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Northman
06-15-2010, 06:34 PM
Death Metal



The 25 albums you must have and hear!




As some of you are aware I am doing a write up on what the general consensus is of the best death, black, and thrash albums are in the metal community. Its based off research done which includes popularity, influence, and historic parameters. It wasn't an easy process because so many opinions differ and not everyone uses all three of the parameters to come to their conclusions. Some just go by popularity, some go by influence and some even go by personal favorites. So trying to find the middle ground took a lot of work but I believe I have done a good job at finding a place where everyone can meet and be satisfied with the results. Now, the lists created represent all 25 as a whole and not anyone above the other. This is part I of a three part series so lets get started.


Entombed- Left Hand Path
http://invictusproductions.net/shop/images/Left%20Hand%20Path.jpg
Although the band has since left the traditional DM sound behind "left Hand Path" is an alltime classic not only because of the influence on the swedish death metal scene but because the album is just superb on all levels. There a very few albums that got mentioned time after time but this was one that got brought up a lot and for good reason.

Notable Song: Left Hand Path

At the Gates- Slaughter of the Soul
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IiudTyf0D0Q/R4Ay3Cwz7sI/AAAAAAAAAFc/JbUdVbZkyxY/s320/at.jpg
Probably no death metal band has as much controversy surrounding them than ATG. Being the pioneers of the Gothenburg melodic death metal sound many fans banter back and forth about whether this album should be listed as their absolute best. However, considered by most fans and critics alike this album seems to mark an important part of this band's history and definitely worth the price of admission.

Notable Song: Blinded By Fear

Nile-- Black Seeds of Vengeance
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4igBNML5V-g/RnmmCvaVULI/AAAAAAAAACI/bTt8moVuPw4/s320/200562.jpg
When it comes to this band im more of a "Annihilation of the Wicked" fan than BSOV. But in the new dawn of death metal the consensus is that this is their unicorn and album to have above all else.

Notable Song: Black Seeds of Vengeance

Death- Human
http://al-la.ru/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/death-human.jpg
Without a doubt this was one of the trickiest bands to try and narrow down to what album best represents them while not excluding the vast array of opinions on what album should be here. But I think out of all of them "Human" takes a little of both worlds going from the straight forward traditional death metal to the more progressive work that appeared later on in the bands catalog.

Notable Song: Lack of Comprehension


Bloodbath- Resurrection Through Carnage
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/200/bloodbathresurrectionthld8.jpg
Although Bloodbath is one of the new age of death metal bands to hit the scene their workhorses are not new as they all have been very influential to the death metal scene for years. Whether its Mikael Akerfeldt's vocals or Dan Swano's drum work you know you are going to get some great material.

Notable Song: Ways to the Grave

Napalm Death- Harmony Corruption
http://www.metalkingdom.net/album/img/d17/216.jpg
Having been one of the first death metal albums I ever picked up it really is no surprise to me that this album would not only represent the band but be in the top 25. Although some went even farther back to albums like "Scum" I think HC was the best album to actually dive full head into the death metal genre.

Notable Song: Suffer the Children

Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_82sQTJjXHlc/SBckGFbz4_I/AAAAAAAABV4/SOdcasJratU/s400/Morbid%2BAngel%2B-%2BAltars%2BOf%2BMadness%2B%25281989%2529.jpg
There use to be a huge separation between which album was the best one for MA. It usually came down to "Altars of Madness" or "Blessed are the Sick". But oddly enough as time has gone on it seems the vast majority still refer to their actual label debut as their best.

Notable Song: Chapel of Ghouls

Decrepit Birth- ...And Time Begins
http://black-legion-shop.de/catalog/images/Decrepit%20Birth%20-%20And%20Time%20Begins%20-%20CD.jpg
Im highly anticipating these guys new release this July and although I like "Diminishing Between Worlds" better than this debut yet again the masses have spoken.

Notable Song: Condemned To Nothingness

Aborted- The Archaic Abattoir
http://www.metalkingdom.net/album/img/d48/9447.jpg
Kind of weird that this album doesn't get the recognition that it should even compared to other albums by the band. But it must have a strong following and I don't blame them as this is one of my favorite albums of alltime in any genre.

Notable Song: Dead Wreckoning

Cryptopsy- None so Vile
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tgDLir3vhJ0/SIpjBl-be4I/AAAAAAAAAcc/pOFM_MIKd7I/s320/None+So+Vile.jpg
Yea, I didn't take much time to listen to this band until a few friends of mine told me I had to hear them. And sure enough, I was blown away. I had been so turned off by the album "Whisper Supremacy" that I didn't realize how good these guys actually were. I do enjoy "Blasphemy Made Flesh" a little more than NSV but I certainly would not kick this album to the curb. Great stuff.

Notable Song: Graves of the Fathers

Northman
06-15-2010, 06:34 PM
Repulsion- Horrified
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2J4Lo9UzhFw/SMUNK-v0DRI/AAAAAAAABnw/aNjlxww-Sls/s400/repulsion_horrified1.jpg
I was always aware of this band but have never heard this album. Guess due to the respect and idolization of this album it might be time for me to do so.

Notable Song: Eaten Alive

Suffocation - Effigy Of The Forgotten
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K0zNMmZOFRg/R5i_3KvKrMI/AAAAAAAAAHM/aU9cKbKKsL4/s320/folder.jpg
I wonder why I keep forgetting about this album as it is definitely worth being mentioned among the best and must hears. Time to go back to the vault!

Notable Song: Effigy of the Forgotten

Obituary - Slowly We Rot
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/6419/obituaryslowlywerotrn6.jpg
http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/cf605320fd4b34581409b95c88e29390/28360.jpg
Yet another band where the fanbase was torn between this one and "Cause of Death" which is grand in its own right.
However, this one gets the nod because at the time it was basically one of a kind where no one except singer Tardy could decipher the lyrics as none were ever made available for the album.

Notable Song: Til' Death

Dismember- Like An Everflowing Stream
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jQm7s_X_TLQ/R_YwU4Ci4TI/AAAAAAAACMA/dVcqZnCiAMs/s320/dismember_like_an_ever_flowing_stream_front.jpg
Up until recently I had not heard this album and shame on me for it. Leave it to my good friend Joel to enlighten me finally with something special from the limited space in his cranium. Lol

Notable Song: Override of the Overture

Cannibal Corpse- Tomb of the Mutilated
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SuUHRn4LmQY/SKGTVfMaduI/AAAAAAAAAL0/tExysc_DjkI/s320/Cannibal_Corpse_-_Tomb_Of_The_Mutilated-front.jpg
Probably the most well known death metal band in existence today. Although I enjoy their later material much more it would hard to argue their spot on the top 25 list at some point.

Notable Song: Hammer Smashed Face

Atheist - Unquestionable Presence
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vui6Kx4V9J4/SJshZW972aI/AAAAAAAAA-o/K1CXAIPnq_0/s320/0781676667123.jpg
This was one of the first bands to take death metal into a more progressive direction and with "Unquestionable Presence" they created one fine piece of work.

Notable Song: Mother Man

Carcass - Necroticism-Descanting the Insalubrious
http://www.killagainrec.com/imagens/catalogo/CARCASS%20necroticism.jpg
Like ND, Carcass had most of its roots formed by the grindcore scene. Their earlier work is highly regarded and then they pushed the boundaries with "Heartwork". But, it was here where they started to blend and mix the grind with the death and showcase how special they really were.

Notable Song: Incarnated Solvent Abuse

Vader- Revelations
http://img3.nnm.ru/a/9/2/b/b/a92bb86949081e6b3ecb2e0d7025ca81_full.jpg
Ahhh, the furious sounds of polish death metal ringing through my ears. As with Dismember I was a late bloomer when it comes to Vader. Had always heard of them but did not take the time to listen to them intently. That all changed with "Revelations" and now they hold a special place in my heart forevermore.

Notable Song: When Darkness Calls

Deicide- Legion
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VY34IZedpgQ/SGQnjw7W0WI/AAAAAAAAAEg/ZtpvDQQ4KiI/s400/Deicide+Legion.jpg
It was basically a toss up between this and their debut. But I believed it then and believe it now that "Legion" best represents the band at their very best.

Notable Song: Behead the Prophet (No Lord Shall Live)

Incantation - Onward to Golgotha
http://www.spirit-of-metal.com/les%20goupes/I/Incantation/Onward%20to%20golgotha/Onward%20to%20golgotha.jpg
I never really got into this band and probably never will. I have their "Mourning" EP from 1997 and it didn't do much for me and from what Ive heard from this it wasn't much better. But the masses have spoken!

Notable Song: Blasphemous Cremation

Disincarnate- Dreams of a Carrion Kind
http://www.uniqueleader.com/merchandise/Disincarnate.jpg
I remember when I first picked this up years ago I just wasn't much into it. I had gotten it because of the legendary James Murphy was in the band. But for whatever reason at the time the album didn't click with me. But now, I cant stop listening to it. I very rarely hear anyone talk about this record but I feel it is vastly underrated in my own circles.

Notable Song: Deadspawn

Autopsy- Severed Survival
http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/Autopsy-SeveredSurvival.jpg
I don't think there really is much to say here. One of the premier death metal bands to very be in existence and oh, they kicked major ass at MDF 2010 this year. Rumor has it they are working on new material so lets hope those rumors are true!

Notable Song: Ridden With Disease

Nocturnus- The Key
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3088/3211633378_ef13cd64ac.jpg
When I first realized who the singer of the band was my jaw dropped to the floor. I had never heard Deceased so when I found out the drummer Browning was singing the songs on this record I just couldn't believe it. Add into the fact that they had some very great use of the keyboards which gave them a whole different atmosphere than any other death metal band I had heard at the time and you get one kick ass album.

Notable Song: Before Christ/After Death

Decapitated- The Negation
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/images/albums/16253.jpg
I was a little surprised to see this album come up a lot within the fanbase. Not because it's a bad album (its actually my favorite as well from them) but because you never really hear much buzz about it. Most fans I come across talk more about "Nihility" or "Winds of Creation" far more. But I do agree with the selection here as the production is top notch and the music is absolutely devastating.

Notable Song: The Fury

Death Strike- ****** Death
Yep, I admit it. I know absolutely nothing about this band or album. Just yet another one to add to the list.

keithbishop
06-28-2010, 09:13 AM
Memories........... so glad I got to see Entombed, At the Gates, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse, Atheist, and Nocturnus several years back.

I listen to Fleshcrawl more than any other death metal band. I've been hooked since their first album and hope they put out another album soon. It's been 3 years since Structures of Death was released.

muse
08-20-2010, 02:15 PM
...this thread needs Opeth. Yeah, it's a death metal subgenre, but still...

Northman
08-20-2010, 02:18 PM
...this thread needs Opeth. Yeah, it's a death metal subgenre, but still...

Opeth came up here and there and i love "Blackwater Park" but when i did this i took a consensus from many different sites and forums and there just wasnt enough pull for any particular Opeth album.

muse
08-20-2010, 02:24 PM
Fair enough, they're the only death metal band I listen to (I definitely appreciate from a progressive angle although I've grown to appreciate the vocals). Blackwater Park is excellent, but Still Life remains my favourite album from them. I'm a sucker for concept albums :lol:

Northman
08-20-2010, 02:27 PM
Fair enough, they're the only death metal band I listen to (I definitely appreciate from a progressive angle although I've grown to appreciate the vocals). Blackwater Park is excellent, but Still Life remains my favourite album from them. I'm a sucker for concept albums :lol:

Indeed, i love King Diamond's "Them" and Queensryche's "Operation Mindcrime" for that reason.

So have you listened to Opeth's recent material the past few years? They do more clean vocal work rather than the rougher ones. Im not much of a fan of the later material but i wondered what you thought of that.

muse
08-20-2010, 04:24 PM
Indeed, i love King Diamond's "Them" and Queensryche's "Operation Mindcrime" for that reason.

So have you listened to Opeth's recent material the past few years? They do more clean vocal work rather than the rougher ones. Im not much of a fan of the later material but i wondered what you thought of that.

I really like Ghost Reveries, not listened to Watershed yet (copy in the post). From an album perspective though, SL and BP are just better albums (although GR is very good too). Not so hot on Deliverance, it's very heavy but it's not quite as varied as the others - still a good album mind. I love Damnation though, I'm a sucker for the mellotron :lol:

Ultimately, it doesn't bother me what sort of heavy/soft ratios they use in their music, as long as it captivates me I'm happy. Still get shivers running up my spine as Akerfeldt growls "SERENITY PAINTED DEATH" but he also has an incredible "normal" singing voice. And I love Steven Wilson's vocal work in Bleak too, Michael and him are writing a collaboration album at the moment, it makes me EXCITED.