death metal
what it is
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of metal, most easily identifiable by its utilization of bass-heavy guitar distortion, harsh, often growled or grunted vocals, and particular brand of compositional density. Best known death metal bands include Morbid Angel, Autopsy, Suffocation, and Entombed, all of which had in their earliest years contributed codifying releases to the subgenre. In the middle of the 1980s, the stylistic origins of death metal manifested; 1984 saw the release of a few EPs (Slayer - Haunting the Chapel; Celtic Frost - Morbid Tales) and several demos (Necrophagia - Death Is Fun; Possessed - Death Metal) from which the subgenre would initially draw its compositional and lyrical motifs.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make death metal a playlist
turn these 38 artists into something you can press play on.
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questions
What is death metal?
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of metal, most easily identifiable by its utilization of bass-heavy guitar distortion, harsh, often growled or grunted vocals, and particular brand of compositional density. Best known death metal bands include Morbid Angel, Autopsy, Suffocation, and Entombed, all of which had in their earliest years contributed codifying releases to the subgenre. In the middle of the 1980s, the stylistic origins of death metal manifested; 1984 saw the release of a few EPs (Slayer - Haunting the Chapel; Celtic Frost - Morbid Tales) and several demos (Necrophagia - Death Is Fun; Possessed - Death Metal) from which the subgenre would initially draw its compositional and lyrical motifs.
What are good death metal albums to start with?
Try Scream Bloody Gore by Death, Left Hand Path by Entombed, Domination by Morbid Angel, and Nightmares Made Flesh by Bloodbath.
Who are some women making death metal?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/death-metal/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making death metal, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20