What is Death Metal ?
What is death metal? First and foremost it is music. Listen closely enough and you will appreciate this. The vocals you once thought mindless and chaotic now represent a musician pushing his instrument to its max. The drums that were noisy and all over the place are an epic demonstration of the drummers skill and stamina, fine tuned by countless hours of practice. The guitars that were mindless crunching and shredding become lightning fast pieces of art featuring melodies and harmonies that would even make Bach shed a tear. True, death metal is not a form of music for everybody to enjoy, but it is a form of music that everybody should respect.First, we'll start with what makes up the foundation of the sound for any death metal band: the drums. Essential for any drummer in the genre is a nice solid double bass. This can be achieved with either a double-kick pedal or with two different bass drums. More extreme bands will even rig their drums with "triggers" to allow their drummers to obtain an even faster double bass effect, although some fans complain this creates a more electronic sound. Along with double bass there is another commonly used technique called "blast beats" or even "gravity blasts". Blast beat is a style of drum playing where the snare is hit for every off beat of the double bass. Played at the speed of which most death metal is performed this method acquires an unmistakable sound. Similar to blast beats, "gravity blasts" are almost the same thing, just twice as fast. Drummers are able to do this by hitting the edge of their snare drum with the middle of the stick on the latter half of the initial snare hit. Played at fast enough speed this can acquire an almost mesmerizing effect. Of course these are not the only methods a death metal drummer can imply, and the best drummers in the genre fill in the sound with rolls, fills, and everything else in their playing arsenal.
It just simply wouldn't be metal without the guitars, which naturally make up a huge part of the sound which is "death metal". Typically, guitars are down-tuned, with drop C almost being a minimum for proper sound. Most death metal bands implement the use of two guitarists, a rhythm and a lead. The rhythm typically plays "the lower half" of the song and can vary from a "chug chug" sound to even relatively simple power chord progressions. The lead guitar plays "the upper half" of the song which is typically varied forms of melodies and harmonies (which the rhythm guitarist can get in on) to further fill in and compliment the music. Typical techniques that guitarists will use include pinch harmonics, palm muting, and sweeping.
Often overlooked and taken for granted, the bass player in death metal is often just as talented and skilled as his guitar counter-parts. The bass adds to the "fullness" of the sound that definitely wouldn't be there if the bass was missing. (Metallica's "...And Justice for All" for example) The most skilled bassists in the genre can incorporate two-handed tapping techniques that make for a truly unique aural experience.
Probably the aspect of death metal that turns most people off to the genre is the vocals. From low growls, and unintelligible grunts to epic wailing and ear piercing shrieks, death metal forces a lot into your ears. While the majority will complain they have no idea what the vocalist is saying, those who appreciate it will say that its about the overall atmosphere and how the vocalist uses his voice as an instrument. (Not to mention that most lyrics can be looked up or even requested from the band) To the untrained person, attempting these types of vocals could seriously damage your vocal chords and might permanently impair them. Therein lies the beauty of what death metal vocalists are doing, they can send their voices to the extreme of every possible extreme day in and day out and not cough up blood at the end of the night.
Although death metal remains an extreme and harsh genre of music it is filled with talented musicians that push their talent to the edge every time they pick up their instrument. Even metalheads themselves realize that their music is an acquired taste, and the day that their music hits mainstream they would simply choose a different type of music. Death metal can be interpreted as much more than just music. Its an outlet for "different" people to come together and do something they all love, which is just making music. The fact that death metal sticks out as an extreme genre only adds to the pride they have in their music. Death metal, enjoyed by an elite few, noise to many others, deserves respect from all.
An extreme heavy metal sub-genre..
Death metal is an extreme heavy metal sub-genre that came from thrash metal originally and some elements of black metal. Death metal is definitely not for the classical loving music population. This style of music is the exact opposite and is very vocal as well as hardcore guitar playing. Death metal is often labeled as Satan worshiping music that is all about the darker side of life. Where this may be true for some death metal bands and fans, it is not true for all of the bands and fans out there.You can learn to appreciate some things in life that you do not necessarily like, by finding the good in it. For instance death metal requires enormous practice and skill on vocals and the instruments they use. If you just watch a performance on T.V. or live you will see just how hard that they play. That takes a lot of practice and hard work to develop those skills. Ones that are serious about guitar playing can greatly appreciate just how skilled the guitar players are.
The death metal lyrics are often hard to understand as the singer grunts and screams the lyrics in a deep voice. Although you may have a hard time understanding what they are saying it is easy to go online and find the lyrics to their songs. Try going to metal-archives. There you can look up bands by name or song to find the particular song that you like.
The mid 1980's is when death metal first came about, and has since recruited many, many fans. The bands that were thought to influence death metal in the beginning are Slayer, Possessed, and the pioneer bands Death and Morbid Angel. While death metal is an extreme and often brutal music genre, it has its talent in the mix. Many people look down on death metal and see its followers as Satan worshipping, animal torturing people, so it is type of music that you either love ... or hate.
Death metal is definitely not for weak hearted, rather the strong minded individuals that like loud noise. Since often death metal is thrown out by others saying it is all just noise, loud noise, it has gotten a bad rap. Not all of the bands are singing about dark and/or apocalyptic lyrics, but most do. If you can tolerate it enough to see the talent in it, then perhaps you will become a fan yourself. Although I wouldn't want you to push this type of music on your parents or grandparent, like I said you either love it or you hate it, and most mature adults choose to hate on it.
Death Metal is..
Death metal is probably the most controversial of the heavy metal sub-genres among mainstream culture. It is known for it's use of heavy guitar distortion, harsh, low-pitched and/or growling vocals, morbid lyrics, fast-paced rhythms and melodies and unconventional song structure, some people, for lack of better words, just don't like it. To the die hard fan there is nothing to compare.Death metal is known by its fast, down-tuned and highly distorted guitars. Guitar techniques also include palm muting and tremolo picking. Most death metal bands use lead, rhythm, and bass guitars, drum kit using two bass drums or a double bass drum pedal, and with some electronic keyboards.
The lyrics in death metal is what truly sets it apart from other heavy metal sub-genres. They often include extreme graphic violence. This is the main reason for its exclusion from mainstream culture.
Death metal started to become popular in the mid 1980's. It began to gain more exposure in the late 1980's to the early 1990's as more popular record labels began to sign death metal bands at a growing rate.
Even with this, mainstream culture still refused to accept it, due to the violent themes and images. It is mainly seen as an underground form of music, partly because it doesn't appeal to most people, at least that they will admit, and because its musicians often prefer to remain obscure.
Even some of the band names alone could cause some people to turn away. Names such as Children of Bodom, a Finland based band named for a murder case based in their hometown, Athiest and Necrophagia, both American based bands, and Morbid Angel just to name a few. But, whether you like the lyrics or not the talent of these musicians is awesome if you take the time to listen.
Granted, death metal isn't for everyone, but for those who love the driving pace, awesome guitar solo's and growling vocals, nothing else can come close.
Death Metal is often..
As mere mortals, we are confronted by death on a daily basis, it is therefore only right that metal music has it's fair share of death related subjects. To class any metal music as death metal, then usually the lyrical content will contain numerous references to our darker side of morality, tales of death, mutilation, agony, torture, or anything the mind can conjure up!.A certain style is also prevalent throughout death metal, the music will be fast, unrelenting in the majority of bands, infused with fast guitar riffing, hyper-speed drumming and the obligatory deep vocal style, the sound of the devil himself or cookie monster on a bad day ?. With a tsunami wave of bands that play death metal, quality is sometimes lacking even if the enthusiasm is there.
Death metal is often the scapegoat for the evils of mankind, but this type of music hasn't existed very long and it's not exactly an interest to the majority, so that argument that "INSERT FAVOURITE BAND made me do it" doesn't exactly hold up in my view. The music is a well crafted art form, much like any other form of entertainment. Musicians take great pride in their work, spending countless hours perfecting their sound, it's not as random as detractors of this form of music might have you believe.
For 17 years Cannibal Corpse have honed their abilities to be one of the best selling bands of the death metal genre, shifting well over 1'000'000 albums. Quite a feat considering most people would never have heard them. They are the role models to death metal, they do not compromise their sound, their belief in the music, even after numerous court cases citing them as reasons people have killed. They still have bans enforced in Germany stopping them from playing some of their tracks.
Deicide are another band that have sold nearly as many albums as Cannibal Corpse, but they are classed as having a satanic edge to their approach but they still retain the intense death metal sound. Their anti-Christian themes do not endear themselves to many but there is no denying the technical ability and top notch production on their albums.
What gets lost about death metal is that it is entertainment in the end, much like horror films, the majority see it as fantasy, death is part of life, our mortality makes us curious, death metal is just a natural twist on that concept.
Afraid to Listen..
What is Death Metal and why aren't people afraid to listen to it?First off listening to Death Metal does not immediately result in death, although it may be a side effect. Death Metal, like other Heavy Metal subgroups, is infused with twisted guitar sounds, harsh vocals, and manic rhythms. But Death Metal is further classified by the extremely heavy nature of the music and unique sound as well as the macabre subject matter. You will note the same unearthly quality of the growls emanating from the vocalist. Growls and grunts that are sometimes incoherent are present in other types of Heavy Metal, but again not to the level that Death Metal boasts.
By mixing the speed of Thrash Metal and the rawness of Black Metal and bringing it to the boiling point, Death Metal surged in the mid 80s as a mostly underground movement. You might say it went underground as a recoil from the more glamorous side of the Mtv Metal. As the music gained popularity, as with Heavy Metal in general, it angered as many listeners as it enticed. Mainstream music was shocked by the violence and could not comprehend the abrupt, ragged, pounding sound. And the once underground music was injected back into mainstream culture through media correlations to real world violence involving teens it created a backlash of controversy. This controversy fueled the disdain from some and the migration of others. The most well known purveyor of Death Metal was Slayer but the music they delivered was only a precursor to the storm that has come since. Even with an almost complete disregard to melody, bruising vocals, and implementation of note progressions at light-speed the music is mostly known for its sinister themes.
Death Metal is violence to the extreme. Depicting acts of mutilation and rape against the living and the dead with an in your face attitude, Death Metal pulls no punches. When you listen to Death Metal there is very little left to the imagination and a clear link to its unfortunate name. So, basically, Death Metal is a slasher musical. It is horror set to music and its sole purpose is to scare the hell out of your parents. It is a haven for those that are different and seeking understanding, it is an oulet for the anger of youth, it is the next level of shock in the Heavy Metal history book, and it is not for the squemish. All that aside it is still music, and it is still expression even if some can not or will not let it be understood. Contrary to its name, Death Metal is alive and to its followers it is 'til death do us part. But listeners beware, with rhythms and beats that heavy you could bang your head clean off your shoulders.
