Death Metal - Does Anyone Genuinely Like This?

Motley Crue

Ok, I dont want to open a can of worms with this, and you realise by my name that im not going to be the one telling you that Death Metal is crap. Its a musical art form, very successful, and I apprichate Music in all its forms.

That being said, I have to ask why people listen to this music, again not because I think its crap but because I genuinely want to know what it is about the most extreme Grindcore and Death Metal that actually attracts people. A few examples, ive posted below, show various examples of those kinds of bands that im speaking about.

I apologise in advance to anyone whom I offend, mostly those who will become extremely displeased that ive placed some of these bands under the Death Metal genre blanket, and will verbally assault me for doing so.

Napalm Death http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=2311677
Cannibal Corpse http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=34783325
Dying Fetus http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=6496929
Mayhem http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=19591042
Rotting Christ http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=76416358

TerrorFirmer

I hate Death metal. Personally. And what I hate far more is, because I like regular banks like Machine Head, Coal Chamber etc, people without a clue about music assume it also somehow means I love Cannibal corpse...

And it's not the music I hate, just the ugly vocals. Vocals that are ugly only in my opinion, of course.

Ph3n0m

ouch - that was initially such a vague thread title I was going to ask where was Obituary and Death in your list - until I re-read it and you stated it was the more extreme stuff.

Different strokes for different folks - some people like the sheer brutality of the lyrics or the whiplash inducing music that is played. Two of the bands you listed (CC and Napalm) I am a big fan of, and have been for years (yes I am that old). It wouldnt necessarily be an appreciation of music or vocals - there are some just appeal to me on a very visceral, primative level.

That said you left Carcass out of the list - shame on you

It wasn't me!

There's energy to it, and technically brilliant musicianship. Besides, Mayhem and Rotting Christ would be black metal. Also, there's stuff like Napalm Death's political leanings and outspoken ferocity that make them attractive.

John

I didn't like death metal for a long time. I've liked black and regular metal for years but death did nothing for me, too chaotic and overworked. Or so I thought. Anyway, I got big into industrial music and noise and it was only by listening to this harsher music that I could go back and appreciate how death metal combined the sheer power of these other types of music with actual talent when it comes to playing. I don't like a lot of the more extreme bands as many of them sound the same but that may change in the future. Bands like Obituary, Death and Atheist have all been introduced to me by this forum over the last couple of years and I'm all the better for it.

Necrosis

oddly enough you have named the more mainstream death metal bands there and understandably as if your not into the music you wouldnt know much below surface level, to say that it all sounds the same is to say that master of puppets sounds like reign in blood, not the case, death metal is diverse and where as you can talk about cannibal corpse (which are a decent band) they are not the pinacle of the genre, napalm death are woeful in my opinion, but as people said with the likes of other death metal bands, its not always gutteral...take death, its not always noise take necrophagist, its not always fast..take mortician, its as varied as they come and the more you dig the more gems you find, id recomend a lot of people look below surface level because just because certain bands appeal to the masses ie the ones listed in the opening post, doesnt mean thats what the genre is all about...anyway rant over

Karl Hungus

Motley Crue wrote:

Does Anyone Genuinely Like This?

Yes, I genuinely do.

Motley Crue wrote:

That being said, I have to ask why people listen to this music, again not because I think its crap but because I genuinely want to know what it is about the most extreme Grindcore and Death Metal that actually attracts people.

It attracts me because of the very powerfull and energy driven sound. One great factor of it's appeal is that a lot of Death Metal bands like to delve into other genres, so there's an interesting influence and dynamic at work. Taking Opeth for example, there's a great sythesis between Death Metal and 70's Prog Rock.

Oddly enough the bands you've mentioned for the most part, I don't really like that much. I'll give you more an idea of some of the bands I'd be into:

http://www.myspace.com/morbidangelmusic
http://www.myspace.com/atheist1
http://www.myspace.com/meshuggah
http://www.myspace.com/endlessendeavors
http://www.myspace.com/domainofmithras
http://www.myspace.com/akercocke

That might help a bit.

You might notice a bit more of a variance in the vocals. While I do like some extreme vocals, there's still a lot of Death Metal vocals that I just don't like, Dying Fetus are a perfect example of what doesn't tickle my fancy, singer wise.

HavoK wrote:

I like Coal Chamber

Your opinion on all matters musical is now blacklisted.

Kivun Sotilas

Mayhem and Rotting Christ are not death metal... but anyway. I started to listen to death metal after gradually wanting heavier and heavier stuff.

Now I have gone reverse and listen to softer and softer stuff. I must be getting old. I got really into black metal and have sort of stayed with it.

You should check out Macabre. www.murdermetal.com

Morf

Yes i do, i love the high standard of musicianship and you learn to take less and less notice of the vocals once you get into it

Ph3n0m

Kivun Sotilas wrote:

Mayhem and Rotting Christ are not death metal... but anyway. I started to listen to death metal after gradually wanting heavier and heavier stuff.

Now I have gone reverse and listen to softer and softer stuff. I must be getting old. I got really into black metal and have sort of stayed with it.

You should check out Macabre. www.murdermetal.com

Macabre are the funniest band ever...besides Arnocorps or Green Jelly

Karl Hungus

Ph3n0m wrote:

Macabre are the funniest band ever...besides Arnocorps or Green Jelly

Ah, Arnocorps. Good times I had seeing them live, they even dedicated a song to me.

Incarnadine

As people have said you need to open up to more harsher music, for the energy and power, and alot of people say they can't understand the lyrics believe it or not after a little while you can easiely hear what some vocalists are saying, and some you will never know, I think alot of people have built up a stigma towards death metal by hearing one or two song titles and snippets of songs, if you take time to look into extreme music properly and your actually into metal not just a poser you'll find truly awe inspiring bands and amazing albums, symbolic by death is an almost flawless album.

neGev

You have to look beyond the mainstream to get the best of death metal, much like anything else. Those bands you've included aren't representative of DM at all. Mayhem and Rotting Christ are BM, as was already said, and the others are about as mainstream as DM gets. But I think you know that much already.

DM is an incredibly diverse genre, it runs the gamut from the Gothenburg/melodic style (At The Gates, early In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Edge Of Sanity) to old school Swedish (Grave, Dismember, Bloodbath, Ribspreader, Fleshcrawl) to technical (Theory In Practise, Atheist, Lykathea Aflame, Oppressor) to brutal (Aeon, Suffocation, Deeds Of Flesh, Brodequin) and pretty much every other combination you can think of.
I'd suggest you listen to as much of the following as you can before you dismiss it entirely:
Bloodbath, Bolt Thrower, Blood Red Throne, Demigod, Demilich, Drawn And Quartered, Immolation, Morbid Angel, Obituary, and Vader. In addition to the bands above of course. I could go on, but I'm trying not to turn this in to a list.

Of course, if you want to try listening to DM but can't stand the vocals, try Sleep Terror's Probing Tranquility. Excellent instrumental DM which may ease you into the genre.
Good luck, it's a fantastic genre once you delve into it.

Karl Hungus

You know, I'd suggest that some people here listen to the absolutely brilliant Nevermore. They're very close to Death Metal, but with clean vocals. Check out some videos:

Enemies Of Reality
I, Voyager

Could be of interest if you can't get into the Death Metal vocals, but appreciate the music.

Motley Crue

I like the way this dicussion is going, it really seems to be going places, so please bring as much knowledge to the table because the only way ill know is to learn from those before me.

Meanwhile, just taught somebody might want to look at this, its from YouTube (well, actually, Punk TV.ca in Canada) and they managed to interview the Bass Player I believe it is from Cannibal Corpse.

While I wouldnt touch their music as of yet, I do think hes an extremely confident and well rounded individual and this is just part 4 of a great interview. I dont think some Pop stars could speak with this confidence and knowledge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muHy0SawY-w

Karl Hungus

Motley Crue wrote:

I like the way this dicussion is going, it really seems to be going places, so please bring as much knowledge to the table because the only way ill know is to learn from those before me.

Meanwhile, just taught somebody might want to look at this, its from YouTube (well, actually, Punk TV.ca in Canada) and they managed to interview the Bass Player I believe it is from Cannibal Corpse.

While I wouldnt touch their music as of yet, I do think hes an extremely confident and well rounded individual and this is just part 4 of a great interview. I dont think some Pop stars could speak with this confidence and knowledge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muHy0SawY-w

If you find that interesting, then I'll have to point you in the direction of this.

It's an interview with the legendary Chuck Schuldiner (RIP) from the band Death, the man was just an incredible musician, and very intelligent. Easily one of the most influential people in Metal, not just Death Metal.

Here is another one, 5 parts.

Zombienosh

so eh,,,,,

Justin timberlake...... does anyone actually like him?

neGev

AlcoholicA wrote:

so eh,,,,,

Justin timberlake...... does anyone actually like him?

Justin Timberlake IST KRIEG!



Now where's that wire wool till I scrub myself raw?

Mystic Fibrosis

It wasn't me! wrote:

There's energy to it, and technically brilliant musicianship. Besides, Mayhem and Rotting Christ would be black metal. Also, there's stuff like Napalm Death's political leanings and outspoken ferocity that make them attractive.

I've been amused for the last ten minutes over the fact that you called Napalm Death attractive

Pyr0

I'd be a thrash man myself really but the odd Death metal bands grab my attention

Bolt Thrower
Morbid Angel
Necrophagist

I'd have to be able to hear the vocals, guitars drums etc 'Cause when it's just noise, fuzz, roaring, banging sybols thats the kind of stuff that annoys me.

Tar.Aldarion

Napalm death are punk to the max yo!

I like Death metal, well a lot of it, some just wouldn't appeal at all.
Carcass probably being my favourite death metal band.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcass_(band) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnJXk5a8wsw )
I like it because it makes me feel good when I listen to it, it is powerful and energy driven sound, it dves into other genres too, as karl said.
I love the lyrics of a lot of it, the sound, the energy, the skill in combination.

Havok wrote:

I like Coal Chamber

Funniest thing I have read all week.

Civilian_Target

Entombed and Cephalic Carnage are rather good but I've never really got properly into death metal, and I can never listen to a full album. It's just too heavy and chaotic to listen to...

Karl Hungus

Civilian_Target wrote:

It's just too heavy and chaotic to listen to...

Try:

Death - Individual Thought Patterns

Den_M

I didn't like death metal initially, but I don't see how many people could. It's an acquired taste like beer, coffee etc. But as you listen to heavier stuff you appreciate it much more. It's now a big part of what i listen to. The technical aspect to the music is important, as in it's hard to play that stuff, it's so fast and technical. The image, lyrics, logos etc also form part of the attraction for many I'd imagine. For someone wanting a more gentle or catchy intoduction to dm, listen to Slaughter of the Soul by At The Gates.

It wasn't me!

Mystic Fibrosis wrote:

I've been amused for the last ten minutes over the fact that you called Napalm Death attractive

Heh, I do try.

*takes picture of Shane Embury to bathroom*

Motley Crue

Tar.Aldarion wrote:

Napalm death are punk to the max yo!

Now that is the funniest thing I've read all week.

John

Well I'd consider Napalm Death to be one of the few bands that are actually punk in spirit. Three chords and hair dye does not a punk make.

Matthewthebig

Punk trousers do though

Dathai

I listened to Death Metal for a good while, and most of it I couldnt really get into.Ive seen many live death metal bands, and I actually couldnt get into it at all.It just went straight over my head completly.

Theres only a few good DM bands I still listen to, Decapitated, Mithras, Morbid Angel, Vader, amongst one or two others.

I do like the above as its something I can actually get into, there's form, variety and enjoyability with the music.

I'd say most listen to death metal as they can get into it as I can, but they also like the viciousness of it, and the chugging riffs.

Im more of a black metal man myself, I like the fact that the bands I listen to give thought to their music, they involve culture, history and idealology to their work.Not saying Death Metal doesnt, its just I prefer Black Metal over death metal, it sounds better in my opinion.

Not saying every death metal band is crap, or every black metal band isnt crap, I have my tastes, and my own preferences over things.

So, there are people that genuinely like Death Metal.

Tar.Aldarion

And punk ass lyrics, punk!

EDIT: @above that punk.

Pugsley

neGev wrote:

You have to look beyond the mainstream to get the best of death metal, much like anything else. Those bands you've included aren't representative of DM at all. Mayhem and Rotting Christ are BM, as was already said, and the others are about as mainstream as DM gets. But I think you know that much already.

DM is an incredibly diverse genre, it runs the gamut from the Gothenburg/melodic style (At The Gates, early In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Edge Of Sanity) to old school Swedish (Grave, Dismember, Bloodbath, Ribspreader, Fleshcrawl) to technical (Theory In Practise, Atheist, Lykathea Aflame, Oppressor) to brutal (Aeon, Suffocation, Deeds Of Flesh, Brodequin) and pretty much every other combination you can think of.
I'd suggest you listen to as much of the following as you can before you dismiss it entirely:
Bloodbath, Bolt Thrower, Blood Red Throne, Demigod, Demilich, Drawn And Quartered, Immolation, Morbid Angel, Obituary, and Vader. In addition to the bands above of course. I could go on, but I'm trying not to turn this in to a list.

Of course, if you want to try listening to DM but can't stand the vocals, try Sleep Terror's Probing Tranquility. Excellent instrumental DM which may ease you into the genre.
Good luck, it's a fantastic genre once you delve into it.

Your actually the first person to have mentioned two of my favourite death metal bands, Lykathea Aflame and Bloodbath. The album Elvenfris by Lykathea aflame is possably the single greatest death metal album of all time, an excellent mix of technical prowess and some great rythems, and a good mix of pace's, and the very chilling "Walking In The Garden Of Ma'at" to finish off the album, great song to just sit and think to, the full album racks in at over an hour too, so your getting both quality and quantity by the bucket load, definately an album you should have. Bloodbath are also an excellent example of how to mix death metal with a bit of funk, some of their songs are just insanely funky (Trail of Insects, Outnumbering the Day), definately a band worth listening to. Sleep Terror's album Probing Tranquility is pretty excellent stuff too, pretty technical, and has some great moments, pretty good instrumental death metal, but Mastery and Pelican still top it for instrumental bands imo (thrash and sludge metal respectively).

As for getting back on topic, Im listening to about 90% death metal, and about 10% black metal these days (only really listening to Asmodeus on theb lack metal front regularly), theres more than enough variety in death metal to keep me occupied, you just have to look for anything that isnt by the numbers brutality. Perfect example being Cannibal Corpse, their incredibly technical, but its just overwhelmed by pure brutality, that you usually dont recognise what their actually doing, I quite like to listen to them now and again, but its hard listening if you want to make head nor tail of it, anything more brutal than Dissenter of Balam-Akab gets quite hard to listen to (both excellent bands), although I make exceptions for a bit of Aborted now and again, great stuff.

These days Im mostly listening to Neaera (finnish melodic death), Anata (technical death), Bloodbath (slightly funky death metal), Balam Akab (brutal death/black), Nevid (russian folk/black), little death bertha (russian folk/death), One Man Army (fairly by the numbers death, but quite funky and good to listen to), Asmodeus (brutal black), Atakhama, Dissenter (fairly brutal death), Sabaton (hillariously cheesey power metal), Sleep Terror, Mastery, Pelican, Lykathea Aflame (who I mentioned earlier), and bits of Aborted and Cannibal Corpse to speed things along.


Wow big post.

Den_M

I'm listening to Like Angels Weeping (The Dark) by Kataklysm at the moment and all I can say is WOW! It's everything I love about DM, that much heavier than metal without being unlistenable. Great melodic riffs as well.

edit : check out Sacramentum also, their album 'Far Away From the Sun' is brilliant.

AlanOB

For the most part Death Metal (and in particular Grindcore) is like ear cancer to me. Amelodic, uninspiring crap.

But having said that Unquestionable Presence and Individual Thought Patterns are favourites of mine, particularly the latter (Andy LaRocque is awesome).

No coincidence of course that Atheist and Death are as far from amelodic and uninspiring as you can get.

PureCork

Personally, I love Death Metal. Its not my favourite genre of music, but its not 1 i can ignore for over an hour

Try listening to Opeth.. Best (Death Metal) Band ever :P

So Synchronised... Melodic... Sweet...

How can you not like Opeth?

Not liking Opeth is about the same as loving dance music on pirate radio stations

its wrong!

It wasn't me!

Motley Crue wrote:

Now that is the funniest thing I've read all week.

They are, they're very hardcore punk.

Motley Crue

It wasn't me! wrote:

They are, they're very hardcore punk.

Ok man, sorry to anyone I offended, thanks for the correction.

Tar.Aldarion

Ah, just threw that in there to see how much you knew. (:

Alucard II

It wasn't me! wrote:

Heh, I do try.

*takes picture of Shane Embury to bathroom*

is it wrong that i wanted to make a necrophilia-themed joke about Jesse Pintado?

hehe, don't answer that, i know the answer...

Karl Hungus

So, Motley Crue, has this thread opened your eyes at all?

nacho libre

"...the first person to have mentioned two of my favourite death metal bands, Lykathea Aflame and Bloodbath. The album Elvenfris by Lykathea aflame is possably the single greatest death metal album of all time, an excellent mix of technical prowess and some great rythems, and a good mix of pace's, and the very chilling "Walking In The Garden Of Ma'at" to finish off the album, great song to just sit and think to, the full album racks in at over an hour too, so your getting both quality and quantity by the bucket load, definately an album you should have."

Elvenfris, while a great album, is eclipsed for that accolade by Individual Thought Patterns or TSOP.

neGev

nacho libre wrote:

Elvenfris, while a great album, is eclipsed for that accolade by Individual Thought Patterns or TSOP.

I don't think Elvenfris could be topped by any Death album, but if so, I'd think it'd be by Leprosy or Human.

gline

for me the more extreme stuff is all about the drumming.
i love the very technical drumming and some stuff can be very hard to replicate
also the extreme stuff is great live, you cant beat it for a live show

lld

Motley Crue wrote:

Cannibal Corpse http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=34783325
Dying Fetus http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=6496929

These two aren't accurate representations of death metal, they're derivative populist garbage with only a glossing of death metal (underneath theyre just rock bands).

Rotting Christ were a black metal band in their earlier years, in their later years they've become a gothic rock band. Their early work is excellent, particularly 'thy mighty contract', but they're not death metal.

Napalm death are a grindcore band (punk played blisteringly fast).
They've taken on some attributes of death in recent times but are far too political to ever be a death metal band (death metal is about the cold harsh reality of death and is disdainful of the petiness of politics).

Good, representative death metal bands and their key works:
deicide - 'legion', morbid angel - 'blessed are the sick', therion - 'beyond sanctorum', at the gates - 'the red in the sky is ours', slayer - 'reign in blood'.

Morf

lld wrote:

Good, representative death metal bands and their key works:
deicide - 'legion', morbid angel - 'blessed are the sick', therion - 'beyond sanctorum', at the gates - 'the red in the sky is ours', slayer - 'reign in blood'.

since when have slayer been death metal? they've never even done blast beats, thrash is the word your looking for

lld

blast beats are the only defining feature of death metal?
in that case autopsy aen't a death metal band. neither are atheist, cadaver or massacra for that matter.


lets see:
chromatic riffs, heavy use of tremolo picking to create sustained flows of notes, overt use of death as a lyrical, visual and musical theme.... yup, sounds like a death metal band.


Slayer along with Master, Rigor Mortis, Possessed and Sepultura were a foundational act for death metal. Reign in Blood's riffing style was adopted by practically every death metal band that came after it as a model. Sure, they dont have deep growling vocals or blast beats, but both of these are largely superficial elements of secondary significance to the actual notes being played and besides, were originally elements of grindcore that later became assimilated into death metal.
Without slayer death metal would not exist as we now know it.

Karl Hungus

lld wrote:

Slayer along with Master, Rigor Mortis, Possessed and Sepultura were a foundational act for death metal. Reign in Blood's riffing style was adopted by practically every death metal band that came after it as a model. Sure, they dont have deep growling vocals or blast beats, but both of these are largely superficial elements of secondary significance to the actual notes being played and besides, were originally elements of grindcore that later became assimilated into death metal.
Without slayer death metal would not exist as we now know it.

You know, I don't think anyone here is doubting of disputing Thrash metal's influence on Death metal (Although I think you left out Venom as an influence), but in fairness, you can hardly count the influences of a genre amongs it's ranks.

While I'd agree that it's good to know where things have evolved from, and I'd definetly urge a lot of people who may be interested in various extreme metal genres to check out pioneers like Celtic Frost, Mercyful Fate, Possessed, Bathory, and so on, but I think Death Metal has evolved since it's inception, and influential as they are, Slayer don't bare as much resemblance as they used to in the beginning.

Ramses

by the way, there's a great section in this months Terrorizer magazine about death metal, also includes a bonus cd with lots of death metal classics

Prezatch

On the topic of death metal, does anyone listen to Krisiun? I don't often see them mentioned around the internet on forums and stuff but I think they're great. They released their debut in 1995 and have had 6 other albums since!

Videos and mp3's here - http://www.myspace.com/krisiun666

brianthebard

lld wrote:

blast beats are the only defining feature of death metal?
in that case autopsy aen't a death metal band. neither are atheist, cadaver or massacra for that matter.


lets see:
chromatic riffs, heavy use of tremolo picking to create sustained flows of notes, overt use of death as a lyrical, visual and musical theme.... yup, sounds like a death metal band.


Slayer along with Master, Rigor Mortis, Possessed and Sepultura were a foundational act for death metal. Reign in Blood's riffing style was adopted by practically every death metal band that came after it as a model. Sure, they dont have deep growling vocals or blast beats, but both of these are largely superficial elements of secondary significance to the actual notes being played and besides, were originally elements of grindcore that later became assimilated into death metal.
Without slayer death metal would not exist as we now know it.

If you want to argue that Slayer informed death metal fair enough but as the poster above you said (however simplistically) slayer are thrash.

projectmayhem

had to

Shiminay

That is absolutely priceless! I'll give it a vintage:

Kharn wrote:

ROFL - Good 'un mate!