Have at it people.
I didn't care for much death metal at the time, but the appeal of a lot of it has grown over the years. As a suite I really like the first four Morbid Angel albums, ditto Obituary (who have sailed a steadier ship since).
Deicide never really hit the spot for me. Peak Death might be my favourite of the lot. The first Cynic album is a definite wildcard.
Re: Florida death metal dome.
2I'd rank them:
Death
Morbid Angel
Obituary
Deicide
The latter being the only one that I never cared that much for. Death did great music both pre and post their "tech" era. As much as I like Cynic's Focus I think I still prefer Human, btw. Morbid Angel were the more idiosyncratic of the bunch, and Obituary did the one or two things they did really well, and had a great sound.
Death
Morbid Angel
Obituary
Deicide
The latter being the only one that I never cared that much for. Death did great music both pre and post their "tech" era. As much as I like Cynic's Focus I think I still prefer Human, btw. Morbid Angel were the more idiosyncratic of the bunch, and Obituary did the one or two things they did really well, and had a great sound.
Re: Florida death metal dome.
3All were awesome as fuck at one point, but I think Death had the most lasting impact. In addition to Cynic, I would have included Atheist, Monstrosity, Brutality, and Cannibal Corpse.
We're headed for social anarchy when people start pissing on bookstores.
Re: Florida death metal dome.
4Probably the least technically proficient, but Obituary does that one thing and they do it really fucking well.
Re: Florida death metal dome.
5Ranked:
Morbid Angel
Death
Obituary
Deicide
Death maybe had more strong material but M.A's highs were higher.
Deicide always suffer a bit as everyone rates the debut (which is still very thrashy and messy) and the follow up (which is interesting but not really that coherent) instead of Once Upon the Cross, where they finally combined all the DM techniques with catchy song structures. 4th and 5th records are also enjoyable.
Can't stand Cynic or Atheist.
Morbid Angel
Death
Obituary
Deicide
Death maybe had more strong material but M.A's highs were higher.
Deicide always suffer a bit as everyone rates the debut (which is still very thrashy and messy) and the follow up (which is interesting but not really that coherent) instead of Once Upon the Cross, where they finally combined all the DM techniques with catchy song structures. 4th and 5th records are also enjoyable.
Can't stand Cynic or Atheist.
Re: Florida death metal dome.
6I think Deicide's debut is what Slayer would sound like on some really strong meth. Glen Benton was DM's first cartoon (before Chris Barnes), and I vividly remember his claims that he would commit suicide on stage upon his 33rd birthday.
We're headed for social anarchy when people start pissing on bookstores.
Re: Florida death metal dome.
7Yes, lots early Slayer, Kreator and Dark Angel in the mix for the debut - IMO it's closer to a proto-death / extreme thrash effort where (outside of Asheim's drumming, which is always great) it's a bit mediocre, like their demo material.Krev wrote: Sat Jun 18, 2022 12:21 pm I think Deicide's debut is what Slayer would sound like on some really strong meth. Glen Benton was DM's first cartoon (before Chris Barnes), and I vividly remember his claims that he would commit suicide on stage upon his 33rd birthday.
Benton's theatrics definitely carried them early on (weren't they seen a joke band by their peers at the time? My memory is fading...), but they did make a few great records later.
V. similar trajectory to Cannibal Corpse who got by on the gory cover art / song titles for a few records before really getting it together musically on the 3rd album.
Re: Florida death metal dome.
8Morbid Angel. Gateways and the other one that sounds like it suck, but the first five are untouchable.
I like the first couple Obituary albums, and will always like John Tardy’s voice.
Death were really good through Human, which did the fusion thing more entertainingly than Cynic or Atheist, but the later stuff was pretty limp. I still listen to the first two pretty often.
Cannibal Corpse weren’t that good until the Corpsegrinder era, although they always had one or two great riffs per album. By the time they got their shit together, there were a hundred bands doing the same thing just as well. I’d call Monstrosity the better band by far.
The first Deicide or, better, the Amon demos - that’s an enjoyable romp. Legion is a silly mess of clang bass and other idiotic decisions. The later stuff is acceptable, but nothing about it ever really grabbed me.
Atheist isn’t death metal at all. They had their moments. Certainly moreso than Sadus, Dark Angel or any of that ilk.
I like the first couple Obituary albums, and will always like John Tardy’s voice.
Death were really good through Human, which did the fusion thing more entertainingly than Cynic or Atheist, but the later stuff was pretty limp. I still listen to the first two pretty often.
Cannibal Corpse weren’t that good until the Corpsegrinder era, although they always had one or two great riffs per album. By the time they got their shit together, there were a hundred bands doing the same thing just as well. I’d call Monstrosity the better band by far.
The first Deicide or, better, the Amon demos - that’s an enjoyable romp. Legion is a silly mess of clang bass and other idiotic decisions. The later stuff is acceptable, but nothing about it ever really grabbed me.
Atheist isn’t death metal at all. They had their moments. Certainly moreso than Sadus, Dark Angel or any of that ilk.
Re: Florida death metal dome.
9I think Atheist definitely classified as death metal on the first record. The next two are up for debate, especially Elements. I'll also throw out the first (and latest) Nocturnus records.
John Tardy basically sounds like a 90's hardcore singer now.
John Tardy basically sounds like a 90's hardcore singer now.
We're headed for social anarchy when people start pissing on bookstores.
Re: Florida death metal dome.
10Morbid Angel. They had a brief prime but EASILY the coolest sound with Trey Azagthoth (sp?) having a total unique guitarplaying style with odd-accented riffs and noisy, yet strangely psychedelic solos while Pete Sandoval essentially took the post-Repulsion/Napalm Death blastbeats and techniques from his previous band Terrorizer (who only had demos out by the time he joined MA) and recontextualized the style to a tighter, more "metal compatible" idiom; no earlier death metal actually had that type of drumming but most later stuff (well, the stuff from USA) did; game-changing band.
Death were awesome in the beginning and probably the most "important" in the grand scheme of things though I'd argue that that it's really only the first two albums that were influential across the boards and already by 89, there were other bands that were leading the way. The later, more proggy/Atheist/Cynic (and King Diamond!) inspired stuff is cool but also a bit dry and boring and I hate that Chuck used the same approach to song-structure in pretty much every track after the 80's.
Obituary was essentially mid-80's Celtic Frost riffs with a dude who could puke on command on vocals. Fun band but their more sludgy and "european" sound would have benefitted from a different producer than Scott Burns; they don't sound as raw and heavy on record as they should have done (*LIVE* was a different thing; they should have captured that sound on record)
Deicide, like Cannibal Corpse, I never really took very seriously but the first album is a fun, thrashy blast and "Legion" is strangely twisted and messy with lots of odd time-signature riffs that are played in a total non-proggy/non-technical context. Unfortunately, Scott Burns production was at its worst there with ticking kick-drums and a weak, muffled guitar-sound while the vocals were WAY too loud in the mix (an issue on their debut as well). The albums that followed sounded "Deicide light" to me and the songwriting was too repetetive and "pop" for the sound.
Cannibal corpse was not a florida band but rather a NYC-region band who moved to Florida to jump on the bandwagon. Their first demo from 89 has more in common with the Accused than Morbid Angel and it wasn't until "Butchered at birth" (91) they really had the death metal sound down. Personally, I found them operating in a pointless nomansland between old school, thrashy 80's death metal and the "brutal", 90's Suffocation stuff, their drummer to this day is wrong for the band and I found Chris Barnes vocals terrible while Corpsegrinder has too much of a Post-Anselmo tough guy flavor to his voice...
EDIT:Just saw that Cannibal Corpse wasn't an option, whatever,
Death were awesome in the beginning and probably the most "important" in the grand scheme of things though I'd argue that that it's really only the first two albums that were influential across the boards and already by 89, there were other bands that were leading the way. The later, more proggy/Atheist/Cynic (and King Diamond!) inspired stuff is cool but also a bit dry and boring and I hate that Chuck used the same approach to song-structure in pretty much every track after the 80's.
Obituary was essentially mid-80's Celtic Frost riffs with a dude who could puke on command on vocals. Fun band but their more sludgy and "european" sound would have benefitted from a different producer than Scott Burns; they don't sound as raw and heavy on record as they should have done (*LIVE* was a different thing; they should have captured that sound on record)
Deicide, like Cannibal Corpse, I never really took very seriously but the first album is a fun, thrashy blast and "Legion" is strangely twisted and messy with lots of odd time-signature riffs that are played in a total non-proggy/non-technical context. Unfortunately, Scott Burns production was at its worst there with ticking kick-drums and a weak, muffled guitar-sound while the vocals were WAY too loud in the mix (an issue on their debut as well). The albums that followed sounded "Deicide light" to me and the songwriting was too repetetive and "pop" for the sound.
Cannibal corpse was not a florida band but rather a NYC-region band who moved to Florida to jump on the bandwagon. Their first demo from 89 has more in common with the Accused than Morbid Angel and it wasn't until "Butchered at birth" (91) they really had the death metal sound down. Personally, I found them operating in a pointless nomansland between old school, thrashy 80's death metal and the "brutal", 90's Suffocation stuff, their drummer to this day is wrong for the band and I found Chris Barnes vocals terrible while Corpsegrinder has too much of a Post-Anselmo tough guy flavor to his voice...
EDIT:Just saw that Cannibal Corpse wasn't an option, whatever,