Metal’s history is full of songs that are unnerving to listen to – from thrash to more extreme genres such as death and black metal, these tracks will make your hair stand up!
Deftones’ nu metal has an undeniably 80s feel to it and this track exemplifies this perfectly, featuring catchy guitar riffs and powerful, sinister vocals from frontman Deftones himself.
1. Cannibal Corpse – Hammer Smashed Face
Cannibal Corpse are one of the definitive death metal bands. Influenced by serial killers and other terrifying horror tales, their music captures death metal’s visceral quality with relentlessly heavy riffage, most famously in Hammer Smashed Face; many artists have covered this track to honor Cannibal Corpse’s influence on death metal music.
Cannibal Corpse were one of the pioneering bands to popularize death metal music and popularize it beyond underground circles. Although not considered among the top death metal acts, their brutal style never wavered from being an effective instrument of death metal music history. Furthermore, some of their lyrics boast some of metal history’s most morbid lyrics ever heard!
This EP from 1993 features three tracks totaling just under 15 minutes of pure death metal mayhem. Hammer Smashed Face opens the EP, showing off their trademark brutality; its only flaw being its short duration; but that shouldn’t be taken as an issue when considering this album as a whole.
The second track on Cannibal Corpse’s album is an impressive cover of Possessed’s The Exorcist by Possessed. While still impressive, some intensity was lost in translation to Cannibal Corpse but nonetheless is an enjoyable track worth checking out.
The final track on this EP is a cover of Black Sabbath’s Zero the Hero. This track offers listeners an insight into what a live performance would sound like; drums pound furiously while vocalists aggressively but cleanly deliver aggressive vocals for an intense live experience. Overall, this EP offers solid value that fans of this band should definitely pick up.
2. Whitechapel – Stream of Consciousness
I was taken aback that this band isn’t on a bigger platform; they’re incredible! Not too extreme but with great style they manage to blend many genres of metal seamlessly, including some with more of a symphonic influence like scale riffing and brutal blasting, plus even going into some kind of Egyptian groove with held chords etc.
Production-wise, everything sounds huge and very clear despite an excessive use of reverb on guitar sound. They offer an impressive variety of styles; fast death metal tracks sit alongside slower black metal songs and one with some kind of synth-based music (I have no idea what it is) in an awesome mix that contains fast death metal songs, slower black metal songs and one song with some kind of weird synth element (which sounds interesting!). Lyrically too, they don’t overdo blasphemy like other bands do blasphemous material like other bands do blasphemous material like other bands do – this album represents their best material both in terms of songwriting skill as well as sound quality! I think this album marks their finest hour and sound production!
This album is an incredible technical death metal experience. Reminiscent of Origin and Krisiun in parts, I find the trebly guitar riffing and complex time signatures and drumming somewhat similar. There’s plenty of double bass and blast beats here too as well as fast songs that make me want to break out my chainsaw – though more variety would have been appreciated for faster songs overall; otherwise this album is fantastic and should not be overlooked as essential listening for fans of technical death metal. Although vocals may not quite my taste, that doesn’t stop me from listening as I enjoy listening this band regardless.
3. Meshuggah – Bleed
With each new album they release, Swedish groove metal icons Meshuggah create a stir in the metal community – prompting an in-depth debate among fans and detractors alike. They’ve never been afraid to go against the grain and their unwavering rejection of traditional metal has won them both criticism and admiration – but one thing has remained constant throughout: their ability to write an intense song. Meshuggah are masters of groove. From their off-meter buzz-saw of ‘Bleed’ to the upbeat beats of ‘Electric Red’, Meshuggah are masters of shifting rhythm. Though their riffs may seem straightforward at first, Meshuggah makes these tunes irresistibly catchy with their impressive performances. Meshuggah can turn even a simple beat into something monstrously complex and acoustic, while at other times they layer upon layers of rhythm to produce something mind-bogglingly hypnotic. Their skill shines even when they use more simple elements, like on their track ‘Corridor of Chameleons’ where their music still manages to be captivating and intense.
obZen marks a return to their earlier material with its staggered rhythms, blazing tempos, and organic drumming – such as tracks “Corridor of Chameleons” and “Future Breed Machine.” Additionally, this album includes pendulum-swinging bass lines and atonal guitar blasts of “This Spiteful Snake,” as well as engine revving thrash in “Combustion.”
Meshuggah songs often riff off of each other, with each album featuring their own take on it. But this track stands out because its pace is considerably slower than usual – this makes it particularly challenging for drummers of any skill level as timing variations must be carefully adjusted when performing this track.
4. Children of Bodom – The Heaviest Matter of the Universe
Children of Bodom has produced one of the hardest death metal songs around with “Hate Crew Deathroll”, released originally on their fourth album Hate Crew Deathroll and featuring drummer Jaska Raatikainen tearing through it with relentless energy. Their complex time signatures and guitar pyrotechnics create a sound which defies categorization – Children of Bodom has truly revolutionised the genre!
Though many still consider death metal to be grindcore, Florida-based Atheist have shown how death metal can take on new dimensions. Integrating elements from both extreme and progressive metal into their style, Atheist set themselves apart with their challenging musical style that combined extreme with progressive metal. On their second album Unquestionable Presence they feature Mother Man as one such song featuring shifting time signatures and intricate drumming riffs; Atheist were instrumental in breaking boundaries when creating such innovative music.
Deicide’s track, “Pulverize”, serves as an excellent illustration of just how intense and brutal death metal music can be. Featuring Chuck Schuldiner’s guttural vocal performance and its intense musical progression, it exemplifies sheer brutality.
Sunn O))) are pushing death metal to new and extreme heights with their experimental combination of doom, sludge and noise to create an overwhelming experience that will have you hitting walls like mad. Their deafening drumming will send shockwaves reverberating across your entire body in this song as its heavy riffs create an intoxicating wall-padding groove; truly making for the definitive test of heavy music for death metal fans everywhere! This album should not be missed!
5. Gojira – The Heaviest Matter of the Universe
Gojira (whose name derives from Godzilla) has gone from virtual obscurity to global recognition with remarkable resilience, emerging as one of metal’s most dynamic acts. Showcasing an unconventional combination of brutality and compassion in their genre-bending blend of thrash, death, groove, math and progressive metal music; their 2012 breakthrough Terra Incognita provided them with greater exposure; 2016’s L’Enfant Sauvage was further cemented their reputation while 2021’s Fortitude set their abrasive sound even further refined further!
The Heaviest Matter of the Universe stands out amongst their best songs due to its epic riffs and drumming; its heavy yet melodic approach makes this track stand out even further from other heavy tracks in the genre. A timeless classic in its own right, yet unique due to melodic and progressive elements.
My personal favorite death metal song and style. The vocals and riffs are fantastic; yet what really sets this track apart are its changing melodies in the middle and progressive elements that give this tune some incredible power and charm. One of the iconic death metal bands ever, this is certainly worth experiencing for yourself!