Death metal will always hold a special place in my heart, particularly because it was the first form of independent underground music that I fully got into after punk rock. Mesmerized by the aggression, heaviness, and extremity of the music, death metal transformed a timid, rather uninteresting Catholic boy from Mayfield Heights, OH into something else, something a bit more confident and, dare I say, dangerous. My friends and I collected death metal records like some kids collect pogs and, like those innocent plastic children's toys, some gems were more sought after than others. While many music fans have heard of the genre's biggest acts including Deicide, Entombed, Carcass, Morbid Angel, Obituary, and Cannibal Corpse, the early death metal scene included many bands that unfortunately never received their proper recognition for releasing some rather impressive albums. It appears that death metal is slowly rising from the grave (no pun intended) and capturing the attention of many outside of its small enclave once more. This is particularly noticeable in the sound of many bands popular in the American hardcore scene, particularly Mammoth Grinder who pay homage to classic death metal sonically and aesthetically. I for one am thrilled that classic death metal, full of diverse and eclectic bands, is influencing a new generation of artists. It is for this reason that I decided to compile a list of underrated and forgotten albums from the early death metal scene. Although the diehards are undoubtedly familiar with these records, I hope those outside of the death metal community will give them a listen and hopefully give these records a second chance at life. This is part one of a three part series, enjoy.
In the mid 90s as other bands in the death metal scene began to experiment with sounds and musical techniques unfamiliar to the genre, Brutality released "When the Sky Turns Black." A fierce and bold record, Brutality's second LP raged with blasting drums, crunching guitars, and powerful vocals that could hold up to the best that any playing this style could offer at the time. Having released demos and other material since 1986, Brutality spent years perfecting their sound and their tight musicianship is ever present on "When the Sky Turns Black" which showcases arguably my favorite drum performance by a death metal drummer in Jim Coker whose smooth playing really carries these tracks effortlessly. Perhaps Brutality's only flaw was that they were from Tampa and just couldn't get through the crowd quickly enough to capture the spotlight they deserved.
Demigod- "Slumber of Sullen Eyes" (1992)
Scandinavian death metal in 1990 was defined by Entombed, Grave, and Dismember who were at the time perfecting the legendary "Stockholm Sound" with the assistance of the HM-2 Pedal and a finely tuned ear for punk rock and thrash metal song structures. Across the North Sea in Finland, Demigod was churning out their own style of death metal that, although similar to their comrades, incorporated lower tuning that allowed for their sound to retain a certain heaviness and identity that set them apart from other bands of the era playing a stylistically similar brand. Groove laden riffs gallop over heavy drums and bold vocals to give the tracks a very somber, almost melancholic feel despite the persistent energy and heaviness of many of the tracks. 1992's "Slumber of Sullen Eyes" is arguably the band's finest record and one worth giving a listen if you enjoy Scandinavian death metal similar to early Hypocrisy and American bands such as Incantation.
Disastrous Murmur- "Rhapsodies in Red" (1992)
Impressively brutal without sacrificing quality in songwriting, Disastrous Murmur's 1992 LP "Rhapsodies in Red" is ten tracks of thrashy death metal that doesn't let up for one second. Technically one of the most proficient bands of the era, DM's unique time signature changes and urgent style of playing certainly informed many later bands who took technical death metal to another level in the 2000s. Along with fellow Austrian's Pungent Stench, Disastrous Murmur's gore obsessed lyrics challenged the limitations of extremity and their subtle influence of rock-oriented grooves sucked into a death metal vacuum made for some very interesting and recognizable tunes.
Crematory- "Transmigration" (1993)
Sweden's Crematory released "Transmigration" in 1993 and the album is still as powerful and impressive as it was when it was released. Heavily influenced by doom and gothic metal, "Transmigration" incorporates punishingly slow heaviness, beautiful melodies, and a wide range of instrumentation to craft a unique slab of doom-laden death. Alongside fellow Englishmen Cathedral, Crematory helped revive the corpse of doom and helped usher in a new era for that genre while forging the creation of the sub-genre of death-doom along with bands such as Cianide and dISEMBOWELMENT. Still very much a death metal band at this time, Crematory's sound was a work in progress and this album is one of the most enjoyable listens of any Scandinavian release in the 1990s and should be part of the same conversation that includes death-doom classics such as "Tales From a Thousand Lakes" by Amorphis and "Serenades" by Anathema. Although their sound evolved away from death metal in many ways musically over time, Crematory's early material (particularly this record) should not go unnoticed or unappreciated.
- Joe