straightforward death metal
we're talking florida style/more palm mute trem-ish stuff here, not gonna have any of the swedish stuff cus it sounds pretty different fundamentally. only slight progressive/technical/blackened/doom/whatever leanings at most on these |
| 1 |  | Malevolent Creation
Retribution
Band are racist dicks but their first 2 albums go hard. Thrashy osdm without any real frills anywhere, just fast, catchy riffs. Alex Marquez drumming as well is always a nice plus. Recommend: Systematic Execution |
| 2 |  | Gorguts
Considered Dead
This one is often characterized as being more basic than it actually is, due to its relatively un-weird style next to Obscura and The Erosion of Sanity that came after. Sweet little leads and riffs, some of the best vocals in all DM, and really good songwriting; can't go wrong. Recommend: Rottenatomy |
| 3 |  | Sinister
Diabolical Summoning
Practically the definition of straightforward DM. Chunky riffs and blasting drums, but fairly dynamic with tempos all round and pretty catchy and varied in terms of mood carried by the riffs. Not quite at that classic status but definitely solid as rock. Recommend: Leviathan |
| 4 |  | Immolation
Dawn of Possession
Before they got really weird and started doing pinch harmonics in every riff, Immolation did kinda doomy osdm. Definitely less sinister sounding than some of their later work, but riffs abound. Recommend: No Forgiveness (Without Bloodshed) |
| 5 |  | Deicide
Once Upon the Cross
The last of Deicide's great albums. Some unusual time signatures are sneaked in as with a lot of Deicide's work, but it keeps it simple for the most part with the riffs. Nonetheless a lot to like here. Recommend: When Satan Rules His World |
| 6 |  | Morbid Angel
Altars of Madness
Probably one of the most legendary straight death metal albums. The crazy leads aside, this album is full of great riffs and the usual slight grandeur you can find with most of the band's albums. Recommend: Lord of All Fevers and Plagues |
| 7 |  | Obituary
Cause of Death
This one rules. Another one with some of the best vocals in the game. Sick leads by James Murphy, and the riffs in Chopped In Half and the title track are the definition of simple and sweet. Recommend: Cause of Death |
| 8 |  | Death
Leprosy
In spite of the extreme acclaim for the final 4, this one often ranks among them in most people's favourite Death albums. It's got some baller riffs and it has sick leads all over the place, along with a pretty large degree of melody for such an early death metal album. Recommend: Open Casket |
| 9 |  | Seance
Fornever Laid To Rest
Okay yeh this one is from Sweden but it definitely sounds more like a Florida DM album. Reminds me a lot of Malevolent Creation but a little more frantic and sinister sounding, a bit more standard in terms of its diminished key compared to the standard thrash of the former band. Recommend: The Blessing of Death (this one really goes hard seriously) |
| 10 |  | Loudblast
Disincarnate
Not as good as Sublime Dementia, but this one follows a lot more of a "Death-lite" template and has much less of a progressive metal influence. It's nothing special but it deserves credit for the quality of its lead guitar work and its eerie harmonies that it pulls out at times. Recommend: Steering for Paradise |
| 11 |  | Resurrection
Embalmed Existence
Could have been a GOAT DM album if it wasn't for those awful spoken word intros. Riffs into the next dimension, some sweet melodic moments, catchy drums rhythms thanks to Alex Marquez on the sticks, and some really calculated and well thought out guitar leads. Instruments generally compliment each other near perfectly on this one. If you can just get a copy and edit the tracks to skip the intros you probably have a classic on your hands. Recommend: Embalmed Existence |
| 12 |  | Monstrosity
Millenium
Fast and technical, a bit lacking in some other regards but certainly some good riffs to be had here. Recommend: Devious Instinct |
| 13 |  | Pestilence
Consuming Impulse
"Straightforward death metal" defined. Van Drunen's vocals sound like he's about to go rabid and the guitars wisely keep it relatively restrained. Gets reasonably atmospheric at times too, like on Suspended Animation. Recommend: Out of the Body |
| 14 |  | Morgoth
Cursed
The one keeps it super duper simple with the riffs and is generally a little slower than some of the others here, but the vocals hit this amazing sweetspot between Martin Van Drunen, Chuck Schuldiner and Luc Lemay. Nothing too out of the ordinary otherwise but damn the vocals are sick. Recommend: Isolated |
| 15 |  | Bolt Thrower
...For Victory
Bolt Thrower have their own unique style of DM, and this one definitely shows it off the best. Just feels like a continuous surge of meaty, stately riffs topped off with some simple lead work. Can't really go wrong with this one. Recommend: Lest We Forget |
| 16 |  | Cannibal Corpse
The Bleeding
Whilst this band has its technical frills and occasional weirdness with time signatures, the main commitment here is to catchy riffs and the usual gross-out lyrics. The best of their early albums by a reasonable margin. Recommend: The Bleeding |
| 17 |  | Vader
De Profundis
This one goes alarmingly hard and fast and has its intricate sections for sure. Super crisp production and some of the most blistering drums out there. Great album albeit kinda repetitive, vocals not as good as later Vader work. Recommend: Blood of Kingu |
| 18 |  | Hypocrisy
Penetralia
Before they did space themed melodeath they did super standard death metal. A little bland but has its moments. Recommend: Nightmare |
| 19 |  | Benediction
Transcend The Rubicon
This one is so straightforward that it's actually a little dull. Very thrashy, but pretty forgettable. i'm tired and am struggling to think of obvious material though so you'll just have to put up with it |
| 20 |  | Adramelech
Psychostasia
The most american sounding of the Finn-death bunch probably. Fairly melodic and dynamic, all round great album. Recommend: The Book of the Worm |
| 21 |  | Cryptopsy
Blasphemy Made Flesh
Caught between the era of brutal death metal and old school death metal, this one nevertheless rules and keeps the overall idea pretty straightforward and doesn't really get too silly with breakdowns and all that. Has several classic tracks and some really great guitar solos and riffs. Another one which you can't really go wrong with. Recommend: Open Face Surgery |
| 22 |  | Agressor
Towards Beyond
Despite some progressive leanings, this one mostly falls into the death/thrash camp. A good album for the most part with some great musicianship at times. Recommend: Antediluvian |
| 23 |  | Brutality
Screams Of Anguish
One of the most straightforward and Florida things ever. The poster boy for being a death metal album from florida in the early 90s. Recommend: Cryptorium |
| 24 |  | Mortification
Scrolls Of The Megilloth
The Christian death metal album which was probably playing in the car that ran over your dog. Recommend: Lymphosarcoma |
| 25 |  | Iniquity
Serenadium
Kinda doomy, kinda brutal death metally, but not too weird. Extremely hench, riffs hard, production is like raw thick sewage pouring out over your inexplicably naked body. Good times. Recommend: Prophecy of the Dying Watcher |
| 26 |  | Konkhra
Sexual Affective Disorder
this is kinda groove metally. pretty hit or miss album but some good tracks and musicianship. Recommend: Center of the Flesh |
| 27 |  | Fleshcrawl
Descend Into the Absurd
Not as good as their later swedish dm style stuff but a pretty okay death metal album with fairly murky guitars. Recommend: Festering Flesh |
| 28 |  | Napalm Death
Harmony Corruption
The obvious outlier in this discog, but an okay death metal album. guitars need some treble but a lot of good riffs. |
| 29 |  | Carcass
Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious
Not really that "florida"-ish but a great album with a lot of great grooves and tight musicianship. Recommend: Pedigree Butchery |
| 30 |  | Ripping Corpse
Dreaming With the Dead
"Ripping" death thrash. it goes hard, got a bit of that pantera groove at times too. hard to beat. Recommend: Sweetness |
| 31 |  | Gutted
Bleed For Us To Live
This one is heavy as balls, production is like a less muddy Cianide. Pretty simple and groovy riffs but certainly nothing to sneeze at. Recommend: Chopped Up At The Altar |
| 32 |  | Deteriorate
Rotting In Hell
This one is pretty simple but has a lot of similarities to the likes of Cannibal Corpse. Recommend: Rotting In Hell |
| 33 |  | Protector
A Shedding of Skin
i consider this more thrashy than dm-y but whatever, it goes harder than anything and has some of the most gut wrenching moments out there, way darker and meaner than basically any thrash/death. if Mortification ran over your dog this one definitely punched your grandma. Recommend: A Shedding of Skin |
| 34 |  | Cancer
Death Shall Rise
Well known for having James Murphy. Great riffs as per usual with most of these entries, but also has these unusually satisfying typewriter kick drums and sweet leads. Recommend: Burning Casket |
| 35 |  | Disincarnate
Dreams of the Carrion Kind
Another James Murphy project. This one is pretty technical at times but sticks to the standard dm songwriting template. Generally sick album. Recommend: Confine of Shadows |
| 36 |  | Morta Skuld
Dying Remains
Another really simple one, but has some sheer meatheaded power to make up for it. Recommend: Rotting Ways |
| 37 |  | Electrocution
Inside the Unreal
really fast italian death thrash. it's fast as hell idk man it's so fast damn it's fast. Recommend: Premature Burial |
| 38 |  | Solstice (USA-FL)
Solstice
Well known album for its capability to go really hard. thrashes pretty hard but it has alex marquez too and it's sick. Recommend: Survival Reaction |
| 39 |  | Depravity
Silence of the Centuries
this one is sick, melodic, little bit blackened maybe, like your gran's eye after Protector punched it. recommend: Silence of the Centuries |
| 40 |  | Convulse
World Without God
The king of straightforward death metal. The most straightforward album. The most death metal album. The most album album. Recommend: World Without God |
| 41 |  | Luciferion
Demonication (The Manifest)
Another one of those scandinavian death metal albums that doesn't sound scandinavian. sounds more like Deicide than anything, but riffs hard so who cares. Recommend: Christ Dethroned |
| 42 |  | Liers In Wait
Spiritually Uncontrolled Art
See above. This one is like a rabid dog but could have used more focus. Recommend: Bleeding Shrines of Stone |
| 43 |  | Wombbath
Internal Caustic Torments
Yeh another swedish one that doesn't sound like HM-2 worship. This is pretty classic, catchy simple death metal. Recommend: Prevent Anemia |
| 44 |  | Baphomet (NY)
The Dead Shall Inherit
One of the classic NY death metal albums. Very heavy, groovy, and all round a great experience. Highly recommended, later changed their name to Banished. Recommend: Through Deviant Eyes |
| 45 |  | Rottrevore
Iniquitous
Big fat death metal. Production sounds huge and mean, riffs are pretty simplistic but crushing. Recommend: Spawn of Ignorance |
| 46 |  | Illdisposed
Four Depressive Seasons
Production is heavy as balls and the music is pretty varied. Vocals blow tbh but the riffs are there. Recommend: Never Ceasing Melancholic Spring |
| 47 |  | Banished
Deliver Me Unto Pain
Mentioned prior as essentially the same band as Baphomet. This one sounds a bit rawer but has a bit more girth. Music is pretty much the same and a few tracks return for this one. A good album but not quite as good at the groovier tracks. Recommend: Scars |
| 48 |  | Krisiun
Conquerors of Armageddon
This one is pretty late but is a solid, albeit totally standard death metal album. Fast and heavy but lacks the spice of a great album. Recommend: Hatred Inherit |
| 49 |  | Vital Remains
Let Us Pray
Not bad music but these guys always overstretch their songs. They released better stuff later but this is solid enough as dm goes. Recommend: Malevolent Invocation |
| 50 |  | Kataklysm
Sorcery
Before they released the same album a million times over, Kataklysm released Sorcery, essentially pretty standard death metal but with extra melody and nutty drums. Good album. Recommend: Elder God |
|
