I was talking with a friend about death metal. His complaint was: much of what he heard was very repetitive between songs and did not seem to come to a clear point of focus; in other words, it was like longer punk songs. This reminds me of how in 1994 or so the term “riff salad” was pejorative, before the overindulgence of metalcore made it seem like a compliment.
As a result, I came up with this small list of works to introduce people to death metal. There’s a lot of overlap with a “best of,” but this list is designed specifically to pick good introductions that in most cases represent the peaks of the bands who created them:
1. Incantation – Onward to Golgotha
2. Deicide – Legion
3. Therion – Beyond Sanctorum
4. Atheist – Unquestionable Presence
5. Morbid Angel – Blessed Are the Sick
6. Gorguts – The Erosion of Sanity
7. At the Gates – The Red in the Sky is Ours
8. Asphyx – Asphyx
9. Autopsy – Mental Funeral
10. Suffocation – Effigy of the Forgotten
11. Immolation – Here in After
12. Cadaver – …In Pains
13. Obituary – Cause of Death
14. Demilich – Nespithe
15. Cenotaph – Gloomy Reflections of Our Hidden Sorrows
16. Demigod – Slumber of Sullen Eyes
And for those transitioning from speed metal…
1. Slayer – Reign in Blood
2. Destruction – Infernal Overkill
3. Sepultura – Beneath the Remains
4. Rigor Mortis – Freaks
One aspect of this site is that we recognize that the truth is always more difficult than a partial truth designed to appease others through the appearance of good. As a result, you don’t find lists like this in the media; the authors always throw in their buddies or friends or people their publisher would like to co-promote. This is a list of quality music for people who take their time seriously and don’t want to throw it away on boring or uninspiring crap.
For many, it is difficult to hear a melody through the grunted vocals, down-tuned & distorted guitars, and blasting drums of death metal. As such, some of the cheesier melodic death metal bands or something like Dissection might provide a better intro for someone unfamiliar with more aggressive music. As soon as someone thinks “this is just noise, why are they so angry?” their ears turn off. Moving from rock music to Onward to Golgotha seems like an unfathomable jump.
A new problem arises when people listen to absolutely shitty fake deathcore bands, or fake black metal bands with a kitchen sink approach who rely on using techno beats or remixes at times to shift more units at Hot Topic outlets. I’ve tried to play real death metal to people of this crowd and the lack of Africanized rhythm or hipster EVERY SOUND IS A GOOD SOUND approach made them sit there waiting for it to be over. This type of listener is more plugged into mainstream culture and any conversation going beyond pop culture quotes is boring to them. The other potential listener mind isn’t completely diluted by this shit and will have an open ear and will, and of course be naturally curious.
It may be easier to introduce neophytes to real black metal than real death metal, mostly due to the presence of easier to hear melodies (in some aspects). Immortal and Mayhem are relatively accessible for being high quality. Dissection would also work.