# Who was the FIRST Death Metal Band?



## Dive-Baum (Jul 9, 2006)

Anyone know? I have been thinking about it today. I am not talking about who the best was / is..who was the first? There had to be someone. We pretty much all agree that Sabbath was the first true Metal band but who has that distinction for DM?

Discuss....


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## zimbloth (Jul 9, 2006)

Hmm... I'm probably wrong, but I can think back to stuff like Carcass in 1987 or so. That's my best guess. I think Morbid Angel came along a bit after.


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## Dive-Baum (Jul 9, 2006)

What about Napalm Death..I was thinking about them as a possibility


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## nyck (Jul 9, 2006)

Death released Scream Bloody Gore in 1987.
Chuck Schuldiner was pretty much the father of death metal I think. He was involved with DM since 1983.


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## bostjan (Jul 9, 2006)

My guesses are either Death (1987) or Possession (1985).

I would not consider Napalm Death. They are pretty heavy into the Grindcore scene.


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## Your Majesty (Jul 9, 2006)

I am going to say *Morbid Angel *because that was the first Death Metal band I was ever introduced too back in the day.


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## D-EJ915 (Jul 9, 2006)

hahaha nevermind, I thought it said who was YOUR first...


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## Your Majesty (Jul 9, 2006)

D-EJ915 said:


> hahaha nevermind, I thought it said who was YOUR first...



LOLLLLLLLLL ...I guess it's safe to say, what's on your mind? Get with the program babe, FIRST DEATH METAL band?


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## zimbloth (Jul 9, 2006)

Doom metal predated all the death metal stuff. I'm guessing people took the dark, detuned elements of mid 80s doom metal, and just combined it with thrash and played it faster, and hence DM was born. That and the singers watching too much Cookie Monster on Sesame St.


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## bostjan (Jul 9, 2006)

I think that's basically the birth of DM, in a nutshell, Nick.


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## nyck (Jul 9, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> That and the singers watching too much Cookie Monster on Sesame St.


lmao!!


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## garcia3441 (Jul 9, 2006)

How about Venom's *'Welcome to Hell'* released in 1981?


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## Naren (Jul 9, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> That and the singers watching too much Cookie Monster on Sesame St.



EXACTLY! The conversation that started death metal, "Hey, Cookie Monster is the man. Wouldn't it be cool if he had a band?" "He'd be an awesome metal singer, dude. Hey, why don't you try that?" "That's a cool idea."


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## zimbloth (Jul 9, 2006)

I guess one day some guy in Denmark somewhere was tazering his pet boar, and then he got an idea to start grindcore.


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## Metal Ken (Jul 9, 2006)

The first Death Metal band is Possessed. they formed in 1983, and released their first full length album in 1985. They coined the term "death metal" to my knowledge, with a song by the same name. Their first demo, in 1984 was titled "Death Metal" as well.

Also worth noting, thier guitar player was Larry LaLonde of Primus fame.
Woth noting also: Joe Satriani produced their EP, "Eyes Of Horror"


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## gojira (Jul 9, 2006)

Metal Ken said:


> The first Death Metal band is Possessed. they formed in 1983, and released their first full length album in 1985. They coined the term "death metal" to my knowledge, with a song by the same name. Their first demo, in 1984 was titled "Death Metal" as well.
> 
> Also worth noting, thier guitar player was Larry LaLonde of Primus fame.
> Woth noting also: Joe Satriani produced their EP, "Eyes Of Horror"



correct

bathory were also around at around the same time


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## Metal Ken (Jul 9, 2006)

Bathory were really cool but their direction at the time was being faster and heavier than Motorhead.


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## angryman (Jul 9, 2006)

What about MASTER, i think they pre-dated Possessed, I'm not entirely sure tho.


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## Pauly (Jul 9, 2006)

Metal Ken said:


> The first Death Metal band is Possessed. they formed in 1983, and released their first full length album in 1985. They coined the term "death metal" to my knowledge, with a song by the same name. Their first demo, in 1984 was titled "Death Metal" as well.
> 
> Also worth noting, thier guitar player was Larry LaLonde of Primus fame.
> Woth noting also: Joe Satriani produced their EP, "Eyes Of Horror"



This is generally regarded by general metal trivia concensus as true. Didn't know about the Satch thing though, interesting.


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## LordOVchaoS (Jul 9, 2006)

Metal Ken said:


> The first Death Metal band is Possessed. they formed in 1983, and released their first full length album in 1985. They coined the term "death metal" to my knowledge, with a song by the same name. Their first demo, in 1984 was titled "Death Metal" as well.
> 
> Also worth noting, thier guitar player was Larry LaLonde of Primus fame.
> Woth noting also: Joe Satriani produced their EP, "Eyes Of Horror"



You are correct sir  next up would have to be Morbid Angel's not-so-well-known "Abominations of Desolation" released in 1986.



Metal Ken said:


> Bathory were really cool but their direction at the time was being faster and heavier than Motorhead.



IMO, Bathory were large contributors to black metal but had very little to do with death metal.


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## Drew (Jul 9, 2006)

Metal Ken said:


> The first Death Metal band is Possessed. they formed in 1983, and released their first full length album in 1985. They coined the term "death metal" to my knowledge, with a song by the same name. Their first demo, in 1984 was titled "Death Metal" as well.
> 
> Also worth noting, thier guitar player was Larry LaLonde of Primus fame.
> Woth noting also: Joe Satriani produced their EP, "Eyes Of Horror"



Hahaha, that's awesome. I'd LOVE to hear his thoughts on that experience...


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## JJ Rodriguez (Jul 9, 2006)

Now that the first death metal band is revealed, MY first DM band, was Cannibal Corpse. Stripped, Raped and Strangled got me hooked.


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## Nats (Jul 9, 2006)

the band that had Larry Lalonde in it


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## distressed_romeo (Jul 9, 2006)

I'd say Death, just because if you start dragging in Venom and the grindcore bands it all becomes a little convoluted. Death were the ones who really crystalised and defined the genre in concrete terms.
In terms of my first...Morbid Angel. The solo on 'Rapture' made my head spin the first time I heard it.



Nats said:


> the band that had Larry Lalonde in it



That would be Possessed.


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## Vegetta (Jul 9, 2006)

garcia3441 said:


> How about Venom's *'Welcome to Hell'* released in 1981?




That is my Guess as well


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## eaeolian (Jul 9, 2006)

Death was originally just conisdered thrash, as were Possessed. At the time, the first band I actually recall the "Death Metal" tag being used heavily on was Sepultura, believe it or not. Possessed is definitely one of the progenitors, since the seperation was originally just the vocal style, with the low grunting/growling making it death metal, and Possessed were really the first to do that.

Larry was one of Joe's students, which is how he ended up doing "The Eyes of Horror". Larry also went on to do one album with the infamous Blind Illusion, which is where he and Les met and started Primus.

The first album I can think of that sounded like "modern" death metal, though, was the first Morbid Angel album - although an argument could be made for Deathstrike/Master, and Death's "Spirtual Healing", the first MA was really the one that combined the grindcore ideas of blasting and extreme speed with thrash-ish complex riffing.


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## zimbloth (Jul 9, 2006)

All that matters is Nile perfected it


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## Unknown Doodl3.2 (Jul 9, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> All that matters is Nile perfected it



+1 to that haha


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## Cancer (Jul 9, 2006)

nyck said:


> Death released Scream Bloody Gore in 1987.
> Chuck Schuldiner was pretty much the father of death metal I think. He was involved with DM since 1983.




+1



Metal Ken said:


> The first Death Metal band is Possessed. they formed in 1983, and released their first full length album in 1985. They coined the term "death metal" to my knowledge, with a song by the same name. Their first demo, in 1984 was titled "Death Metal" as well.
> 
> Also worth noting, thier guitar player was Larry LaLonde of Primus fame.
> Woth noting also: Joe Satriani produced their EP, "Eyes Of Horror"




Wow, I actually forgot about Possessed, I still have a copy of Seven Churhces around here somewhere, which yes, I did buy before Death. For a band that was literally shit on a stick, Seven Churches did have its moments, the song "The Exorcist" being a particularly fun jam.

Apparently Cannibal Corpse agreed, as they would later go on to cover of "The Exorcist" making a mockery out the original.... Good times.


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## bostjan (Jul 9, 2006)

Ahem, I mentioned Possessed on page one of this thread.

It's always hard to say who was "the first," though. I'd say that Possessed and Death set the roots of the genre in the mid eighties, then Atheist and Cynic took the genre into the technical direction. There are a lot of other important bands in the history, as well.


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## Dive-Baum (Jul 9, 2006)

Metal Ken said:


> The first Death Metal band is Possessed. they formed in 1983, and released their first full length album in 1985. They coined the term "death metal" to my knowledge, with a song by the same name. Their first demo, in 1984 was titled "Death Metal" as well.
> 
> Also worth noting, thier guitar player was Larry LaLonde of Primus fame.
> Woth noting also: Joe Satriani produced their EP, "Eyes Of Horror"




Works for me but you can't credit who coined the phrase for that reason alone. It was Stepenwolf who coined the phrase Heavy Metal but I sure as shit wouldn't call them the first Heavy Metal band. 
I had a feeling that this would be a convolouted question as genres of music tend to form at once and there is seldom a missing link to the new type


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## Metal Ken (Jul 9, 2006)

eaeolian said:


> Larry was one of Joe's students, which is how he ended up doing "The Eyes of Horror". Larry also went on to do one album with the infamous Blind Illusion, which is where he and Les met and started Primus.




Sane Asylum \m/

If Les and Larry still made music like that, i'd be a Primus fan, lol. 



LordOVchaoS said:


> You are correct sir  next up would have to be Morbid Angel's not-so-well-known "Abominations of Desolation" released in 1986.
> 
> IMO, Bathory were large contributors to black metal but had very little to do with death metal.



Yep, i got that. It rules pretty hard. Hard to believe they came up with shit like Chapel of Ghouls and Angel of Disease all the way back in 1985-6. 
I agree with you on Bathory, for the record, btw. 




Dive-Baum said:


> Works for me but you can't credit who coined the phrase for that reason alone. It was Stepenwolf who coined the phrase Heavy Metal but I sure as shit wouldn't call them the first Heavy Metal band.
> I had a feeling that this would be a convolouted question as genres of music tend to form at once and there is seldom a missing link to the new type



I wasn't, entirely. They still put out the first death metal record ;p


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## Shawn (Jul 9, 2006)

nyck said:


> Death released Scream Bloody Gore in 1987.
> Chuck Schuldiner was pretty much the father of death metal I think. He was involved with DM since 1983.


 I've always thought of that album being the first death metal album to ever come out, but i'm sure there were bands doing it before them, the underground scene throughout the US, etc...

*Obituary's Cause Of Death *was the first death metal album I ever bought, I was already listening to Sepultura at the time in early 1992. Morbid Angel became my favorite band in 1993 throughout 1995 along with Suffocation, Immolation, etc. I was huge into death metal from '92 to even now, although I listen to various types of music about the same.


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## Metal Ken (Jul 9, 2006)

Its been too long and i've bought too many CDs to remember what my FIRST death metal album was.. i think it was probably the first Deicide record or Sound of Perserverance from Death. Testament's The Gathering is the album that let me get 'into' death metal vox, cause even though the album isnt truely a death metal disc, there's death metal vox in a lot of parts.


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## Shawn (Jul 9, 2006)

Metal Ken said:


> Its been too long and i've bought too many CDs to remember what my FIRST death metal album was.. i think it was probably the first Deicide record or Sound of Perserverance from Death. Testament's The Gathering is the album that let me get 'into' death metal vox, cause even though the album isnt truely a death metal disc, there's death metal vox in a lot of parts.


I remember the first time I heard these two albums, I said to myself that you couldn't get any heavier or more evil than this. 












However, shortly after Legion came out, I stopped listening to Deicide for some odd reason, it could be that I was more impressed with Suffocation.


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## Metal Ken (Jul 9, 2006)

Really? you need to get once upon the cross from deicide, it came out after Legion and totally is just as badass. Of course, everything they've done aside from Inseniratehymn and In Tormnet In Hell RULES. SCars Of the Crucifix is awesome as well.


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## Shawn (Jul 9, 2006)

Metal Ken said:


> Really? you need to get once upon the cross from deicide, it came out after Legion and totally is just as badass. Of course, everything they've done aside from Inseniratehymn and In Tormnet In Hell RULES. SCars Of the Crucifix is awesome as well.


 Actually, I heard Once Upon The Cross many times and remember liking it, a guy I was in a band with at the time, played it constantly, I just never went out and bought it or any of their albums after Legion.


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## Metal Ken (Jul 9, 2006)

oh, i see. lol.
Once upon The Cross has a couple of my all time fav. Deicide songs, Christ Denied and When Satan Rules His world (one of the catchiest Deicide songs ever)


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## Shawn (Jul 9, 2006)

My favorite Deicide song will always be Lunatic Of Gods Creation. \m/


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## Metal Ken (Jul 9, 2006)

Totally badass song.. if i had to pick ONE deicide song ... It would be Serpents of the Light.


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## The Dark Wolf (Jul 10, 2006)

Metal Ken said:


> oh, i see. lol.
> Once upon The Cross has a couple of my all time fav. Deicide songs, Christ Denied and When Satan Rules His world (one of the catchiest Deicide songs ever)


+1 Favorite Deicide album. This is the shit that made me like Deicide.


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## Loomer (Jul 10, 2006)

Historically, as I see it Death were the band that make the genre take off, along with Morbid Angel. So they're not exactly the innovators of it, but still great, great pioneers within it.

But then again, don't Entombed have some major part in it too?!


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## metalrod (Jul 10, 2006)

Death would be the first "Death" metal band hence the name of the genre...


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## Dive-Baum (Jul 12, 2006)

The Dark Wolf said:


> +1 Favorite Deicide album. This is the shit that made me like Deicide.



I don't know about the catchiest song. I would have to go with the song Deicide for that one.


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## Akerfeldtfan (Dec 7, 2008)

Mmm i believe the first ever DM band title is held by Opeth and maybe At The Gates,1984.

They weren't that big,only starting out but to me they created the genre. =)


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## ZeroSignal (Dec 7, 2008)

Akerfeldtfan said:


> Mmm i believe the first ever DM band title is held by Opeth and maybe At The Gates,1984.
> 
> They weren't that big,only starting out but to me they created the genre. =)



Dude, why the hell did you bump a 2 year old thread.


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## JJ Rodriguez (Dec 7, 2008)

To give wrong information at that. metal-archives.com lists both those bands as having formed in 1990, and I'm inclined to believe them. I'd say Possessed are probably one of the first "real" death metal bands, they formed in 1983. It's like the age old argument of the "first" metal band. I don't think genre's really have a "first" band, they just kind evolve through people hearing a certain sound, adding to it, and it goes from there.


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## Alex-D33 (Dec 7, 2008)

BoltThrower !!!! \m/....


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## lefty robb (Dec 7, 2008)

Akerfeldtfan said:


> Mmm i believe the first ever DM band title is held by Opeth






Opeth didn't form until 1990, and &#197;kerfeldt was a whopping 10 years old is 1984 ..That is perhaps the dumbest post I have ever read..


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## Harry (Dec 7, 2008)

JJ Rodriguez said:


> To give wrong information at that. metal-archives.com lists both those bands as having formed in 1990, and I'm inclined to believe them. I'd say Possessed are probably one of the first "real" death metal bands, they formed in 1983. It's like the age old argument of the "first" metal band. I don't think genre's really have a "first" band, they just kind evolve through people hearing a certain sound, adding to it, and it goes from there.


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## Unknown Doodl3.2 (Dec 7, 2008)

[email protected] thread bump


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## Naren (Dec 7, 2008)

Akerfeldtfan said:


> Mmm i believe the first ever DM band title is held by Opeth and maybe At The Gates,1984.
> 
> They weren't that big,only starting out but to me they created the genre. =)



 I have to think you're joking. I'm a big fan of both of those bands, but they aren't ANYWHERE near the beginning of death metal. 

Just so you know, death metal was created in the United States (Florida and California) before the Scandinavian death metal scene even started (with bands such as Entombed, but even then their first album came out in 1990).

Seeing as Opeth's first album came out in 1995...  (At The Gates' first was 1992), I think you're just naming your two favorite bands and claiming they are the originators of the genre...


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## daemon barbeque (Dec 7, 2008)

What about Dark Angel?
I would say that Death ,Possesed ,Dark Angel and Morbid Angel are the Gods of this Genre.
Death is more "metal" where Morbid angel is more "brutal and dark" side of the coin.

Dark Angel is definetly the twighlight zone between thrash and technical death metal.


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## teelguitars (Dec 7, 2008)

Possesed, they didn't call it death metal, but they didn't call Alice in Chains grunge when they came out either.


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## JJ Rodriguez (Dec 8, 2008)

Really? 

EDIT: Fuck, video isn't working. Anyways, they did have a song on Seven Churches named "Death Metal". I guess it's a toss up between them and Death for who actually named the genre


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## GuitarG2 (Dec 8, 2008)

Akerfeldtfan said:


> Mmm i believe the first ever DM band title is held by Opeth and maybe At The Gates,1984.
> 
> They weren't that big,only starting out but to me they created the genre. =)


 
BEST FIRST POST EVAR!


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## E Lucevan Le Stelle (Dec 9, 2008)

I'd say Death or Morbid Angel... Possessed, despite the "Death Metal" EP/song, were just thrash with heavier vocals IMO. It was definitely the first Morbid Angel stuff that was really "deathy" though.


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## Mattmc74 (Dec 9, 2008)

Morbid Angel!


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## lastczarnian (Dec 9, 2008)

nyck said:


> Death released Scream Bloody Gore in 1987.
> Chuck Schuldiner was pretty much the father of death metal I think. He was involved with DM since 1983.


 
Totally agree. Chuck was death metal before anyone even thought of it.


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## MaxOfMetal (Dec 9, 2008)

I understand wanting to know the history and roots of the genre, but personally I don't really care who did it first. I care who did it right.


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## JJ Rodriguez (Dec 9, 2008)

E Lucevan Le Stelle said:


> I'd say Death or Morbid Angel... Possessed, despite the "Death Metal" EP/song, were just thrash with heavier vocals IMO. It was definitely the first Morbid Angel stuff that was really "deathy" though.



Well, it could be like Venom with "Black Metal", they're just a NWOBHM band with satanic themes, but everyone credits them with creating black metal, whether or not the current incarnation is anything at all like them 

As a side note, anyone ever see that video with Pete Sandoval fucked out of his tree (drugs or booze, not sure) and he claims to have invented the blast beat? Anyone have any thoughts on that? I thought there was a band before them using them.


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## zimbloth (Dec 9, 2008)

MAKE THEM SUFFER! MAKE THEM SUFFER! *FOREVER!*


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## dooredge (Dec 10, 2008)

There's some good relevant information here: Death metal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Schuldiner is/was the man.


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## stuz719 (Dec 10, 2008)

garcia3441 said:


> How about Venom's *'Welcome to Hell'* released in 1981?





I remember when there was no such thing as "thrash metal", it was all just called "death metal"...

But then I am old!


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## mizfi7 (Dec 10, 2008)

i think it was mudvayne i was like 12 or 13 then.


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## oompa (Dec 10, 2008)

distressed_romeo said:


> Death were the ones who really crystalised and defined the genre in concrete terms.



 its simple. playing Death-style metal is playing death-metal


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## assfreely (Dec 10, 2008)

Then Suffocation came along and changed everything....


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## JeddyH (Dec 10, 2008)

I always through Death was the first until I heard Possessed, Seven Churches defiantly has Death Metal elements but not as strong as Scream Bloody Gore, of course all of this is IMO


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## Euthanasia (Dec 12, 2008)

Death or Possessed, 1984.


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## jymellis (Dec 12, 2008)

kiss. spit blood, played with distortion, wore spikes, black and white makeup. or are we talking about the music? their image was as metal as it gets. their music was just weak lol.


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## Colton165 (Dec 12, 2008)

Death/Posessed


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## AeonSolus (Dec 12, 2008)

The beatles.


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## cyril v (Dec 12, 2008)

I'd say 'Master' or 'Possessed'... didn't read thread, slap me if i'm wrong. maybe 'Death', I'm sure there were bands that were making the music before that maybe aren't as popular.


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## Triple-J (Dec 12, 2008)

Wagner


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## jasonleemoody (Jan 15, 2009)

It was Venom!!!!

It was Possessed, the guitarist later formed Primus, also next was Celtic Frost, Slayer and Destruction. Then a few years later came Carcass and Death!

First was Venom, then came Possessed, Celtic Frost and Slayer plus a few more. Carcass and Chuck came later. In 1987, I was a Death Metal Drummer. In the mid to late 80s came bands like Wehrmacht and Napalm Death,,,that was known as Grind Core.

It was known as Black Metal, the ones after brought speed to the black metal so it then became known as Death Metal.

Came from the punk rock genre from bands such as COC, GBH, Discharge. Exploited. Raw Power, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag and more.


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## MFB (Jan 15, 2009)

Venom was the first black metal band, Death/Possessed were both around in '83 but Death didn't really break out till what '87?

I'd say this one goes to Possessed for putting out an album first (1985)


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## jasonleemoody (Jan 15, 2009)

Came Kreator and Sodom in the mid 80s. This transition was not alone, there was a transition from Metal to Thrash Metal as well during the other that was also influenced by the punk bands I listed, Those first bands were Metallica and Exodus, both from the Bay Area where I went to high school. The common denominator of the two transitions??? They both were influenced by Punk and Hardcore music. With out Punk and Hardcore, Thrash Metal and Death Metal would not exist. If you disagree, look at the back of the old Slayer and Metallica records,,,they are wearing COC shirts and Dead Kennedy shirts.

And Discharge shirts!!


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## Naren (Jan 15, 2009)

jasonleemoody said:


> Came Kreator and Sodom in the mid 80s. This transition was not alone, there was a transition from Metal to Thrash Metal as well during the other that was also influenced by the punk bands I listed, Those first bands were Metallica and Exodus, both from the Bay Area where I went to high school. The common denominator of the two transitions??? They both were influenced by Punk and Hardcore music. With out Punk and Hardcore, Thrash Metal and Death Metal would not exist. If you disagree, look at the back of the old Slayer and Metallica records,,,they are wearing COC shirts and Dead Kennedy shirts.
> 
> And Discharge shirts!!



I don't think that anyone's disagreeing with you that without punk and hardcore, thrash metal wouldn't exist. But Metallica, Exodus, Kreator, Sodom, Slayer, and so on are all thrash bands, not death metal bands.


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## jasonleemoody (Jan 15, 2009)

What confuses people is the mohawk and the long hair.


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## Naren (Jan 15, 2009)

jasonleemoody said:


> What confuses people is the mohawk and the long hair.



 Confuses people about what? What are you talking about?


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## JaxoBuzzo (Jan 15, 2009)

Dethklok.They've been around since the dark ages,living in the ocean in their under water lair filled with fish guts and mermaids with broken highmans,anxiously awaiting the time for them to re=surface and conquer!!!


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## CrushingAnvil (Jan 16, 2009)

zimbloth said:


> Hmm... I'm probably wrong, but I can think back to stuff like Carcass in 1987 or so. That's my best guess. I think Morbid Angel came along a bit after.



Fear Not Sir Zim, I do not quote thee in spite, I quote thee in tr00th! Morbid Angel were formed in about 1983 and released Altars of Madness In 1988. Possessed were Formed in 1983 and Death was a bit after that.

OP, I think your answer is Possessed AND Morbid Angel

when most people think of Death Metal they think of Cannibal Corpse, who formed in 1988 and released 'Eaten Back To Life' in 1990. CC really just commercialised Death Metal, but they didn't ruin it - thank god.

Too bad you didn't ask who the best was cause I'd say Morbid Angel hands down 

Hope I've been helpfull!

+ Technically the first Death Metal album was 'Abominations Of Desolation' from Morbid Angel in 1986.

So there you go!



Metal Ken said:


> Bathory were really cool but their direction at the time was being faster and heavier than Motorhead.



I can't remember which band, Bathory or Celtic frost admitted to basically devoting the band to being faster and heavier than Venom


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## Tombinator (Jan 16, 2009)

Metal Ken said:


> The first Death Metal band is Possessed. they formed in 1983, and released their first full length album in 1985. They coined the term "death metal" to my knowledge, with a song by the same name. Their first demo, in 1984 was titled "Death Metal" as well.
> 
> Also worth noting, thier guitar player was Larry LaLonde of Primus fame.
> Woth noting also: Joe Satriani produced their EP, "Eyes Of Horror"



On target...


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## DDDorian (Jan 16, 2009)

It's a bit of a melting pot, really. Trey Azagthoth always said Morbid Angel came about by him wanting to mix the aggressiveness of Slayer with the intricacy and mood of Mercyful Fate, which always made sense to me. The growly stuff evolved from stuff like Bathory, Hellhammer and Venom who were mostly just doing bad Lemmy impressions

The first release I could comfortably call "death metal" is probably the first Sodom EP. They re-recorded it with a ton of unreleased tracks from that era a year or so ago and it actually turned out quite well, check if out if you're interested


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## Hypothermia (Jan 16, 2009)

Entombed and Dismember was pretty early, right?


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## Wisdom (Jan 16, 2009)

Possessed, Death, and Morbid Angel were formed in 1983, making them the originators.


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## EliNoPants (Jan 16, 2009)

it's called DEATH metal for a reason...Chuck Schuldiner was pretty much the best thing to happen to guitar since like, Hendrix

i'm also drunk, but i'm pretty sure this vote will stand once i sober up, i mean, i love me some Morbid Angel and have huge respect for alot of the other bands from the era, but really, Death defined, redefinied, and then defied Death Metal all within just 11 years between official releases of Scream Bloody Gore and Sound of Perseverance

i can't think of a greater loss to the musical community in...really, like...honestly, all the way back to Hendrix choking in '70

if i'm missing another amazing guitarist dying in that time, feel free to inform me, but not even Randy Rhoads developed the kind of technique combined with pure expression that Schuldiner did IMHO


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## Dusty201087 (Jan 16, 2009)

I'd say Death. Chuck is considered "the father of Death Metal", so that tips me off, but honestly I don't listen to a lot of Death metal. Love Death (the band) though


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## shredzilla509 (Jan 20, 2009)

although they did'nt set the trend, I think alot if the musical progressions came from Pantera, like the whole Idea of breakdowns, and painful screams, 
but for sure the whole pig squeels and highs to lows vocal and whole-tone shreding came from the classic death shredder bands like Death, Venom, etc.



JaxoBuzzo said:


> Dethklok.They've been around since the dark ages,living in the ocean in their under water lair filled with fish guts and mermaids with broken highmans,anxiously awaiting the time for them to re=surface and conquer!!!


 
Hymen? maybe, I dunno.


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## Naren (Jan 20, 2009)

shredzilla509 said:


> although they did'nt set the trend, I think alot if the musical progressions came from Pantera, like the whole Idea of breakdowns, and painful screams,
> but for sure the whole pig squeels and highs to lows vocal and whole-tone shreding came from the classic death shredder bands like Death, Venom, etc.



 Ohhhhhhhhkayyyyy. You clearly don't know what you're talking about. So why post?

First of all, Pantera were not death metal... And had no elements of death metal whatsoever on any of their albums.

Breakdowns? Very few death metal bands use (or used) breakdowns, but I can think of some that did way before Pantera -- as well as some grindcore bands as well. 

Painful screams? I love Pantera, but his screams are not "painful" at all compared to a lot of the death metal bands that came before them (and Pantera wasn't even death metal).

Shredding, pig squeals, and low to high came from Venom and Death? Venom had zero shredding, no pig squeals, and all the vocals were pretty much mid-range (have you ever even listened to Venom? They were a NWOBH/black metal band). Death had no pig squeals and no low death vocals. And while they had a lot of solos, they couldn't be considered a "shredder band." 

Pantera were very influential on groove metal, crossover metal (crossover thrash, etc.), alternative metal, metalcore, a lot of mainstream metal, and so on, but you don't really see any of their influence anywhere in death metal. And, while their first album came out around the same time that death metal first started, they were playing glam rock/power metal with falsetto vocals and melodic glam riffage. By the time Cowboys From Hell came out, there were already tons of established death metal bands (none of which sounded anything like Pantera since Cowboys From Hell sounded like groovy thrash with power metal elements).


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## MFB (Jan 20, 2009)

Naren said:


> Painful screams? I love Pantera, but his screams are not "painful" at all compared to a lot of the death metal bands that came before them (and Pantera wasn't even death metal).



This is the one thing I disagree on, mainly because the ending of Cemetary Gates

But thats just me, everything else


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## amonb (Jan 20, 2009)

nyck said:


> Death released Scream Bloody Gore in 1987.
> Chuck Schuldiner was pretty much the father of death metal I think. He was involved with DM since 1983.







MFB said:


> ...mainly because the ending of Cemetary Gates



I always considered that, and Phil's performance on that record, to be more Judas Priest inspired myself...


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## Naren (Jan 20, 2009)

amonb said:


> I always considered that, and Phil's performance on that record, to be more Judas Priest inspired myself...



 Exactly. I love Pantera, but there is really zero influence from death metal bands in there. You hear a lot of influence from thrash bands like Slayer and early Metallica and a lot of power metal, glam rock, and classic metal influence in there as well (like Judas Priest and KISS).


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## LadyKiller (Feb 16, 2009)

My first was Morbid Angel.... and they are still THE best (although heretic was the purest shit)


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## Panterica (Feb 16, 2009)

garcia3441 said:


> How about Venom's *'Welcome to Hell'* released in 1981?



technically Black Metal.


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## MarcoM (Feb 20, 2009)

pig destroyer


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## Warpspasm (May 22, 2009)

Mantas! (Death), Possessed, Slayer, Mortal Sin, Sadistik Exekution, Hobbs' Angel of Death, Martire... here was no single first, but a collective of bands that we're pushing boundaries of a form of music that was to evolve.
(many of these bands were called Death Metal / Thrash / Speed Metal, depended on the marketing) Some may not agree as but you weren't even born, so context is hard to consider. Think about it Reign in Blood was very heavy and fast and "deathy". What else came out then to compare to?


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## ZeroSignal (May 22, 2009)

Warpspasm said:


> Mantas! (Death), Possessed, Slayer, Mortal Sin, Sadistik Exekution, Hobbs' Angel of Death, Martire... here was no single first, but a collective of bands that we're pushing boundaries of a form of music that was to evolve.
> (many of these bands were called Death Metal / Thrash / Speed Metal, depended on the marketing) Some may not agree as but you weren't even born, so context is hard to consider. Think about it Reign in Blood was very heavy and fast and "deathy". What else came out then to compare to?



Protip: Don't bump threads...


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## Scar Symmetry (Jun 22, 2009)

it's very hard to define which band was the 'first' death metal band or the 'first' black metal band as these are genres. genres are a style of music played by more than one band, making it a scene, so more than one band is required to make the genre valid.

it could be argued that Death, Venom, Morbid Angel, Possessed and Hellhammer all 'started' death metal but most of us were not alive when this happened. if forced into a choice I would say it was Death, but it was probably much more of a team effort between the bands.


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## 777timesgod (Jun 22, 2009)

MarcoM said:


> pig destroyer



More grindcore than death and i dont think they are that old. Death are considered the first ''real'' death metal band but Chuck Schuldiner never liked the term "father of death metal". 
He used to say that he was influenced by other death metal bands before him. The best guitarist in death metal was modest, so most idiots that play death today should use him as an example in humility...


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## Yoshi (Jun 22, 2009)

I'd say that it was more Possessed than Chuck...I think Mantas was a Thrash Metal band at first...

Also is it me or does Death borderline Thrash metal at times...especially in Scavenger of Human Sorrow.


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## Scar Symmetry (Jun 22, 2009)

Death definitely borderlines Thrash as we know it today, but back in the 80s the lines between black, death and thrash were _very_ thin.


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## Yoshi (Jun 22, 2009)

Scar Symmetry said:


> Death definitely borderlines Thrash as we know it today, but back in the 80s the lines between black, death and thrash were _very_ thin.



I think the bands the defined the genre rather than "invented" it are more important. Deicide, Death, Possessed, Morbid Angel, Obituary and Cannibal Corpse were the bands that helped push Death Metal to where it is today...It's just a shame that all the ideologies that they embraced are lost on most fans today...


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## Metal Ken (Jun 22, 2009)

Scar Symmetry said:


> Death definitely borderlines Thrash as we know it today, but back in the 80s the lines between black, death and thrash were _very_ thin.



Dont tell that to the norwegian black metal dudes circa 1994.


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## Meldville (Jun 22, 2009)

Possessed 

/thread


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## Scar Symmetry (Jun 22, 2009)

Metal Ken said:


> Dont tell that to the norwegian black metal dudes circa 1994.



that's why I said 80s 

I'm talking about stuff like Venom, Celtic Frost and early Bathory, basically thrash with lyrics about Satan, and stuff like Hellhammer which was both black and death metal.

when Norway got involved things became a lot different.


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## Yoshi (Jun 22, 2009)

I thought Venom was a NWOBHM band...


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## Unknown Doodl3.2 (Jun 22, 2009)

I'd probably say Possessed or Morbid Angel.



LadyKiller said:


> My first was Morbid Angel.... and they are still THE best (although heretic was the purest shit)



Why does that album get so much hate? The production? It's got a fucking evil vibe \m/


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## MFB (Jun 22, 2009)

Going chronologically to make someone the FIRST death metal band, Possessed wins due to both Possessed and Death (at the time Mantas) forming in 1983, but Possessed released _Seven Churches _in 1985 before Death put out _Scream, Bloody Gore_ in 1987

/thread


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## Scar Symmetry (Jun 22, 2009)

Yoshi said:


> I thought Venom was a NWOBHM band...



well sort of yeah, but Venom are considered to be the first Black Metal band in the way that Death are considered to be the first Death Metal band. it's debatable, but people involved with the scene generally respect that they were the 'godfathers' of the scene.


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## Metal Ken (Jun 22, 2009)

Scar Symmetry said:


> that's why I said 80s
> 
> I'm talking about stuff like Venom, Celtic Frost and early Bathory, basically thrash with lyrics about Satan, and stuff like Hellhammer which was both black and death metal.
> 
> when Norway got involved things became a lot different.



you should read Lords of Chaos and see how most black metal dudes regarded death metal  Its funny, really.


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## Scar Symmetry (Jun 22, 2009)

I've been recommended that book, but I've never been much of a reader.

I'm one of those guys who, when reading to a book, can't remember what he's just read when it gets to the end of the page


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## Meldville (Jun 25, 2009)

Metal Ken said:


> you should read Lords of Chaos and see how most black metal dudes regarded death metal  Its funny, really.



Definitely a good read  Another good one is Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore


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## DslDwg (Jun 25, 2009)

As one of the older dudes around here - and someone who grew up in the bay area during the birth of the "Bay Area Thrash" scene. My recollection is that we didn't break these classifications down this far. Basically it was Metal (Priest, Maiden, Mercyful Fate etc.) or it was Thrash (Metallica, Exodus, Possessed, Testament, Kreator). I remember starting to call some bands speed metal - which typically meant fast music with cleaner vocals (early Helloween, Flotsam and Jetsam etc.). I don't remember anyone talking about Thrash, Death, Black metal until much later.

I think Possessed and Death probably were the early bands doing what we now know/classify as Death Metal I just don't remember calling them anything but thrash back in the day.


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## Variant (Jun 25, 2009)

^
It was evolution for sure, same could be said for early Sepultura, and even Slayer to some extent... but the roots were seeded in those bands and and it evolved from there. 

*Variant is also an 'old fart'.


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## Imdeathcore (Jun 26, 2009)

DEATH


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## Gamba (Jun 26, 2009)

Metal Ken said:


> you should read Lords of Chaos and see how most black metal dudes regarded death metal  Its funny, really.


That is a pretty cool book, there is another one for death metal called "choosing death" I think.
Regarding the death metal thing, as far as I know they started to call death metal death metal after the seven churches album "death metal"...


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## snuif09 (Jun 26, 2009)

DEFINATLY death, possesed just sounds like venom death metal sounds like a copy from venoms black metal...

listen to this song its from deaths demo death by metal this had to be so disturbing for its time the screams the growls the speed its sick i wasnt born back then but this stuff is sweet.


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## Zoltta (Jun 26, 2009)

idk i still think early sepultura layed down the law for alot of metal today. By early i mean anywhere from Morbid visions era ('86) to Arise ('90)


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## Metal Ken (Jun 26, 2009)

snuif09 said:


> DEFINATLY death, possesed just sounds like venom death metal sounds like a copy from venoms black metal...



Possessed is much faster and tighter than Venom ever was. Venom was way more raw, stripped down and attitude oriented.


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## snuif09 (Jun 26, 2009)

but still possesed doesnt sound like death metal and yea you can say it lay the roots but eventually wagner or whatever laid the roots too.

that death demo really sounds like death metal possesed sounds like thrash on steriods not bad but its not death to my ears.


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## metal_head666 (Jun 27, 2009)

Possessed is generally considered the "original" death metal band. Chuck Schuldiner heard the Seven Churches Demo and said "This is the direction we need to go". Also: Death metal (at least early) was "extreme" thrash.


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## snuif09 (Jun 28, 2009)

aah that makes sense 

soo i think the conclusion is Possesd and death cause you cant really pick one band i think


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## hufschmid (Jun 28, 2009)

from my memory, one of the very very first death metal bands to go into extrême vocals was MORTIFICATION... lol I was a teenager!!!


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## Pseudonymity (Jun 29, 2009)

I've been wondering at what point the deeper growling type vocals started to appear. Lately, I've been listening to more of the earlier DM bands, and a lot of the vocals are much higher pitched than the "cookie monster" style I've come to associate with the genre. In fact, when I first heard Death's stuff a while back, I didn't know why it was classified as DM, as I was stupid and just assumed all death metal had to have the low pitched vocals.

But yeah, very early DM is probably too close/indistinguishable from thrash to really draw the line anywhere.


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## opethhead (Aug 1, 2009)

its kreator definetly they were like early eightees stuff

yea kreators first studio album was put out in 1985 i think that was there first release but i dont know about the demos yet.



garcia3441 said:


> How about Venom's *'Welcome to Hell'* released in 1981?


 no they are black metal

mabye who we think are the fathers are people who may have gotten the idea off of some local band who played in like a bar or something u never know


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## -TheWickerMan- (Aug 1, 2009)

deaths first demo "Death by Metal Reissue" came out in 1984 according to metal archives

since chuck is known as "the philosopher of death metal" i'd imagine that death were the first death metal band, not to mention one of the best


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## Demonic352 (Sep 1, 2009)

The first death metal band was "Possessed" formed in 1983.. look it up.​


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## Demonic352 (Sep 3, 2009)

awww, come on, i didn't mean to just end the chat like that. i just know my bands.... not my fault...

​


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## MFB (Sep 3, 2009)

Not to mention about 1849094509349043757346871 others of us said the same exact thing on like, pages 1 & 2? Hmm, I wonder, does someone ELSE know the same thing as you?!


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## -TheWickerMan- (Sep 3, 2009)

Demonic352 said:


> The first death metal band was "Possessed" formed in 1983.. look it up.​



possesed were more thrash than death metal, the concept was truly brought into play with death 

also, Possessed formed in 1983 but didn't release a demo til '94, and guess who had formed and made music that year too, death


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## sevenstringj (Sep 3, 2009)

Wow, old thread. 

If you're gonna say Possessed isn't death metal, then you can't say Death was death metal either. Neither were death metal in the sense that Suffocation or Morbid Angel are death metal. At least to me, death metal really came into its own with the blast beat. But death metal growls and screams apparently preceded that.


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## -TheWickerMan- (Sep 3, 2009)

sevenstringj said:


> Wow, old thread.
> 
> If you're gonna say Possessed isn't death metal, then you can't say Death was death metal either. Neither were death metal in the sense that Suffocation or Morbid Angel are death metal. At least to me, death metal really came into its own with the blast beat. But death metal growls and screams apparently preceded that.



the basis of most death metal is from death 

they didn't have low growls or blast beats but they most certainly were death metal especially their later albums 

well suffocation are a brutal death abnd anyway, which is different. and morbid angel aren't THAT different. really death metal properly started to change when bands like CC came on the scene, but death still are death metal.


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## xxx128 (Jan 11, 2010)

Of course Possessed is the first death metal band! They had the first commercial release. They where considered to be harder and faster than slayer years before they released seven churches. Something most people couldnt even imagine back then.

Such an extreme form of music has to evolve from something, it doesnt come out of the blue. Back then thrash metal was the most extreme form until death metal evolved from that. Thats why you can clearly hear the thrash elements with possessed. They even have a song called death metal. Its not really far from there...

When chuck was asked if he was the forefather of death metal he answered he was just a guy from a metal band. I suppose he said that because he knew he wasnt the first one. Perhaps he just didnt like being labeled.

Also honorable mention goes to septic death which started in 81. Now they werent death metal but they were pretty extreme.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jan 11, 2010)

xxx128 said:


> Of course Possessed is the first death metal band! They had the first commercial release. They where considered to be harder and faster than slayer years before they released seven churches. Something most people couldnt even imagine back then.
> 
> Such an extreme form of music has to evolve from something, it doesnt come out of the blue. Back then thrash metal was the most extreme form until death metal evolved from that. Thats why you can clearly hear the thrash elements with possessed. They even have a song called death metal. Its not really far from there...
> 
> ...



Nice bump.


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## Hollowman (Jan 11, 2010)

ok I didn't read all the posts ,I really didn't feel like it, Do you mean first signed or first to do this type of music? Morbid Angel was doing Death Metal in 1983. Death formed in 83 as Mantas then Changed their name to Death in 83. Scream Bloody Gore came out in 87 Alters came out in 89. also you have to included Vader for those who remember Communisim (don't know if I spelled that right) who recorded their first EP in 1986

Morbid Angel was formed in 1983 in Tampa, Florida. The band made their vinyl debut in 1987 on New Renaissance Records. They recorded their debut album, Abominations of Desolation, in 1986, but the band was unsatisfied with the final product and it remained unreleased until 1991. Their first proper studio album, Altars of Madness, was released in 1989.

Founded in 1983 by Chuck Schuldiner under the original name of Mantas in Orlando, Death were among the more widely known, early pioneers of the death metal sound along with California's thrashers Possessed. In the late 80s, the band was both a part of and integral in defining the death metal scene which gained international recognition with the release of albums by a number of area acts.

Together with Kam Lee (Barney Lee), and Rick Rozz (Frederick DeLillo), Schuldiner started to compose songs that were released on several rehearsal tapes in 1984.These tapes, along with the Death by Metal demo, circulated through the tape trader world, quickly establishing the band's name. In 1984, Schuldiner dissolved Mantas and quickly started a new band under the name Death. Its members included the same Rick Rozz and Kam Lee. Another demo was released, called Reign of Terror.[

In 1985, after the Infernal Death tape was recorded and released, Schuldiner fired Lee and Rozz in favour of Repulsion's bassist and guitarist, Scott Carlson and Matt Olivio, respectively. However, a drummer could not be found; consequently the band dissolved again. Schuldiner moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and recruited DRI drummer Eric Brecht, but he was not happy with this incarnation of Death and moved back to Florida without a band. There, in 1986, Schuldiner got an invitation from early Canadian thrash band Slaughter to play on their album, which he accepted, moving to Canada. This only lasted two weeks, however, as he found the situation not to his liking. He returned to Florida, then moved quickly to the San Francisco Bay Area again, where he joined with Chris Reifert. They recorded the Mutilation demo, which led to a deal with Combat Records, owned by Important Distribution (later becoming Relativity), that enabled them to record the first LP.

Scream Bloody Gore was released in 1987. Schuldiner briefly had a second guitar player, John Hand, but Hand did not appear on the album (though his photo did). By this time Schuldiner moved back to Florida, leaving Chris Reifert behind. There, Schuldiner teamed up with former bandmate Rick Rozz and two members of Rozz's band Massacre, Terry Butler and Bill Andrews.

Vader is a Polish death metal band from Olsztyn, formed in 1983. According to Piotr Wiwczarek, the band's founding singer and guitar player, the band's name was inspired by Darth Vader from the Star Wars film series. Lyrical themes include stories by H.P. Lovecraft.

Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Becerra's guttural vocals, they have been cited as a great influence on the death metal genre.In fact, the band's influence on the genre is so great, they are sometimes called the "godfathers" of the death metal genre and are often considered the first death metal group

Carcass was formed as a D-beat band by guitarist Bill Steer together with drummer Ken Owen in 1985 under name Disattack. After releasing demo A Bomb Drops... in 1986, Paul (bassist) and Andrew Pek (vocalist) of Disattack left the band and was replaced by vocalist Sanjiv and bassist Jeff Walker, formerly guitarist and vocalist of the Electro Hippies. About that same time Bill Steer joined Napalm Death (replacing Justin Broadrick) and recorded the second side of what became ND's first album, Scum (1987). Walker also designed the cover art of that record.

hope this helps.


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## DslDwg (Jan 11, 2010)

Like to add my 

I grew up in the bay area during the time Possessed "broke" - frankly "Death Metal" was a term that came around later. 

Basically we lumped most bands into two categories and that was thrash metal and speed metal. We considered fast tempo with clean vocals speed metal and fast tempo with any other kind of vocals thrash metal. 

I think the reason Possessed gets called Death Metal today is because Seven Churches had a song called Death Metal. 

I guess it depends how you define a "Death Metal" band - growling vocals - blast beat drums - dark lyrics?


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## FearFactoryDBCR (Jan 11, 2010)

Haven't read any posts so far. But i read the title haha, weren't Death one've the first Death Metal bands?


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## zid1988 (Oct 24, 2011)

Dive-Baum said:


> Anyone know? I have been thinking about it today. I am not talking about who the best was / is..who was the first? There had to be someone. We pretty much all agree that Sabbath was the first true Metal band but who has that distinction for DM?
> 
> Discuss....



Black Sabbath(1968), Led Zeppelin (1968) and Deep Purple (1968) were the three bands who gave birth to heavy music.
I hope that helps, thanks


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