Death Metal

[Emplate]

So yeah, thought that maybe one of the genres most dearest to me could deserve a topic of its own. After all, death metal is the thing that got me into extreme metal. After hearing Deicide's Dead by Dawn, nothing was ever the same. I'm of course always interested in hearing new band recommendations, but I think the discussion can cover pretty much anything related to the genre. As in: classics, what has rattled your chains lately, new releases and other news concerning death worship.

I've been glad to notice that Finnish death metal has been regaining some of its magic. Some of the old bands are resurrecting, and what's best, there's been quite a lot of newcomers for about 8-9 years now. There has been lots of dark and blackened DM bands, which flirt with soundscapes similar to those of, for example, Incantation's, such as Corpsessed (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCLcOl1cZmw), Maveth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16h7M7WmW6s) and Vorum (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaOECtl6Q4A). Nowadays it seems like newer bands are moving towards dirtier and grittier old school basement tone (don't know if that's actually a thing in English, "kellarisoundi" in Finnish). Some examples would be Necrolepsy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHncxaHfqus), Scumripper (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rWkj4AL8bQ) and Obduktio (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxaOXTobB2o).

I enjoy all of these bands and their take on the genre immensely, and as a death metal enthusiast I've been really excited to see that the Finnish scene has for the recent years been rich with new bands and young guys who really know their shit.

[Blood Music]

Did you make it to Finnish Death Metal Maniacs last year? Sounds like paradise for you. :]

[DarcX]

I don't think I've heard any of those groups, so I'll have to check them out! Death metal in its purest form is one of my under-discovered subgenres of metal for me; most of the "death metal" I'm into is usually dubbed "progressive death metal."

I do love good ol' Chuck Schuldiner Death, and Ulcerate's a fun death metal band I like a lot. I also listened to Fallujah's single earlier and I dug that a good bit.

[Godflesh]

Did you make it to Finnish Death Metal Maniacs last year?  Sounds like paradise for you. :]

T'was for me!

[Blood Music]

Two as yet unannounced death metal signings coming here. Should be some mentions in the next few weeks. They both went over very well on the private forum.

[DarcX]

Two as yet unannounced death metal signings coming here. Should be some mentions in the next few weeks. They both went over very well on the private forum.

If I may ask: Are they up-and-coming, or relatively known? o:

[Godflesh]

I think J said that he's not swooping in to snatch established bands, so it would be safe to assume that they would be rather newcomers.

[InterzoneagentN]

I always feel very hit or miss with Death Metal. Some groups, like Dead Congregation or Desolate Shrine, just blow me out of the water though.

[DarcX]

I think J said that he's not swooping in to snatch established bands, so it would be safe to assume that they would be rather newcomers.

Right, I do recall a mention of something like that. Nonetheless, I'm always excited to hear about new metal in the roster.

[Doogz]

I think J said that he's not swooping in to snatch established bands, so it would be safe to assume that they would be rather newcomers.

Ha... J's a cradle-snatcher... :-p

Death metal in its purest form is one of my under-discovered subgenres of metal for me; most of the "death metal" I'm into is usually dubbed "progressive death metal."

Yeah, I'm a sucker for old school death metal (CC, Death, Obituary, Deicide, MA et al), but I'm very much into progression and moving on. So whilst I kind of appreciate what bands like Gruesome are doing, it's not for me. If I want to listen to a band that sound like late 80's Death, I'll put on "Leprosy". 

It was interesting to see the directions that bands like Decapitated, Nile and Behemoth pushed DM through during the late nineties into the new millenium, to the point now that boundaries between traditional genres are blurred as fuck. Bands like River Of Nihil and Black Crown Inititate are pushing the prog-death angle very well without dabbling too much into breakdowns and 'core-isms, whilst others like Sulphur Aeon (and indeed, Behemoth) straddle that line between death/black metal.

I'm not sure that too many bands have that old school death metal aesthetic whilst maintaining a relevant contemporary edge? Only Ex Deo and The Grotesquery spring to mind immediately, though it's noteworthy that Cannibal Corpse have never rested on their laurels and continue to push out solid albums.