Death metal

Death metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal that evolved out of thrash metal during the early 1980s.

Commonly recognized characteristics include usually violent or dar

Death metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal that evolved out of thrash metal during the early 1980s.

Commonly recognized characteristics include usually violent or dark lyrics which focus on death as a nihilistic metaphor (although lately more philosophy-based lyrics, such as those of later Death have become popular as well), chromatic progressions and a narrative or "story telling" song structure such that there is not a verse-chorus cycle as much as an ongoing development of themes and motifs. It is usually identified by downtuned rhythm guitars, fast percussion, and dynamic intensity. "Blast beats" are frequently used to add to the ferocity of the modern music. The vocals are commonly low gurgles named death grunt, growl, or death growl. This kind of vocalising is distorted by use of the throat and guts, unlike traditional singing techniques which discourages this technique. Some people consider it similar to the overtone style of singing. Music journalist Chad Bowar notes that, because of the similarity of the vocals to "unintelligible yelling", the style is sometimes described as "Cookie monster vocals".