Brutal death metal

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Brutal death metal (also called brutal death for short) is a term used to describe bands that focus on pushing the envelope on heaviness, speed and aggressive delivery in the genre of death metal.

[edit] History

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Brutal death metal developed in the early 1990s, as an outgrowth of death metal. Cannibal Corpse was an influential band who pushed the death metal format to more extreme levels and shaped the sound of brutal death metal.^[1] However, it wasn't until 1991 that brutal death metal emerged. That year saw the releases of Suffocation's Effigy of the Forgotten and Immolation's Dawn of Possession.^[2][3]

[edit] Characteristics

As the term brutal suggests, this sub-genre is pushing the ferocious and violent nature of death metal further into heavy territories such as compact song structures and loud, high speed riffing, death metal was taken to greater extremes. Brutal death metal tends to be drum-heavy and rhythm oriented leaving little room for melody and harmony. Typically, guitar riffs make use of fast tremolo picking, and heavy palm muting for a percussive effect. The drum lines are fast with predominant use of double bass and blast beats. Because of this, brutal death metal drummers must be incredibly talented, with very high endurance and speed. Brutal death metal vocalists employ heavy and low-pitched death grunts^[2][4][5] and the lyrics are often, but not always gore related. Some bands occasionally alternate fast and aggressive parts with slower grooves and breakdowns. Bands who focus more on these slower groovy parts and breakdowns are sometimes referred to as slam death metal.^[6]

Certain bands in brutal death metal, for example Nile and Suffocation, have also been categorized as technical death metal.^[4] There is a sizable overlap between the two genres, as some bands not only focus on speed and aggression but also incorporate technical and progressive elements.

[edit] Bands

 Music sample:

"Effigy of the Forgotten"

Music sample of Suffocation's song "Effigy of the Forgotten" from the album Effigy of the Forgotten (1991). This audio sample contains many brutal death metal traits.

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

Some notable bands of this genre include:

• Aborted^[7]
• Cannibal Corpse
• Deeds of Flesh^[8]
• Devourment^[9]
• Desecration
• Disavowed
• Disgorge^[10]
• Dying Fetus
• Hate Eternal^[11]
• Incantation
• Insision^[12]
• Krisiun^[13]
• Myrkskog
• Mortician
• Nile^[14]
• Origin^[15]
• Suffocation^[16]

[edit] References