I’m in my late 30’s and have finally wrapped my ears around Death Metal. Some of the best stuff i’ve heard has recommended by you here and on IG (shoutout Phrenelith and Cancer Void) and also what I’ve learned is called death doom (Mortiferum, the new Fossilization). It’s honestly been an immensely rewarding new venture of musical discovery, so thanks for all the great recs. I’m here for more!
What are the absolutely essential DM bands I should listen to considering the above bands mentioned?
A more broad question: what is the through-line you feel that connects the death metal that you feel has integrity?
Hope the RC/Pelican tour goes well. I am headed to Seattle this weekend for NWTF (fuck yeah, Innumerable Forms). Stoked!
Oh awesome! It’s always nice to hear I’ve hipped folks to some new tunes!
For me, all death metal roads lead back to Morbid Angel as that was the first band in that realm to click with me. I’d had close friends in junior high and high school back in the early ‘90s that were big on death metal, but it wasn’t until Domination came out that I really understood the appeal. For whatever reason, most of the classic Florida death metal stuff didn’t really hold my interest, but Morbid Angel has this twisted sense of melody that made them stick out.
As far as other crucial classics, the Swedish stuff obviously has an important place in my heart. At the Gates was a big deal for me back when Slaughter of the Soul came out. Dismember and Entombed got a lot of spins too. But in some ways I feel like Swedish death metal had its big impact in the ‘00s and ‘10s and doesn’t seem to factor into contemporary death metal as much (or at least not the stuff I listen to). The classic Finnish death metal bands, however, really seem to be having their day. If you like Mortiferum, I definitely suggest checking out Rippikoulu and the first Convulse LP. Demilich also definitely deserves credit for influencing a lot of the more interesting modern OSDM stuff.
I guess the through-line for me is stuff that still has a raw and quasi-punk edge to it. As I’ve mentioned here numerous times, I feel like the more visible / popular death metal in the early part of the 21st century either aimed for a melodic component or went the tech-death route, which wasn’t too interesting to me, so I’ve really enjoyed bands like Undergang and Pissgrave making death metal scummy and feral again. Even the more adroit modern death metal like Necrot and Blood Incantation have the DIY / punk gene in their lineage, and I think that’s what makes them exciting to my ears.
Have fun at NWTF! Should be a blast!







