Best Death Metal Bands: 20 Essential Groups
Death metal, like many genres, has made some dramatic shifts in sound over the decades – so much so that even its pioneers have been reclassified into numerous subgenres. But whether it’s technical death metal, blackened death metal, melodic death metal or deathcore, its base elements remain the same. Fusing the black metal of Venom, the thrash of Slayer and the extreme metal of Celtic Frost with the street attitude of punk and gore-horror imagery, death metal continues to grow from its 80s birth. So, with their distorted, down-tuned guitars, blast beats and guttural growls, we present the 20 best death metal bands.
While you’re reading, listen to our Best Death Metal Bands playlist here.
20: Thy Art Is Murder
As relative new kids on the death metal block, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Sydney, Australia’s Thy Art Is Murder are influenced by the modern genre. Formed in 2006 and pulling from the likes of Decapitated, Gojira and Behemoth, their extreme deathcore is a hit in their homeland and has taken them on tours around the world, proving death metal is alive and kicking.
19: The Black Dahlia Murder
Often criticised for not looking death metal enough, Michigan’s The Black Dahlia Murder nevertheless draw influences from all the right places. Their melodic death metal showcases more traditional characteristics typified by bands such as Carcass and Morbid Angel. One of the most prolific death metal bands of the modern era.
18: Decapitated
Poland’s Decapitated were formed around guitarist and main songwriter Wacław “Vogg” Kiełtyka and his brother, drummer Witold “Vitek” Kiełtyka in their teens, in 1996. Tragically, Vitek was killed in a tour bus crash in November 2007. After a period of grieving, Vogg reformed the band in 2009 and their technical death metal continues to be among the most significant of the 21st Century.
17: Entombed
Incorporating garage rock influences into their sound, Stockholm, Sweden’s Entombed pioneered a death metal subgenre that came to be known as death’n’roll. It’s best exemplified on the 1993 classic Wolverine Blues, and is a sound that has been drawn from in recent years by the likes of Black Breath and Trap Them.
16: Bolt Thrower
Coventry, UK’s Bolt Thrower gained attention from legendary Radio 1 DJ John Peel when he received a copy of their second demo. Perhaps one of the most enduring bands from the death metal scene, they released eight albums over 18 years, but finally disbanded after the sudden death of drummer Martin Kearns in 2015.
15: Amon Amarth
These melodic death metallers formed in Tumba, Sweden, in 1992 from the ashes of Scum. They eventually caught the attention of the mainstream media with the release of their seventh album, Twilight Of The Thunder God, in 2008. Their Norse-influenced metal remains a favourite of heavy music fans across the world.
14: Vader
Polish metallers Vader formed in 1983, and yet only released their debut album, The Ultimate Incantation, nine years later. Having run the gamut from heavy metal, through thrash and speed metal before settling on a death metal sound, they were once described to Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme as “the Eagles of death metal”. And a band was born.
13: Autopsy
Formed in the Bay Area of California, Autopsy were hugely influential in taking death metal to its doomy depths. They made an impression on other genre greats such as Deicide, Gorefest, Cannibal Corpse and Entombed, with their second album, Mental Funeral, cited as being particularly influential.
12: Nile
Hailing from Greenville, North Carolina, Nile bring Middle Eastern mysticism to death metal with themes inspired by Ancient Egypt. Mainman Karl Sanders leads a seemingly revolving-door line-up of supporting musicians, and yet has consistently delivered brutal technical death metal since 1993.
11: Gojira
French metallers Gojira have put a progressive spin on the death metal genre and updated it for the 21st Century. At odds with the gory themes of earlier death metal bands, however, they deliver themes of spirituality and environmentalism, inspired by the scenic beauty surrounding their hometown of Bayonne.
10: Behemoth
Though frontman Nergal would prefer his band to not be pigeonholed, Poland’s Behemoth have navigated toward a more death-metal sound from their roots in black metal. Nergal faced criminal charges for tearing up a Bible in 2007, while Behemoth are forbidden from playing shows in Poznan.
9: At The Gates
Sweden’s At The Gates took death metal in a more accessible direction in the early 90s, pioneering a distinct “Gothenburg sound”. Their seminal album, Slaughter Of The Soul, was nominated for a Swedish Grammy in 1995, while its lead track, ‘Blinded By Fear’, enjoyed heavy rotation on MTV’s Headbangers Ball.
8: Carcass
With roots in grindcore, Liverpool’s Carcass hit on a more death metal sound with their second album, Symphonies Of Sickness, in 1989. Their fourth album, Heartwork, was released in 1993 and caught the attention of Columbia/Sony. However, tensions between band and label led to the group’s demise before the album was released. They reformed in 2007.
7: Suffocation
From Long Island, New York, Suffocation spearheaded the death metal movement into the 90s. Their debut album, Effigy Of The Forgotten, was recorded in Morrisound Studios – the Tampa, Florida, mecca for death metal. Its producer, Scott Burns, was the master of the death metal sound of the day.
6: Possessed
Florida may have been a fertile breeding ground for death metal in the late 80s and early 90s, but the genre originated in San Francisco’s Bay Area with Possessed. Widely lauded as the first death metal band, they released two albums, Seven Churches (1985) and Beyond The Gates (1986), before disbanding, then followed up with third album, Revelations Of Oblivion, in 2019.
5: Deicide
Perhaps death metal’s most notorious band, Deicide were the kings of controversy, with many of their lyrics promoting an anti-Christian message. Frontman Glen Benton famously burned an inverted cross onto his forehead and once claimed he’d commit suicide at age 33 as an anti-Jesus statement.
4: Morbid Angel
Formed in 1983, Morbid Angel’s first four albums – Altars Of Madness (1989), Blessed Are The Sick (1991), Covenant (1993) and Domination (1995) – are consistently held up as death metal classics. They opened the genre up to the mainstream by signing to Warners imprint Giant records.
3: Obituary
Florida was a hotbed for death metal in the 80s, and if Death were frontrunners of the scene, Tampa’s Obituary took it to a wider audience. Their 1992 album, The End Complete, is regarded as the best-selling pure death metal album of all time, with around a quarter million sales worldwide.
2: Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse’s imagery is as iconic as it is horrifying. From their 1990 debut album, Eaten Back To Life, through to Butchered At Birth, Tomb Of The Mutilated and 2017’s Red Before Black, they have racked up two million sales, making them death metal’s biggest-selling band of all time.
1: Death
Orlando, Florida metallers Death are considered the pioneers of the death metal genre, with their 1987 debut album, Scream Bloody Gore, regarded as the scene’s spearhead. Mainman Chuck Schuldiner died in 2001, aged 34, but he left behind a legacy that inspired an entire genre.
Which death metal bands have we left out? Let us know below and start the debate!
UK English
Fractal Stranger
January 19, 2018 at 10:12 am
So what we have here? One thrash metal, two grind core bands and one progressive metal band. Super silly list.
Muhammad Pangestu
June 5, 2018 at 12:06 am
Agreed…
kira
June 26, 2019 at 5:41 am
agreed…
LeeTorry
July 14, 2018 at 10:56 am
Now to be fair, Carcass is influencial to melodeath and im kinda mixed with ND in here but their DM albums were really good.
They should replace Deicide, Napalm Death, Slayer, Opeth, Autopsy with Atheist, Gorguts, At The Gates, Suffocation, and idk…Nile?
Bob macabre
October 30, 2018 at 11:42 pm
Bud if you think any of these bands are grincore
you need to learn your genres.
Slayer is definitely thrash. I don’t know very much about Napalm death or Morbid Angel but I can tell you that they are definitely not grindcore. Death, obituary and autopsy are some of the oldest and most respected death metal bands.
Death metal is literally named after the band death. The lead singer of death, Chuck Schuldiner RIP is considered the founding father of death metal.
I also suggest gorguts, impetigo and carcass.
Nicholas Bennett
January 8, 2019 at 10:11 am
Holy fuck are you stupid napalm death is grindcore and death metal is not named after Death theyre my favorite band but possessed made a demo called death metal while death was forming then known as Mantas
Chaos
July 13, 2020 at 8:55 pm
Seriously?
One, use some punctuation. Two, no fucking way is Possessed death metal. I grew up during the birth of death metal and that shit isn’t death metal. Was it influential to some death metal bands; sure…but they are not death metal (at least the first three albums).
James Peterson
January 1, 2019 at 10:59 pm
Decapitated. Making a list like this without Decapitated is silly.
5 words can sum up why:
Winds of Creation
The Negation
Nicholas Bennett
January 8, 2019 at 10:13 am
What about Nihility
David
June 7, 2019 at 2:43 pm
The negation is just the best album.
Nicholas Bennett
January 8, 2019 at 10:14 am
What about nihility
Sam Bryson
February 27, 2019 at 10:38 am
This list should be taken down it is false. Slayer may have influenced a lot of death metal but they have always been a thrash band. Napalm Death have always fundamentally been a grindcore band even if some of their more recent albums sound sort of death metal. Opeth you could make the argurment that they started out as a melodic death metal band, but death metal fundamentally does not have clean vocals, thus disqualifying them. Suitable influential replacements could be Suffocation, possessed, Nile, or probably a shitstorm of other killer death metal bands like pestilence, goreguts, abysmal dawn, decapitated, necrophagiest, beyond creation, obscurea etc…
Fuck this schmuck list.
SatanicChicken
May 8, 2019 at 9:57 pm
Specially Possessed, which created this subgenre.
Jason Reeves
April 16, 2021 at 9:50 am
Did you even read the list? None of the bands you are bitching about are on it abd your replacements are on it. What the fuck, learn how to read.
Eric Leavitt
July 13, 2019 at 4:32 pm
The Haunted, Feared, great bands from Sweden.
Relix599
August 6, 2019 at 7:28 pm
Jungle Rot has quietly amassed a shit-ton of brutal Death Metal releases.
Dirt McGirt
September 1, 2019 at 9:12 pm
Where the fuck is Dying Fetus in this list? You have absolutely no idea! Very bad list!!!
Johnny Teabag
March 12, 2020 at 12:53 pm
I have always loved Possessed, but i dont think they started the sub-genre of death metal, sure, their early demo named ‘death-metal’ long before “Scream Bloody Gore” was released, but Chuck Schuldiner from Death made death-metal a subgenre, i recall an explosion of bands trying to play in that style, Possessed, predecessors or not, did not have that huge effect.
Michael Zachary
April 27, 2020 at 11:58 am
Pretty good list, except you left out Cattle Decapitation, and Cryptopsy.
antuqrist
September 6, 2020 at 2:20 pm
Better listen somehow from ,,sepultura,, ,,morgoth,, ,,massacra,, ,,unleashed,, ,,asphyx,, ,,protector,, sarcofago,, . And no more from sealing -,,deicide,, ,,morbid angel,,,,obituary,,… In my opinion…
Steve Nefarious
October 7, 2020 at 10:20 am
LMAO, this list IS NOT COMPLETE! Atheist!!! Sarasota FLA Band founded in 1984? Blows these bands AWAY! https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=atheist+band
Search! And you will find!
These guys should be at the TOP of the list as they FOUNDED DEATH METAL YES!! Posers bewhere! The TRUE Death METAL BAND! The 1st DEATH METAL BAND!
LOOK IT UP DEATH METAL FANS!
The Atheist Band is a death metal band from Sarasota, Florida, USA, founded in 1984 by the vocalist and guitarist Kelly Shaefer, guitarist Rand Burkey, bassist Roger Patterson and drummer Steve Flynn. Wikipedia Members: Kelly Shaefer, Roger Patterson, Steve Flynn!
HELL KING
November 29, 2020 at 9:31 am
HAVENT YOU GUYS HEARED ABOUT UNDERSIDE NEPAL,ONE OF THE FINEST DEATHMETAL BANDS WITH HIGHEST AUDIENCE ON LIVE CONCERT.MAYBE YOU SHOULD CHECK THEM OUT.FOR ME THEY ARE THE NO.1 DEATH METAL BANDS IN THE WORLD
Sam King
March 29, 2022 at 12:55 pm
(Just to name a few)
Morta skuld
Necrophobic
Mortuary
Mind Virus
Demigod
Dismember
Malefic throne
Soreption
Mercyless
Loud blast
Memoriam
Amorphis
Pessimist
Vale of pnath
Edge of sanity
Mors principium
Cryptopsy
Dissection
Grave
Angel corpse
Corpse grinder
Carrion Curse
Terrorizer
Corrupted Saint
Broken hope
Pestilence
Arch Enemy
Malevolent creation
Massacra
Gruesome
Massacre
Lineage
Nibiru
Nocturnus
Bloodbath
Nasty savage
Cancer
Exhumed
Incantation
Vital remains
Monstrosity
Benediction
Disincarnate
Carnage
Sulphuric aeon
Krisun
Sinister
Immolation
Eulogy in blood
Kataklysm
Oppressor
Vile
Moral decay
Malignancy
Goregasm
Internal bleeding
Revocation
Morgoth
Hypocrisy
Gotefest
Cynic
Exinfernum
Unleashed
Atheist
Necrombulant
Hate eternal
Electrocution
Brutal truth
Baphomet
Asphyx
Haunted
Therion
Eternal solstice
Vomitory
Aborted
Flesh crawl
Brutality
Cemetery
Grotesque
Sadistic intent
Severe torture
Odious Mortem
Deeds of flesh
Demonic extinction
Demonic resurrection
Toby Rage
August 10, 2022 at 7:44 am
The original Desecration (1985-1987) from the San Francisco Bay Area is missing from the list. They were underground legends who broke up just before they put out an album.
RawKill
January 8, 2023 at 5:56 pm
Hypocrisy. They toe the line between genres a lot, but they are ever evolving, always brutal, smart, entertaining, and simply amazing. Also, Peter Tagtgren is one of the biggest names in underground metal.
Immolation. They are as heavy as anyone, have some of the most unbelievable vocals and blast beats, excellent lyrics, and no one can touch them on their wild tone shifts on guitar. They are one of the greatest live shows I’ve ever seen (only beaten by Hate). And even though it has nothing to do with their music, it must be said that their album art is king, and Ross Dolan’s windmill head-banging is the best with that absurdly long hair.