Old School Death Metal Releases
A rough chronological list of old school death metal releases
between 1984 and 1992. |
| 1 |  | Possessed
Death Metal Demo
This is widely considered the first death metal release, containing most of the elements
the genre would contain. Raw guitars, pummelling bass, thundering drums and Jeff
Beccera's pioneering death growl all came together to bring the underground its most
powerful release yet, back in 1984. |
| 2 | | Death
Death by Metal Demo
Seen by most as the other original death metal release of 1984 this demo also contains
most of death metal's future style, including the signature death growl from Kam Lee. The
lyrics here are no doubt inspired by a youth filled with zombie b-movies and horror
stories, setting them apart from their contemporary, the devil worshipping Possessed. |
| 3 |  | Possessed
Seven Churches
1985's Seven Churches is seen by most as the first death metal album despite a large thrash
metal influence being present still. It had all the elements that death metal would contain and no
doubt inspired countless bands to play in a similar style. |
| 4 | | Sepultura
Bestial Devastation
Up to this point American and European bands were the main point of interest to metal fans,
but all that changed when Bestial Devastation erupted out of Brazil in 1986. It was some of
the harshest music of its day and showed that the Brazilians were an extreme bunch,
Sarcofago and Holocausto only helped to prove this since they arose around this time too. |
| 5 |  | Death
Scream Bloody Gore
This is the other contender for the first death metal album since it did away with the thrash
metal influence seen on Seven Churches and replaced it with a brutality unheard of in 1987.
Death also made sure to eschew the Satanic lyrics and used their own influence from gore
movies to make the album stand apart from the rest. Death metal stood on its own two feet
after this. |
| 6 |  | Necrophagia
Season of the Dead
Necrophagia had something of a one hit wonder with Season of the Dead, sort of
disappearing from the extreme metal eye after its release. An unmistakable death metal
feel and seeing release in 1987 put this as one of the very first death metal albums, easily
equal in importance to Scream Bloody Gore and Seven Churches. |
| 7 |  | Morbid
December Moon
This legendary demo arguably singlehandedly kick-started the Swedish death metal
movement back in 1987. Members from Morbid would go on to join/form equally
legendary extreme metal bands like Mayhem and Entombed. |
| 8 | | Nihilist
Premature Autopsy
December Moon may have established death metal in Sweden but it was Premature
Autopsy that made this growing scene stand out from the rest thanks to a distinctive
buzzsaw guitar tone that would later be used by Entombed and Unleashed. |
| 9 |  | Morbid Angel
Altars of Madness
Altars of Madness was one of the many defining 1989 death metal albums, and rightly
so since it contained some of the most technical and inspired metal of its day. All the
elements established on previous releases between 1984 and 1987 come together
almost operatically here. Pete Sandoval's monstrously talented drumming, Trey
Azagthoth's classically inspired guitar playing and David Vincent's ghoulish vocals make
this one of the most praised and respected death metal albums ever. |
| 10 |  | Sepultura
Beneath the Remains
Although it could be argued they were a thrash band by this point it seems clear that the
Cavalera brothers were taking notice of the growing extreme scene around them and that
is reflected brilliantly on this death/thrash album. |
| 11 |  | Obituary
Slowly We Rot
Whereas Death and Morbid Angel were exploring the boundaries of technicality
Obituary were all about the basics. Thick guitars, doom-laden drums and John Tardy's
amazing vomiting-like vocals all come together to create one of metal's most savage
albums. |
| 12 |  | Carcass
Symphonies of Sickness
Goregrind pioneers Carcass followed up their debut with the brutal Symphonies of
Sickness, a full death metal album that still dabbled in grindcore elements. |
| 13 |  | Deicide
Deicide
No one worshipped the devil on their albums as much as Deicide did and that is
blatantly obvious on their heretical debut, combining scathing technicality with a
demonic obsession not seen since perhaps Bathory's first albums. A timeless classic. |
| 14 |  | Cannibal Corpse
Eaten Back to Life
Controversy follows Cannibal Corpse wherever they go, both physically and
musically, and that all started with their visceral first offering in 1990. Containing
barbaric songs like 'Mangled' and 'Bloody Chunks' this set Cannibal Corpse on the
path to become one of the most popular and notorious death metal bands in the
world. |
| 15 |  | Entombed
Clandestine
Entombed are a well known band in extreme metal, particularly their first two albums.
Clandestine is their sophomore effort and the buzzsaw technique is in full force here,
surrounding the listener with an almost punk mentality and unabashed power. |
| 16 |  | Suffocation
Effigy of the Forgotten
Technical death metal had already seen some stellar releases with Death's Human
and Carcass' Necroticism but Suffocation's first album was the icing on the cake,
blowing fans away with unrivalled aggression. |
| 17 |  | Cannibal Corpse
Tomb of the Mutilated
Carrying one of their most well known songs 'Hammer Smashed Face' and Chris
Barnes' unmistakeable guttural roar, this is seen by many as the definitive Cannibal
Corpse album and a death metal classic. |
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