I am death metal. I eat death metal, I drink death metal, I type death metal, I drywall death metal…you get the idea. In my opinion, it’s the most underrated genre of music on the planet. There are plenty of “Top 5” lists out there, but they are all meaningless. Opinions are just that. I can’t write the definitive list of the best death metal outfits in the known world. I can, however, discuss five bands that kick almighty ass. Most metalheads would agree with my list, but then again, I own a Dave Matthews Band album. What’s the old saying? Opinions are like black holes? Whatever. Moving on…
1.Death – Death founder/frontman Chuck Schuldiner (R.I.P.) helped shape death metal, and without his unparalleled contributions to the genre, death metal may not exist. He took the basic elements of thrash and warped them to fit his tastes. Many fans cite the band’s first two records as the best, but I beg to differ. Death would become more technical, more progressive, and more melodic with each passing long player. To me, that’s a good thing. Upon my first spin of 1998’s “The Sound of Perseverance,” I had to stop what I was doing to make sure I was hearing what I thought I was hearing.
“Spirit Crusher” and “Flesh and the Power It Holds” have got to be a couple of the best metal numbers committed to tape. Schuldiner’s vocals never resembled the “cookie monster” doxologizing that younger death metal freaks are familiar with. Still, Death’s early works are just as important as “Reign in Blood” or “Master of Puppets.”
FAVORITE ALBUM: “Symbolic” (1995)
2.Morbid Angel – Morbid Angel introduced a black metal aesthetic to death metal. Beginning with the raspy shrieks on “Altars of Madness” and continuing with the occult-inspired atmosphere on “Blessed Are the Sick,” the pioneering quartet challenged the conventions of death metal. As with Death, the band is noted for their lofty level of musicianship. Drummer Pete Sandoval was one of the first skinsman to implement blastbeats. He claims that he invented the now-customary style of percussion, but no one really knows who originally conceived of brutal blasting.
David Vincent was the perfect frontman. He was talented, charismatic, mysterious, and I guess you could throw in “sexy.” His departure in 1996 could have dismantled Morbid Angel, but they carried on with Steve Tucker, Vincent’s suitable replacement. Guitarist Trey Azagthoth single-handedly elevated the music to first-class quality. No one plays quite like him. Imagine if Eddie Van Halen was a 12-fingered Satanist, and that should give you an idea of what Azagthoth is all about. Let’s hope that the reunited line-up visits the recording studio soon.
FAVORITE ALBUM: “Domination” (1995)
3.Cannibal Corpse – These guys get a lot of flack in the metal community. Honestly, I’m not sure why. They may not be seminal trailblazers, but no one does gore metal better than Cannibal Corpse. Maybe it’s because I’m a died-in-the-wool (my apologies for the nauseating wordplay) horror buff, but the group’s hyperviolent imagery spins my dradle. The Chris Barnes era is favored by many, but I’m more attuned to everything the Corpse has done since then. Barnes deserves my respect, but in my humble opinion, George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher is the best death vocalist on the planet. I dig his tone, his vocal patterns, and his live persona. The man is a monster.
Bassist Alex Webster is one of the best bassists out there. You can’t watch him play without getting dizzy. Cannibal Corpse are not the fastest band in existence, nor are they the heaviest. However, they write the most memorable songs on the extreme metal circuit. I’m sure that most metalheads would disagree, but this is my list, so lay off!
FAVORITE ALBUM: “The Wretched Spawn” (2004)
4.Suffocation – You can thank Suffocation for all of the breakdowns you hear on “Headbanger’s Ball.” Alongside Morbid Angel, they infused the tried-and-true death metal formula with an abounding measure of groove. No one sounded like Suffocation in the early 90’s. They also turned heads because of the fact that two-fifths of their roster is African-American. This was something new for extreme metal, although death metal fans have never made a big deal out of it. It wasn’t a big deal because Suffocation kicked ass, and they still do.
Frank Mullen’s recognizable roar completes Suffocation’s crushing sound. You don’t know “heavy” until you’ve heard “Thrones of Blood” or “Infecting the Crypts.”
FAVORITE ALBUM: “Pierced From Within” (1995)
5.Immolation – Each of these bands are unique. Immolation carved out their own niche by mixing groove with melody. They can make breakdowns catchy. Complex without being pretentiously progressive, Immolation straddles the line between bonehead barbarism and tuneful subtlety. This is choice stuff if you appreciate both melody and brutality. And if you enjoy blaspheming.
FAVORITE ALBUM: “UNHOLY CULT” (2002)
If you’ll notice, my picks for the top 5 death metal bands don’t sound anything like each other. That’s the trick, kids. You can shred all you want, but unless you are bringing something different to the table, keep it in the freezer. If you are new to death metal, sample the five albums that I’ve highlighted. Death metal is as American as apple pie!
