way to bash Christians, God, and anything and everything else related to those subjects. There´s even a song here dedicated to bashing and hating on Jehovah's Witnesses ("Spreading Their Disease"). Not that I necessarily disagree about criticising the actions and opinions of some Christian societies and groups, but personally I prefer that critique to be a little more subtle and intelligent than the closing lyric lines on the above mentioned "Spreading Their Disease": "I despise them", "they make me sick", "I want them dead", "Die they will die they must die", "Die they will die they must die". It´s not exactly Pulitzer price winning material...

...oh well... then it´s fortunate that Aeon do almost everything else right on "Rise to Dominate", which is a punishing, brutal, and technically well played death metal release, packed in a clear, brutal, and powerful sounding production (the album was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö). Fans of early 90s Florida death metal should find loads to enjoy here. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

AUTUMN LEAVES As Night Conquers Day

Album · 1999 · Melodic Death Metal
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"As Night Conquers Day" is the second full-length studio album by Danish death metal act Autumn Leaves. The album was released through Serious Entertainment in early 1999. It´s the successor to "Embraced by the Absolute" from 1997. It would be the band´s last album before disbanding in 2001. Some of the members subsequently formed The Arcane Order.

Stylistically "As Night Conquers Day" continues the melodic death metal style with blackened vocals, which was introduced on "Embraced by the Absolute (1997)". It´s highly melodic death metal with loads of guitar leads, solos, and harmonies, but I wouldn´t call it 100% melodeath. The music on "As Night Conquers Day" has as much in common with the blackened melodic death metal of Swedish artists like Unanimated, Necrophobic, and Dissection, as it has to artists like Dark Tranquillity and In Flames. But the scale tips both ways.

Autumn Leaves are a well playing unit, and everything is delivered with tight precision, but still with the right organic touch. Lead vocalist Torsten Madsen has a powerful voice and a commanding delivery. Sometimes delivering death metal growling, and other times delivering higher pitched blackened snarling. The material on the album are well written and effective and as "As Night Conquers Day" also features a raw, detailed, and powerful sounding production job, it´s a quality release on all parameters. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

DEMIGOD Let Chaos Prevail

Album · 2007 · Death Metal
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"Let Chaos Prevail" is the third full-length studio album by Finnish death metal act Demigod. The album was independently released in May 2007 but soon saw a label release through Xtreem Music in November 2007. It´s the successor to "Shadow Mechanics" from 2002 and there have been a couple of lineup changes since the predecessor as drummer Seppo Taatila has been replaced by Tuomo Latvala, lead vocalist Ali Leiniö has left and keyboard player Mika Haapasalo has also left.

Although Demigod formed as far back as 1990, they only released some demo/promo material, a split with Necropsy, and their debut full-length studio album "Slumber of Sullen Eyes (1992)" (which is arguably one of the seminal albums from the early 90s Finnish death metal scene) before disbanding in 1994. When they returned to the spotlight with "Shadow Mechanics" (2002) their sound and style had changed significantly adding clean vocals and keyboards, and a technical/progressive edge to their death metal, which were not elements heard on the old school death metal of their early releases.

"Let Chaos Prevail" is however not a continuation of the sound found on "Shadow Mechanics" (2002). Although some elements of that sound remain, it´s not a continuation of their original old school death metal sound either. Stylistically this is technically well played death metal with shouting semi-growling vocals in front. The clean vocals and the keyboard parts of the predecessor are gone, and so are the occasionally odd songwriting ideas. "Let Chaos Prevail" is a consistent release in terms of quality and style.

It´s also a well produced release, featuring a sophisticated, detailed, and clear sounding production, suiting this type of death metal perfectly. I still hear the occasional nod towards latter day Death (the band), but it´s actually the French in Loudblast that I´m mostly reminded of (especially their 1993 "Sublime Dementia" album). Technically well played death metal which isn´t quite tech death (and featuring a lot of thrashy riffs), but still a sophisticated and polished type of death metal. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

FLESHCRAWL Into the Catacombs of Flesh

Album · 2019 · Death Metal
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UMUR
"Into the Catacombs of Flesh" is the ninth full-length studio album by German death metal act Fleshcrawl. The album was released through Apostasy Records in November 2019. It´s been 12 years since the release of the predeceding album "Structures of Death" (2007), so it´s fair to say that "Into the Catacombs of Flesh" is a comeback release for Fleshcrawl. Three out of five members remain from the lineup who recorded "Structures of Death (2007)", but longstanding guitarist Mike Hanus has been replaced by Slobodan Stupar and bassist Nico Scheffler has been replaced by Manu Markowski. The only remaining original member of the band is drummer Bastian Herzog.

Stylistically the material on "Into the Catacombs of Flesh" won´t surprise anyone familiar with the preceding releases by Fleshcrawl. This sounds pretty much like they´ve sounded since album number two ("Impurity" from 1994), when they changed their original death metal style with doom metal leanings, towards a more melodic old school death metal style strongly influenced by the Swedish Stockholm sound and especially Dismember. The opening title track immediately sets the stage and it´s impossible not to think of Dismember when listening to that track. Fortunately the next track is a little different and doesn´t reek as much of Swedish worship, but Fleshcrawl generally just aren´t the most original act on the scene. They bring zero new ideas to the world and are content playing the same old school death metal style they´ve played on now many album releases.

So it´s not in the songwriting department that we find anything out of the ordinary for the style. Thankfully Fleshcrawl know how to compose an effecful death metal tune, and that saves the album from being another mediocre and quite frankly redundant death metal release. "Into the Catacombs of Flesh" features strong musicianship and a well sounding production job too, so it´s overall a good quality death metal release. A little more musical identity and a few unique songwriting ideas could have made the album even more interesting though, and as it is my rating won´t go higher than a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating.

death metal movie reviews

NAPALM DEATH Punishment in Capitals

Movie · 2003 · Death Metal
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Kingcrimsonprog
Punishment In Capitals is a 2002 live DVD (also available on CD) by British extreme metal icons Napalm Death, released after their triumphant Enemy Of The Music Business album won back the praise of fans and critics after their experimental string of records in the nineties.

The band play a mixture of every era in their career up to that point, the catchy nineties singles ‘Breed To Breathe,’ and ‘Greed Killing,’ sit side by side with mid era death inspired fare such as ‘Suffer The Children,’ and ‘World Keeps Turning,’ which blends against the band’s early grindcore material era like ‘Scum,’ ‘Lucid Fairy Tale,’ and the famous ‘You Suffer,’ in a set list which also leans heavily on the band’s then newest, and still arguably best album Enemy Of The Music Business.

Standout tracks include an energetic version of ‘Hung,’ as well as ‘Can’t Play Won’t Play,’ and ‘Narcoleptic,’ which was as yet unreleased at the time of recording. With a set-list of this caliber, Punishment In Capitals should be a rewarding viewing experience for most Napalm Death fans and would serve well as an introduction to the band for potential fans as well.

Interestingly, the DVD recording retains all the dead air, waiting out-of-breathe and other non-musical moments in between tracks, presenting you the gig as it actually happened and not inter-cutting the show with outside material to create some false sense of professionalism or excitement. This is a double edged sword as it is commendable but may still irritate viewers raised on slicker, fast paced major label DVD releases.

The production is fairly good in terms of audio recording quality and mix, with simple camera work and editing covering the visual side of things. Although not the most impressive looking DVD ever released, it serves well for Napalm Death to deliver an energetic a sweaty performance. My only major gripe is that for the first half of the show shots of drummer Danny Herrera are very few and far between, but this is remedied later on.

There are a fair amount of extras too, including two bootleg quality recordings in Tokyo from 1996, a six track selection from a Chilean gig in 1997 as well as a hidden Easter Egg (a live-in-a-TV-studio version of ‘If The Truth Be Known,’ accessible by making the image’s eyes glow red my navigating the menu.) In addition to the musical extras there is also a documentary, which while not masterfully crafted is worth at least one watch, covering topics such as Barney’s haircut, the effect of foreign food on the bowels and the charity for which this gig was in aide of.

Overall, Punishment In Capitals is a worthwhile DVD purchase that will give you a good selection of Napalm Death material, both in the concert itself and with a nice selection of extras. Definitely recommended viewing for fans of the band.

ZYKLON Storm Detonation Live

Movie · 2006 · Death Metal
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Kingcrimsonprog
This DVD captures Norwegian death metal band Zyklon on their 'Aeon,' era tour Live; the tracklisting on the wonderful but slightly short DVD is made up of tracks from the bands excellent first two albums.

The band are on top form and deliver the material fantastically live, They never miss a step, and are ruthlessly professional.

Song's from the band's debut album are much better here with new singer Tony 'SecthDamon,' Ingebrigtsen. Who has a better voice to match the material than Daemon did.

Furthermore the audio and visual quality is great, and apart from a little intro interrupting the first 20 seconds of fan favorite 'Core Solution,' there's very little to complain about whatsoever.

Indeed, with such a brilliant performance, a good production and an excellent track listing, this DVD is a real must-have for any Zyklon fan.

AMON AMARTH Wrath of the Norsemen

Movie · 2006 · Melodic Death Metal
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Kingcrimsonprog
Talk about value for money, from a band like Amon Amarth you wouldn’t expect them to be able to afford such a crazily generous and in depth DVD package when some of the bigger bands can’t afford anything even half this good.

The Set comes in a glorious 3 DVD digipak with detailed artwork, a full booklet and an awesome little viking crown that keeps it closed. Then you get Five full concerts (with 22, 16,13, 11 and 9 tracks respectively) and a documentary.

The main feature; a 22 track concert from Cologne in 2005 is an incredible affair with crystal clear sound, Huge guitar tones, amazingly heavy drums and nice clunky bass. The camera work is of a higher quality than even some of the biggest metal bands’ DVDs and again the sound is immense.

Then theres the performance, the band are absolutely electric delivering furious renditions of material from all eras a their career from the massive ‘Amon Amarth,’ and ‘Fate of Norns,’ to catchy closer ‘Death In Fire,’ and the crowd just lap it up.

Vocalist Johan Hegg absolutely commands the stage, engaging the crowd at every opportunity and singing his heart out while the band hammer through their classics like ‘heavy,’ is going out of style.

On top of all that you have a great light show, huge Amon Amath banners, more pyro than a kiss concert and an interlude with about thirty Viking reenactors sword fighting on stage! That feature is worth the money alone, the show is probably one of the best metal concerts on the market and I can’t stress how good the sound and picture are; then on top of all that you get the rest of the set, featuring virtually ever Amon Amarth song ever written, and performances from ‘Waken Open Air festival,’ ‘Summer Breeze Festival,’ and two more indoor concerts in Europe.

If you like Amon Amarth Buy this right now. If you don’t, you will within thirty seconds of watching this.

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