death metal
Blast beats, growling
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by heavily distorted guitars, blast-beat drumming, growled or guttural vocals, and lyrics often focused on death, violence, or the macabre.
The style emerged in the mid-1980s from thrash metal, pushing toward greater speed, complexity, and aggression: Bands like Death and Morbid Angel defined the early death metal sound.
Largest bowed string instrument
- downtuningLowering string pitch
- distortionTwisting from original state
- growlingDeep threatening vocalization
- chuggingDrinking rapidly, continuously
riffing · shredding · palm muting · breakdowns · slams · kick drums · low-end · amplification
Overlapping distinct beat patterns
- technicalityPrecise procedural point
- syncopationStressed unexpected beats
- dissonanceLack of harmony
- counterpointSimultaneous independent melodies
atonality · virtuosity · fretwork · musicianship · precision · timing · dexterity · stamina
Aggressive dancing crowd area
- headbangingViolent rhythmic skull movement
- circle pitCrowd running in formation
- moshingViolent crowd dancing
- crowd surfingBeing carried by spectators
stage diving · thrashing · slamming · sweating · energy · setlist · encore · merchandise
Disturbing, death-obsessed
- morbidUnhealthily drawn to darkness
- goreGraphic bloody violence
- occultConcealed from view
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
blasphemous · cryptic · visceral · grotesque · apocalyptic · necrotic · infernal · abyssal
Southeastern American peninsula state
- SwedishOf a Nordic kingdom
- New YorkNortheastern metropolis and state
- PolishSmooth to a shine
- FinnishLanguage of Finland
Dutch · Tampa · Gothenburg · underground · tape trading · fanzines · festivals
double bass
Largest bowed string instrument
- downtuningLowering string pitch
- distortionTwisting from original state
- growlingDeep threatening vocalization
chugging · riffing · shredding · palm muting · breakdowns · slams · kick drums · low-end · amplification · tone
polyrhythms
Overlapping distinct beat patterns
- technicalityPrecise procedural point
- syncopationStressed unexpected beats
- dissonanceLack of harmony
counterpoint · atonality · virtuosity · fretwork · musicianship · precision · timing · dexterity · stamina
mosh pit
Aggressive dancing crowd area
- headbangingViolent rhythmic skull movement
- circle pitCrowd running in formation
- moshingViolent crowd dancing
crowd surfing · stage diving · thrashing · slamming · sweating · energy · setlist · encore · merchandise
macabre
Disturbing, death-obsessed
sinister · blasphemous · cryptic · visceral · grotesque · apocalyptic · necrotic · infernal · abyssal · satanic
deathcore
Extreme metal-metalcore hybrid
Florida
Southeastern American peninsula state
Finnish · Dutch · Tampa · Gothenburg · underground · tape trading · fanzines · festivals
- microgenresmicrogenre, subgenre, chillwave, vaporwave, synthwave
- genresaction, comedy, detective fiction, fantasy, horror
- musicmusic, song, songs, singing, singer
- music genresblues, pop, jazz, rock, classical
- rock genresalternative rock, classic rock, hard rock, indie rock, progressive rock
- Heavy MetalMetallica, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden
death metaleasy listening
Undemanding melodic audio
smooth jazz · ambient music · soft rock · bossa nova · lounge music
death metalpower ballads
Emotional arena rock songs
inspirational music · children's music · bubblegum pop · love songs · worship music
death metalpop music
Catchy, commercial song genre
bubblegum pop · mainstream pop · radio pop · easy listening · adult contemporary
death, metal, deadly, metallic, deathly, deathless, deadened, dead, deathlike