Death metal music may sound harsh and brutal, but it’s actually quite unique style of rock music. Its hallmark features include intense vocals, blast beats and down-tuned guitars.
Metal music that originated in Tampa, Florida and has become a worldwide sensation. Its unique approach to composition and the bands who play it are renowned for their mastery of their instruments.
Anaal Nathrakh
Anaal Nathrakh are a British duo that blends black metal, grindcore and industrial music. Led by Dave Hunt and Mick Kenney since 1999, the group has become an unstoppable force in the music scene.
Anaal Nathrakh are known for their explosive sound, but they also possess the capacity to create some melody within that chaos. This skill is often overlooked in extreme metal music, but Hunt and Kenney excel at adding nuance without compromising their intensity.
Their latest album, Endarkenment, continues the melodic vocal dynamic that’s been a hallmark of their sound for some time now. Boasting exceptional choruses and guitar melodies, Endarkenment serves as an impressive demonstration of how Hunt and Kenney can effortlessly incorporate extreme elements into their music while still offering an engaging musical experience.
Their early releases, such as Total Fucking Necro and The Codex Necro, showcase how Hunt and Kenney masterfully combine atmosphere with dark metal music. Although the demonic gurglings, ghostly noises and fleeting moments of quasi-ambience are suitably dark, Hunt and Kenney always manage to add their own unique spin on these elements to make them more than mere filler material. Indeed, their lyrics often de-emphasize traditional black metal elements like Satanism in favor of something more metaphysical or allegorical in nature instead.
Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy are a Swedish death metal band formed in 1991. Their line-up features guitarist Lars Szoke, bassist Mikael Hedlund, and Satanist vocalist Masse Broberg. The group has received critical acclaim for its music and has shared the stage with acts such as Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, and Dark Funeral.
In 1994, The Fourth Dimension was released and met with critical and fan acclaim. It was followed by Abducted in 1996 and The Final Chapter two years later in 1997.
Since then, the band has continued to create highly acclaimed music. Their most recent album, Worship, was released in 2021.
Contrary to its title, these songs are far from heavy; they possess a lot of depth as well. Warpath, for instance, is an impressive thrasher with an excellent lead guitar solo.
Scrutinized is an impressive song that showcases the band’s talent. It boasts an exquisite melody and stunning guitar work.
Fans of death metal should definitely give this album a listen. It’s one of their best albums and well worth checking out.
Nile
Nile is an American technical death metal band from Greenville, South Carolina. Their music and lyrics draw inspiration from Ancient Egyptian/Near Eastern mysticism, history, religion and art as well as H.P. Lovecraft’s works.
Nile is led by Karl Sanders, an esteemed musician in extreme metal music. His extensive research into Egyptian history, religion and culture has only served to enhance its intense and brutal soundscape.
NILE has always leaned heavily toward technical death metal, but they also incorporate Middle Eastern and Egyptian folk ambience, acoustics and vocal chants into their music. Even on early material such as Worship the Animal (re-released under Vile Nilotic Rites in 2011), NILE featured acoustic guitars).
Their latest album, What Should Not Be Unearthed, was released in 2015. This record marks an expansion of collaboration with bassist Brad Parris who joined Sanders and long-serving drummer George Kollias as full members after Jon Vesano’s departure.
The album follows an ominous theme, depicting the end of Egyptian civilisation, genocidal warfare, ancient philosophies and snake mating practices. The track “Cast Down the Heretic” stands out in particular; it depicts Amen-Ra priesthood executing Akhenaten in grisly fashion before wiping away all evidence of his rule. This unique approach from a death metal band will surely leave listeners with lasting impressions.
Gojira
Gojira are a French death metal band that has been around for 15 years. Their live performances, known for their intense and visceral sound, have earned them much acclaim within the metal community.
Their music is heavily influenced by Pantera, Meshuggah and Neurosis; it also incorporates elements of progressive metal and groove metal.
They released their debut album From Mars to Sirius in 2005, quickly becoming popular among headbangers around the world. Over time they released several studio albums such as L’Enfant Sauvage and Magma.
The band has a distinct style and has earned itself the title of one of the most influential acts in their genre. They’ve been praised for their technical proficiency and musical complexity.
Metal band, however they draw inspiration from other music genres such as rock and punk. Active in the industry, the group releases new music regularly and tours around the globe.
Joe Duplantier (vocals and guitar) and Mario Duplantier (drums) make up this duo, born in France but holding dual citizenships.
The name “Gojira” is a Japanese combination of gorilla and whale, symbolizing fear and destruction that was created after Japan’s conflict with the United States.
Vader
Vader began as one of Europe’s pioneering death metal acts in 1983 and their 1990 demo, Morbid Reich, achieved major success within its underground audience and eventually led them to signing with Earache Records – becoming the first Polish death metal band to sign with a Western label.
Since then, Vader have maintained their musical quality, consistently releasing high quality releases with few exceptions. Despite changing musicians and the ever-evolving trends within death metal music, they have managed to stay true to themselves and never waver from their mission.
They have thus become the pinnacles of Polish extreme metal, with an impressive record and no major misfires. Additionally, their success serves as proof that sticking with your guns and refusing to conform is the key to long-term success in music.
Vader currently consists of Piotr Wiwczarek (vocals), Marek “Spider” Pajak (guitars) and Tomasz “Hal” Halicki (bass). They have produced several impressive albums over the years, such as Tibi et Igni (2014), The Empire (2016) and Dark Age (2017).
Lyrics in this band’s repertoire tend to be dark and mysterious, reflecting their interest in pre-Christian faiths as well as occult literature. Vocalist Peter Wiwczarek stands out with a vocal style that differs from that of most death metal singers – throatier and more melodic.
Autopsy
Autopsy are an American death metal music band formed in 1987 by Chris Reifert (drummer for Death) and Eric Cutler. They released their first demo in 1988 before signing with Peaceville Records two years later.
Their 1989 debut album Severed Survival marked a landmark moment in death metal music history and remains an influential classic to this day.
The group’s sound was heavily influenced by bands such as Possessed and Death, yet they also added unique features that set them apart from their peers. These included gory album art, harsh vocals, and lyrics related to death and gore.
Chris Reifert’s vocals combine a scream and guttural howl, creating an unmistakably harsh voice that sounds remarkably realistic. While they can be difficult to understand at times, his vocals are an integral part of their sound and have made them popular among fans of metal music.
After several years since their last full length album Tourniquets, Hacksaws and Graves, Autopsy are back with Morbidity Triumphant. This latest record proves just how much talent this band still has to offer the metal world.
Autopsy are renowned for their heavy and sleazy riffing that has never lost its power. Guitarists Eric Cutler and Danny Coralles possess an uncanny ability to craft catchy hooks that will stay in your head. Furthermore, each song is skillfully written and arranged so it can be played in various ways.