by AWM
I'm not trying to say that I know shit about death metal or that you ought to listen to this death metal, but I've had a few drinks and I'm reading to take it down like Chico Dusty.
The first thing you need to know is that death metal developed because bands like Possessed started writing thrash metal that was just too fierce to be called thrash. Some people dispute this fact, but I'm not here to win the Pulitzer. Possessed's Seven Churches is some legit ranked shit and albums that are somewhere between death and thrash hold a special place in my heart as a huge thrash fan, but I'm not going to talk about it here today.
The first album I'm going to tell you about is over 20 years old and it's still harder than a teenager at a strip club. It's Morbid Angel's Altars of Madness. This is perhaps the only good thing to ever come out of South Florida, music-related or otherwise. It cemented Trey Azagthoth as a metal guitar god, and was followed by a bunch of albums that started, sequentially, with the subsequent letters of the alphabet (Blessed are the Sick, Covenant, Dominion, etc.) Altars of Madness is really the only one worth yanking your chain over.
Satanic?: Mildly to moderately
I will now proceed to eliminate all my credibility on this topic by choosing a contemporary album that's only arguably death metal. Goatwhore combines death metal and black metal, and has a really grimy NOLA sound. Unfortunately, it's catchy as hell, so I'm going to post it over standards like Death, Obituary, Atheist, and Entombed. Perhaps a greater man will pick up the slack.
Goatwhore - Funeral Dirge for the Rotting Sun (2003)
Satanic?: Moderately
During the early 90s, Sweden produced two distinct styles of death metal, the Goteborg sound, also known as melodic death metal (At the Gates, In Flames), and the Stockholm sound (Entombed, Dismember). The Stockholm sound was played by far fewer bands, but it was also kicked a lot more ass and utilized the "buzzsaw" guitar technique. Dismember is the second most important band to play this style, but "Override the Overture" is among the best tracks done in it. It has a delicious tremolo sound to it that could almost pass for black metal.
Dismember - Like an Ever Flowing Stream (1991)
Dismember - Like an Ever Flowing Stream (1991)
Satanic?: No.
In addition to producing Behemoth, Poland also produced several good death metal bands, one of which is Decapitated. Though almost entirely wiped out by a bus crash in 2007, Decapitated has found a way to endure. They are renowned for their technical style. Winds of Creation's songs are varied and distinct for a death metal album, sometimes reminiscent of thrash.
Decapitated - Winds of Creation (2000)
Satanic?: Mildly
Impressions in Blood is almost certainly not Vader's best album, but it's a very good one and I'm unwilling to do the research. Vader are the godfathers of death metal in Poland and have a simple but well-executed style.
Vader - Impressions in Blood (2006)
Satanic?: Moderately
Notable omissions: Immolation, Autopsy, Entombed, Malevolent Creation, Incantation.
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ReplyDeletelike your stuff.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are right Vader is pretty legendary.
I was kind of into Behemoth. They have the strong hard sound that I love so much. But I just dont know enough of their songs to put them on the list. Also, I am one of the few Death Metal fans that tries to avoid the Satanic stuff....it is impossible, but I try.
I think it's mainly just Deicide and Immolation that you should avoid.
ReplyDeleteword,
ReplyDeleteso tell me what are your thoughts on Napalm Death?
The earlier stuff is ridiculous, short grindcore stuff. Some of the other stuff like Harmony Corruption and Diatribes is good.
ReplyDelete