deathmetal

Deathmetal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the mid‑1980s, primarily in the United States and Europe. It evolved from thrash metal and early death metal pioneers such as Death, Possessed, and Morbid Angel. The style is distinguished by heavily distorted guitars, fast double‑kick and blast beat drumming, growled or guttural vocal delivery, and complex song structures that often include odd time signatures and long, multi‑section compositions.

Lyrical themes in deathmetal commonly explore mortality, the macabre, anti‑religious sentiment, and philosophical reflections on death and the afterlife. These subjects are delivered with intense energy, making the music an evocative outlet for confronting existential topics. The production values of deathmetal are generally engineered to emphasize the harsh, aggressive sonic texture, with a focus on clarity enough to discern rapid, intricate riffs and blast beats.

Prominent bands that helped shape the genre include Death, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Morbid Angel, and Deicide. These acts, together with others such as Satyricon, Immortal, and Gorgoroth, expanded deathmetal’s global reach and contributed to the development of subsequent substyles. Variants such as technical deathmetal, melodic deathmetal, and deathcore have emerged, each blending deathmetal’s core elements with other musical influences. The genre’s influence extends beyond music, inspiring visual arts, literature, and film, while maintaining a dedicated fan community worldwide.