Best Death Metal Bands

My favorite band of pure death metal (I mean that is just death metal and not a death metal sub-genre)... Chuck had one of the best guttural voices ever.
R.I.P CHUCK SCHULDINER - rock2metal

Only the first 3 albums were pure Death Metal. The last 4 albums are Progressive Death Metal. - Juli

DEATH is number 1 and always will be the best band
RIP chuck
Amon Amarth is over rated, children of bodom isn't death metal or is it children of boredom. Some of best death bands are death, morbid angel, cancer, massacre, autopsy, deicide, obituary, cc, suffocation, unleashed, grave, dismember, bloodbath, carcass, asphyx, demonical, monstrosity, disincarnate, malevolent creation, the old schools the best and majority r from Florida where it all started with death

Chuck is pretty much my biggest idol ever. I almost cried when I learned of this dudes death, just think about the possibilities had he still been alive. I bet Control Denied would've been only one of many epic side projects and experiments.

Also I consider his voice to be in a whole category by itself, to be honest I'm having a hard time enjoying growl, Chuck's delivery is more of a scream and it's hard to appreciate generic Death Metal vocals having heard Chuck's insane vocal sound, ya know what? I bet that throat bled, which almost makes it all the more impressive and beautiful, poetic even, that's true "art"

Man I'm sad death broke up they kick major butt on old school death metal. I know that possessed released the first true death metal album in 1985, well I list them one of the bands I wished reunited. They could make the big 4 of old school death metal with cannibal corpse, morbid angel and deicide

I understand why Death are first (I mean, they pretty much invented the Death Metal) but, let us be honest: Cannibal Corpse were the band that truly took the meaning of Death Metal and brought it up to a whole new level. Brutal blast beats, amazing vocal performances by both Barnes and Corpsegrinder and also some of the greatest artwork, riffs, albums, songs and even album/song names ever (F***** With A Knife, Hammer Smashed Face, Raped By The Beast and Make Them Suffer are amazing song names). This is why CC should be first. Death created the genre but Cannibal Corpse took it even further and is much more of an inspiration for the newer DM bands than Death.

Hammer smashed face, make them suffer are the real death metal songs. The real brutality, hate, violence is cannibal corpse. The slasher lyrics is like AHH!

Why Children of bodom is so high? Cannibal Corpse is much more greatness than this childs

The pioneers. They basically passed the torch on from Death. - Metalhead1997

Morbid angel should be at least #2... They have made this genre. Actually death was first true death metal band.. But MA's contribution cannot be ignored.

CoB 17percent, In Flames 10percent and Morbid Angel 6percent are on crack dudes? Or you have not taste in music?

It doesn't matter that death or possessed would be considered first ever death metal band. Their rank should not be bumped up due to that. What matters is how good the band is and morbid angel wins for me.

Evil melodies, great videos, they should be number 1

No one could create such a melody within the Death Metal genre like Mikael ever, and I can bet none will be able to create in future...
Please listen to 'Black Rose Immortal' before you vote any other band.
- Nord666

I'm trying opeth out for the first time and honestly I think there amazing I like death and nile more but that is because I've been listening to them for a long time so I can't really tell right now if ill like them more then nile cause death will be number one always but I can't wait to try out more songs

My favorite besides death. I hate cannibal corpse because I can't hear the lyrics, but opeth you can clearly understand everything. and they have soft songs too, which no other death metal band has

Best voice in terms of rendition, melody and brutality. Their composition is out of the world.

Karl Sanders and Dallas Toler-Wade form one of the best guitar duos of all music genres. Combined with Kollias' inconceivable drumming technique and speed, as well as with all of their interest and unquestionable knowledge in the Egyptian lore and mythology, Nile is one of the greatest metal bands of all time and quite frankly the best death metal act. Their live performances and their studio recordings are some of the best I've ever seen in terms of quality, musically as well as overall performances. - Cyrax

Brutal, nerve trampling metal. Insanely precise. Probably the best overall group both in technique and creativity. Also, I think the production and sound quality of Nile has no match in the genre.

Listen to Cast Down the Heretic or What Can Be Safely Written and tell me this band isn't the epitome of brutality...

Very beautiful Much brutal

Children of Bodom honestly has some of the most complex melodies in each instrument, every one of their band members are amazing at what they do, not just Alexi, even though he's the most famous. They totally deserve to be number one because everything they make sounds AMAZING!

Man that's the best death metal band ever! I mean I heard every time I die 25 times in a row still it does not get old its so awesome! The music the lyrics and everything in the song is so awesome its the best death metal song I'v ever heard!

This band is my favorite death metal band! But my judgement is not bias and clouded. This band plays exceptional masterpiece! They are like hi breed death metal bands, their solos are one of the best! They may not be the most brutal or fierce but they sure ire things and and let headbangers bang! Listen to mask of sanity, evereytime I die, warheart, follow the reaper. It never gets old!

Children of Bodom plays fast and hard. Highly energetic, very entertaining.

Amon Amarth rules... One of my fave bands and they definitely deserve to be higher up this list!

Awesome songs with awesome riffs. And the viking's feel to the music is unique and takes you to the great battles that must have been fought in those ages! Can't get tired of listening to them!

Absolutely the best out there! Amon amarth is established band playing over 20 years and they know how to make best riffs ever.. Johan is natural born singer, drummer and his doubekick - rarely you hear that speed and all of it is glued with fantastic lyrics which brings you to old era of vikings - I believe that this band is playing n future at every home over Xmas.. Well my house is full of Amon Amarth! Spread the word, valhalla awaits us all!

Amon amarth is the best death metal band ever

This band has everything, whether you like grindcore, melodic death metal, death 'n roll, or just straight up death metal, they have it! They're the band that got me into death metal, and they'll always be my favourite

Personally I wouldve chosen either Death or Cannibal Corpse but Carcass also needs some love! You just can't forget about them!

Carcass is definitely in the top 3

the best!

Mind boggling death... Just pure blood... Wow I love behemoth... Behemoth rules

Even though Behemoth is not originally a death metal band. They have great atmosphere in their music, and also has death metal influence in their songs. Also their lyrics is very dark and morbid, powerful and strong.

Behemoth makes really extreme death metal. I must say that I uprated them because of Grom (even though it is actually black metal). Grom in my opinion Behemoth's best album

Behemoth is the preacher of my life

Seven Churches! No comments! The Best ever!

They either need to be #1 or tied with Death for #1. They coined the phrase "death metal" with the song of the same name.

Possessed made death metal; Death just enhanced it.

Seven churches was released two years after scream bloody gore. The coined the term death metal, it should be #2 to my opinion.

Honestly cannot believe that Obituary isn't at least in the top 10. They are one of the most badass old school death metal bands ever. Along with Death, Morbid Angel, and Malevolent creation they practically created death metal. Go listen to Cause of Death and Slowly We Rot and then tell me that Obituary doesn't deserve to be at least in the top 10.

Number one in my mind. No-one sounds like John and their pounding grooves are second to none. Many other bands sound close to the same, but these guys are as original as Death and Sepultura, they deserve to be at least in the top 3.

NOBODY sounds like Obituary and these days they are just a machine in the best sense of the word. Love the old stuff, love the new stuff and dammit if John Tardy isn't about the most instantly recognizable voice in the genre. No easy accomplishment. You don't need blast beats to be arguably the best death metal band out there. They so OWN their sound.

Should be number 2, after death. slowly we rot and cause of death are death metal landmarks! they are masterpieces which cannot be undermined.

All opinions aside, Suffocation basically created "technical death metal" with their EP "Human Waste" and debut album "Effigy of the Forgotten," 1990 and 1991 respectively. Absolutely absurd that Children of Bodom or Amon Amarth could possibly be in top 10, but no Suffocation.

The correct top 10 list should include: Death, Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Cryptopsy, Nile, and Deicide. Any top 10 without them is incorrect.

What! Suffocation should be in top 3... Nothing is more death metal than this band..
Amon amarth? Children of bodom? Yes I like that band.. But in the terms of death metal, maybe not

Lets be honest suffocation and CC are kings of brutal death metal. no top 10 is correct without Death, Possessed, Opeth, Cannibal Corpse, Carcass (kings of grindcore/goregrind, Deicide, Suffocation, Nile, Obituary and of course last but not least a tie between Cryptopsy and Morbid Angel.

There is no way Suffocation shoudn't be within the top ten. This list is obviously receiving too much input from the young pups.

I've gotta say, these guys are perfect matches for each other. They know what to put where and even their lyrics are some of the most meaningful lyrics to ever exist. It shows things from animal cruelty all the way to how stupid people of religion can be (doesn't mean I'm not religious.) And Travis is probably the most talented vocalist I've ever heard. All the way from shrill black metal screeches to raspy cleans to melodic and ear-shattering screams then to a signature low mid that normally drops somewhere in the song all the way to the pits of hell in how low it gets.

These guys are INSANELY talented, and their vocalist Travis Ryan is about one of the most diverse and talented death metal vocalists out there

My all time favorite. Travis Ryan can do it all! A great death growl, high pitched gutturals, deep slam growls, everything. Great lyrics, energy, just an all around great band. - ryanrimmel

They're a very unique band and take death grind to a whole new level. They were the band that got me into extreme metal. - Azerix

How is Necrophagist so damn low? This band's intricate riffs and beats are technically (pun intended) the best I have ever heard. The vocals are nice, the insturmentals are amazing, and no band has ever done or been able to do what they did. We do need that new album, though...

My latest discovery. Necrophagist is one of the coolest tech-death bands I've heard. Easily one of my new favorites - ryanrimmel

Necrophagist is amazing! I wish they would be a little faster with the releases, but you can't rush perfection!

Terrible band. The band that ruined Tech Death. Wanky bull. - ViitalShadow

This Band is awesome! Kataklysm are Magic!

This band is amazing at what they do the guitar work is fierce and fast there astonishing and badasses give them a listen

Saw them live they are one of the best metal bands of all time not just of death metal.

Oh man what this band should be in top 5 or 6

I listened to Death Metal for years and believe me, this band is monster. I have never heard such brutality and seen such talent. In my opinion they dominate in this genre. Mikael mutilated, Peter devoured and Nick grinded. They are the perfect Death Metal band... Not growling unrecognizable like Brutal Death Metal bands and not growling too weak. This is and always will be my favourite band.

Death metal supergroup! What's not to like? These guys can duplicate any school of the genre. They manage to bring out the best parts of all the classic scenes, being it Florida or Sweden. Their latest (last? ) album, "Fathomless mastery", is possibly the greatest death metal album to date.

Listen to the song EATEN by this band people and you will definitely see why I have voted for this band. Be it lyrics, vocal or the music, this band is the most influential band ever.

This band is very underrated, so much melody

One of the greatest death metal bands

My Favorite Death Metal Band by far. This should be in the top ten at least.

Decapitated just knows how to write great death metal!

YEAH! IT'S GOOD BAND! I SWEAR TO YOU! THANK YOU SEPULTURA FOR ALL!
SECONDLY THE SONGS OF SEPULTURA HELPED ME IN EXAMS.
I'd like to set this song in my funeral)))

I'm a huge Sepultura fan, but I never thought of them as death metal. I personally think their just thrash/groove metal. - ryanrimmel

Lyrically they aren't death metal at all, death metal has stuff about murder, dead bodies, necro philia, and is just about anything morbid. But vocally during the max cavalera era they sounded like death metal I'm not so sure about now though because I've personally never listened to it because I love the cavalera era too much.

I thought they were groove. - Metalhead1997

Without Vader we probably wouldn't have Decapitated or Behemoth. These guys defined the Polish death metal sound.

Great Death Metal Band from Poland. Return to the Morbid Reich is my favorite, along with their new single, Triumph of Death. They also did a great cover of Black Sabbath and Raining Blood

The best Polish Death metal band. I have listened to every record and none is poor.

They've been around since 1983. That's so metal.