The Top 10 Death Metal Songs
Melodic, Doom, Black, and Power – Some of the Greatest Anthems
Apr 3, 2009
Death metal is a genre that began to break into the mainstream during the 1990's and has grown in popularity ever since. While there certainly have been some influences of the death metal genre present previous to the 90's, most famously epitomized by Slayer, and Death (for which the genre is rumoured to be named after) and bands of similar persuasion – there can be no doubt that for the most invested metalhead, death metal is quickly becoming the biggest influence on the current scene – both independent and commercial.
In No Particular Order, The Top 10!
The following bands stand out amongst their peers, and while it is impossible to list and detail the achievements of the innumerable talented members of the metal community, the following bands represent some of the best. A song recommendation accompanies each comment, for those daring enough to broaden their musical horizons.
Not many people have heard of Scar Symmetry, a melodic death metal band from Avesta, Sweden – which is a shame. Not only does the band seem able to meld all forms of heavy metal together in a fusion of double-bass kicks and frenetic riffs – they also find time to incorporate some traditional rock vocals. One of the most interesting works the band has released is a song by the name of “The Kaleidoscopic God” - a furious death metal anthem with progressive, black and thrash metal influences.
One of the more popular bands in the genre, Children of Bodom are another melodic death metal band from Espoo, Finland. Deriving their rather unique name from the Lake Bodom murders, a case still remaining unsolved today. Well known for their blistering scale work and driving drum beats, Children of Bodom are one of the most commercially succcessful death metal bands to date. Released on their album of the same name, “Are You Dead Yet?” is an example of why the band is typically labelled melodic death metal – the underpinning bass lines and vocal performance are both atypical of the genre as a whole.
Dethklok, a fictional death metal band that stars on Adult Swim's hit television show, Metalocalypse, are unlikely entrants into any discussion about a genre constantly awash in controversy and counter culture. Led by frontman Nathan Explosion, the band is committed to producing metal that is “blacker than the blackest black”, complete with heavy hit blast beats performed by death metal icon Gene Hoglan, as Pickles. The aggressive, brutal tone set by Dethklok is embodied by one of their most popular songs, “Thunderhorse”, also featured in the Guitar Hero series.
In American death metal, one of the most popular, relatively new bands on the scene is Devildriver, fronted by Dez Fafara – formerly of Coal Chamber. Although critics panned their initial album, successive albums have enjoyed both critical success as well as commercial. With an extremely frenzied play style that seems to enjoy pushing the boundaries of uptempo metal with short breakdowns in between – Devildriver is pure heaven for metalheads that love the circle or mosh pit. Their extremely fast paced, tight-riffed style can be heard on one of their newer singles, “Not All Who Wander Are Lost”.
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