Top 10 Most Influential Death Metal Bands

You know the sound: ferocious, unapologetic, and designed to push the limits of musical intensity. Behind every mosh pit and headbang-inducing track, there's a lineage of bands that shaped the genre into what it is today. Some of these pioneers helped define the core sound, while others took it in bold new directions, influencing everything from the technical complexity of riffs to the gore-soaked aesthetic of album covers.

When you think about the most influential death metal bands, you're looking at the groups that not only carved out their own space but also inspired others to pick up instruments and push the boundaries even further. These are the bands whose albums made you realize that metal could be heavier, faster, and more extreme than you ever thought possible. They set the blueprint for the genre or completely tore it up and rewrote it in their own image.

The Top Ten

Death

Death was an American death metal band formed in 1983 by Chuck Schuldiner. The band is widely considered one of the most influential in heavy metal and a pioneer of the death metal genre. Their debut album, Scream Bloody Gore, is regarded as the first true death metal record. Death released seven studio... read more

They didn't only define death metal itself, but they also defined some sub-genres too. They pretty much single-handedly created technical death metal (or tech-death, for short), and planted the seed for progressive death metal and melodeath (Crystal Mountain, I'm looking at you).
Chuck Schuldiner is a legend and an awesome metal writer. Death metal is not called like that for anything. They defined almost everything we see in any kind of death metal that came after them, along with being one of the first bands of the genre.

I cannot say for certain if Death truly invented the genre, but Chuck Schuldiner definitely took it, raised it, and molded it into a sound that can be heard in the music of almost every death metal band today, as well as many progressive metal bands drawing influence from Death's later albums.
Possessed

Possessed is an American thrash and death metal band originally formed in 1982 in the San Francisco Bay Area. They are noted for their fast, aggressive playing style and Jeff Becerra's guttural vocals. The band is widely recognized as one of the earliest pioneers of death metal and is often credited... read more

The term death metal came from the Possessed demo Death Metal. Even Chuck Schuldiner was influenced by Possessed and Jeff Becerra.

The original death metal band. They invented the term death metal with their song Death Metal. The band Death did not create the term. The fact that Jeff was shot and still performs in a wheelchair is inspirational in itself.

As much as I like Death, these guys created the genre, so they should be number one.
Morbid Angel

Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida, formed in 1983 by guitarist Trey Azagthoth. They are recognized as pioneers in the genre for their technical compositions, blast beat drumming, and occult-themed lyrics. UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked their 1989 debut album Altars... read more
Carcass

Carcass is a British extreme metal band from Liverpool, formed in 1985. They initially disbanded in 1995 but reunited in 2007. Drummer Ken Owen did not rejoin due to health issues, though the band has continued to release new music since reforming.

Carcass is definitely one of the most influential bands, leaving a huge impact on my playing style and compositions.
Bill Steer is a gentleman, very humble and down-to-earth.
This band is what every death metal artist should look up to. Not just brutality, it's philosophy in their music.

Carcass, I'd say, are the second most influential death metal band because they basically created melodeath and goregrind. Number one goes to Death, obviously!

Huge influence in grind, death metal, and melodic death metal.
Deicide

Deicide is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed in 1987 by guitarist brothers Eric and Brian Hoffman and drummer Steve Asheim. Vocalist and bassist Glen Benton joined shortly after, and the band officially adopted the name Deicide in 1989. Known for their blasphemous and anti-Christian... read more

Deicide is the powerhouse of death metal. Every death metal fan knows Scars of the Crucifix or When Satan Rules His World, right? They're one of the few bands that refuse to conform to society (that alone should make them number one). They have very vulgar music and lyrical themes (which I very much enjoy), and they've sold more albums worldwide than every death metal band out there (except Cannibal Corpse). Glen is a monster vocalist, and Steve is one of the most technical drummers I know of.
Cannibal Corpse

Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band from Buffalo, New York, formed in 1988. They're known for their graphic album covers, violent lyrics, and controversial song titles, such as "I Cum Blood." They gained mainstream exposure with their appearance performing "Hammer Smashed Face" in the 1994... read more

Back when they started, they took the whole genre to a new level by being more brutal than every other death metal band. Don't believe me? Listen to Tomb of the Mutilated and compare it to Human by Death, for example.
Obituary

Obituary is an American death metal band formed in October 1984 in Tampa, Florida. Initially named Executioner, they changed their name to Xecutioner and then to Obituary in 1988. The current lineup includes John Tardy, Donald Tardy, Trevor Peres, and Terry Butler, and they are known for albums like... read more

"Slowly We Rot" is one of the first death metal albums that discussed politics and social issues.
Napalm Death

Napalm Death is a British grindcore and death metal band formed in Meriden, West Midlands, England, in 1981. Although none of the founding members are still in the band, the lineup of Mark "Barney" Greenway, Shane Embury, Mitch Harris, and Danny Herrera has been stable for most of the band's career.... read more
Opeth

Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990 by David Isberg, who invited Mikael Åkerfeldt into the band as a bassist. Isberg ended up leaving the band, which led to Åkerfeldt becoming the band's vocalist, guitarist, principal songwriter, and driving force.... read more

An influential act for progressive death metal. Mikael Åkerfeldt's unique vocal style, combining acoustic rhythmic singing and deep death growls, defined the progdeth genre.

I would place them at #1 on the list of influential progressive death metal bands.

What in hell is Opeth doing above Sepultura and Cannibal Corpse?
Dark Tranquillity

Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1989. They are one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene. Their music features a blend of melodic guitar riffs and growled vocals, and they are considered pioneers of the genre.

Pioneers of melodic death metal, the use of keyboards in death metal was first introduced by them.

Potentially the cleanest and most consistent use of vocal growls in the genre.

The Newcomers

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Behemoth

Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They have been instrumental in establishing and popularizing the Polish extreme metal underground scene.
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Cattle Decapitation

Cattle Decapitation is an American deathgrind band from San Diego, California, formed in 1996. Their music addresses themes such as animal rights, environmental destruction, and misanthropy, often depicting humans in the roles of abused animals. While the band originally had an entirely vegetarian lineup... read more

The Contenders

Autopsy

Autopsy is an American death metal band formed in 1987 in Contra Costa County, California, by drummer and vocalist Chris Reifert and guitarist Eric Cutler. They disbanded in 1995 but reunited in 2009. The band is known for combining doom metal with death metal and has released several influential albums... read more

Their debut album "Severed Survival" influenced the style of many Swedish death metal bands such as Entombed and Grave.

With their first album, not only did they release a death metal album in 1989 alongside Morbid Angel and Obituary, but they also helped to craft the death/doom genre with their sound (though "Severed Survival" was more death metal than death/doom).
At the Gates

At the Gates is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg and a major progenitor of the Gothenburg sound. They gained prominence with their influential 1995 album Slaughter of the Soul, which is considered a landmark in the genre. The band has undergone several breakups and reunions over the... read more
Entombed

Entombed is a Swedish heavy metal band formed in 1987 under the name Nihilist. They were early pioneers of Scandinavian death metal, known for their distinctive "buzzsaw" guitar tone that set them apart from American bands. Their debut album Left Hand Path, released in 1990, is considered a classic in... read more

Influential Swedish death metal band who started the death 'n' roll genre.
In Flames

In Flames is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden, formed in 1990.
Currently active members include Anders Fridén (vocalist), Björn Gelotte (guitarist, formerly drummer), Niclas Engelin (guitarist), and Peter Iwers (bassist). As of 2025, the band features Tanner Wayne as... read more
Dying Fetus

Dying Fetus is an American death metal band from Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Formed in 1991, the band is known for its aggressive style, which includes blast beats, complex riffs, slam riffs, and heavy breakdowns. They are widely regarded as influential in both the brutal death metal and technical death... read more
Suffocation

Suffocation is an American technical death metal band formed in 1988 in Centereach, Long Island, New York. They are regarded as pioneers of the brutal and technical death metal styles. The band has released multiple influential albums since their debut.

All modern deathcore tunes and most technical death metal bands are obviously influenced by Suffocation. They should be at the top of this list.
Sepultura

Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte. Their first album, Morbid Visions, presented a proto black metal sound and featured Wagner Lamounier of Sarcófago. Over the years, their sound has evolved across albums to include elements of thrash metal, groove metal, and death metal.
Atheist

Atheist is a progressive/technical death metal band from Florida, founded in 1984 by drummer Steve Flynn and singer/guitarist Kelly Shaefer. The band is known for incorporating jazz elements into their music. Atheist's debut album, Piece of Time, was released in 1989.

These guys paved the way for tech death and have the most creative song structures and technical musicianship in any band.
Amon Amarth

Amon Amarth is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Tumba, formed in 1992. The band's name is taken from the Sindarin name for Mount Doom in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth mythology. Amon Amarth is known for its Viking-themed lyrics and has released several acclaimed albums, including Twilight of the... read more
Pestilence

Pestilence is a death metal band from the Netherlands founded in 1986. They are known for incorporating jazz and fusion elements into their music, especially on the album Spheres (1993). The band has undergone several breakups and reformations, with founding member Patrick Mameli as the consistent driving... read more
Bolt Thrower

Bolt Thrower were a British death metal band from Coventry, England. Formed in 1986, they released their debut album with Vinyl Solution in 1988. The band later signed with Earache Records, where they became one of the label's best-selling acts.
Edge of Sanity

Edge of Sanity was a Swedish progressive death metal band that, alongside Opeth, is commonly regarded as one of the first to fuse extreme metal styles like death and black metal with progressive rock. Their sound is often described as "Progressive Melodic Death Metal." The band was active from 1989 until... read more
Immolation

Immolation is an American death metal band from Yonkers, New York, United States. Formed in 1986, the band is known for its dark and complex compositions. Immolation has been influential in the development of the New York death metal scene.
Necrophagia
Sarcófago

Sarcófago was an influential Brazilian extreme metal band. The group was co-founded by Wagner Lamounier, Sepultura's original vocalist, and bassist Geraldo Minelli. Known for their raw sound and controversial imagery, Sarcófago played a major role in shaping the early black and death metal scenes.