Death Metal is a form of music evolved from thrash metal in the 1980s. The band Death popularized the name with the song "Death by Metal" (as well as their own name). The song by Possessed also gave the entire genre a debated name credibility which is still disputed to this day.
Death Metal is catergorized by its gutteral growling vocals, thickened guitar tones with sometimes heavy distortion properties, and blast beats which can range from a normal to very fast speed. The vocals and drumming are the pure tell-all of a death metal band, the gutteral bellows are began in the stomach yet shaped with the throat to raise and lower the pitch of the music in general, while the drumming is blast beat and dependant (mainly) upon the bass drums. Independant variables to be added to the mix are amounts of groove, morbidity, technicallity, and speed.
Death Metal itself has evolved slowly through the years, ranging from the olden days (Deicide, Death, and Morbid Angel) to the now modernized sounds of Death Metal, (Vital Remains, Cryptopsy, and Hate Eternal) and even now to the more "Brutal" scene of Death Metal (Deeds of Flesh, Severed Savior and Beheaded). Death Metal also has grown roots into the Grindcore scene and evolved many Death/Grind bands, evolved into Gore Metal, and numerous other forms of music.
Death Metal is catergorized by its gutteral growling vocals, thickened guitar tones with sometimes heavy distortion properties, and blast beats which can range from a normal to very fast speed. The vocals and drumming are the pure tell-all of a death metal band, the gutteral bellows are began in the stomach yet shaped with the throat to raise and lower the pitch of the music in general, while the drumming is blast beat and dependant (mainly) upon the bass drums. Independant variables to be added to the mix are amounts of groove, morbidity, technicallity, and speed.
Death Metal itself has evolved slowly through the years, ranging from the olden days (Deicide, Death, and Morbid Angel) to the now modernized sounds of Death Metal, (Vital Remains, Cryptopsy, and Hate Eternal) and even now to the more "Brutal" scene of Death Metal (Deeds of Flesh, Severed Savior and Beheaded). Death Metal also has grown roots into the Grindcore scene and evolved many Death/Grind bands, evolved into Gore Metal, and numerous other forms of music.
Slayer is not a Death Metal band. They are a thrash metal band. Cannibal Corpse are not a Gore Metal band. They are a Death Metal band.
by Anthony September 29, 2003
In contrary to monotone hip-hop, cliche R&B, or computer generated bubblegum pop or trance music, death metal is played by people with instruments, who have the ability to generate melody from said instrument. In contrary to the similar style Black Metal, the lyrics are rarely a mere worshipping of Satan, but are usually about life and death, religion, and deeper things that people who agree with most of the above comments usually don't think about. There's a big difference between the better and worse death metal bands, and many crossover genres are used for originality in the music. For example, there's viking death metal (Amon Amarth), melodic death metal (Scar Symmetry), thrash death metal (Konkhra), black death metal (Naglfar), orchestral death metal (Hollenthon), and many others. The diversity of death metal is but one example of the many subgenres of metal, which is of course the most advanced kind of music nowadays available. The reason death metal remains underground is due to the facts that people are brainwashed with music that is so easy to swallow that they are unable to comprehend the complexity of more advanced kinds of music such as metal.
by Metallion March 7, 2006
Brutal. Is there really anymore to say? In your face blast beats, crushing guitars, and fuck blasting bass lines make it one of the heaviest genres, but also one of the most unappreciated.
Nadroj: Deathmetal is satanic, and bad. The music is simple, and has a structure as weak as the twin towers.
Metalhead: You're a fag. You have no balls.
Metalhead: You're a fag. You have no balls.
by raper of souls January 14, 2004
Death metal is a genre of music unappreciated by the mainstreamers. Most of the members of death metal bands have day jobs with a few exceptions of the guys who have almost been at it 20 years now. These musicians do tour and as a drummer it is possible to play that fast, you just can't figure it out, because music on the radio only has one tempo per song, typically. People who are hyperactive or have undiagnosed adult ADD enjoy death metal because they can't listen to a 5 minute song with the same beat. Talented vocals by: Corpsegrinder, Steve Tucker, Glen Benton, and when he was alive, Chuck. Death metal is not all About satan. Morbid Angel's Lyrics for example Are often SUMERIAN influenced...A culture that existed 3000 years before christianity in the moder day middle east.Deicide(definition:to kill god) popularized the satanic aspect of death metal with songs like "once upon the cross", "Kill the christian" or "Satan Spawn, the caco-demon. More and more bands now use their origins in death metal to create unique and challenging philosophies. Enjoy Morbid Angel's 1998 Formulas Fatal to the Flesh, filled with verses of Bil-ur-Sag(lion head) and the anunnaki, The Ancient ones.
bil-ur-sag-li-lil-nig-hur-tul-ha-elm zalag!
by BAAL March 14, 2004
Sub-genre of Metal where the musicians are extremely talented and play as fast and technical as humanely possible, yet still wont hardly sell any records or get the recognition they deserve.
Song structure is typically like classical music: It's almost non existent. Melody changes ever few seconds, drums change on a dime, and singing (or growling, pig squeals, screaming, etc.) often pops in and out.
Changing melodies typically make death metal less memorable to casual fans, which is why you don't really see it on MTV (Well, that and the death growl vocals creep people out).
There is also Melodic death metal, where the growl is replaced with a scream, the melody doesn't change as much, and keyboards are typically added, and deathcore, which is a fusion of hardcore and death metal. These genres are sometimes criticized by death metalheads for changing true death metal.
Song structure is typically like classical music: It's almost non existent. Melody changes ever few seconds, drums change on a dime, and singing (or growling, pig squeals, screaming, etc.) often pops in and out.
Changing melodies typically make death metal less memorable to casual fans, which is why you don't really see it on MTV (Well, that and the death growl vocals creep people out).
There is also Melodic death metal, where the growl is replaced with a scream, the melody doesn't change as much, and keyboards are typically added, and deathcore, which is a fusion of hardcore and death metal. These genres are sometimes criticized by death metalheads for changing true death metal.
Death metal: Necrophagist, Morbid Angel, Nile, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Dying Fetus, Behemoth, Death, Prostitute Disfigurement, Alchemist, Possessed, Atheist, God Dethroned
Melodic Death Metal: In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Detonation
Deathcore: Job for a Cowboy (early), Despised Icon, I Killed the Prom Queen
If you listen to death metal and all you hear is noise and random banging of drums, you don't deserve to listen (or criticize) it.
Melodic Death Metal: In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Detonation
Deathcore: Job for a Cowboy (early), Despised Icon, I Killed the Prom Queen
If you listen to death metal and all you hear is noise and random banging of drums, you don't deserve to listen (or criticize) it.
by Metal6head January 3, 2008
"The lowest common denominator in popular music."
death metal was never meant to be popular. It's unmarketability is actually a good thing, since the industry can't make it into a trend and kill it all together like they did glam rock, rap, and grunge.
death metal was never meant to be popular. It's unmarketability is actually a good thing, since the industry can't make it into a trend and kill it all together like they did glam rock, rap, and grunge.
If death metal's the lowest common denominator in popular music, then pop and rap are the lowest common denominators in REAL music.
by angelofdeath June 17, 2004
A form of underground heavy metal that involves deep-growling lyrics, distorted guitars, drums fast as shit, heavy, distorded guitars, lyrics involving death, destcrution, war, satan, egypt (Nile), poltics, and more death. people look down upon this great music only because there too fucking stupid to listen to it, stupid pop/rap/cocksucksers...you probbaly think slipknot is death metal....i pitty you
Napalm Death, Nile, Morbidn Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under, Vader, Vomitory, Malevoelent Creation, Skinless, and DEFTINANLY FUCKING NOT SLIPKNOT
by mynameisinthetrashcanofdoom August 8, 2003