Beginner’s Guide to Metal Genres

DEATH METAL

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FREQUENT TRAITS

• Heavily distorted guitars
• Tremolo picking
• Deep growling vocals
• Blast beat drumming
• Minor keys or atonality
• Complex song structures with multiple tempo changes

HISTORY

• Where it came from
  • Built on thrash metal and early black metal
  • Emerged in the mid 1980s
• Where it is today
  • The genre has diversified, spawning a variety of sub-genres
  • Continues in underground popularity with a dedicated following

BANDS

• MORBID ANGEL
• DEATH
• POSSESSED
• OBITUARY
• BOLT THROWER
• CARCASS
• DEICIDE

SUB-GENRES

• Blackened Death Metal (BEHEMOTH)
• Death ‘n’ roll (SIX FEET UNDER)
• Grindcore (PIG DESTROYER)

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