Melodic death metal is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal. The genre features the heaviness of death metal but with highly melodic or harmonized guitar riffs and solos, and often features high-pitched shrieked vocals alongside the low-pitched growls commonly featured in traditional death metal. Pioneered by the English heavy metal band Carcass with their 1993 album Heartwork, melodic death metal developed further in Sweden in the mid-1990s. The Swedish death metal scene did much to popularise the style, soon centering in the "Gothenburg metal" scene. At the Gates' Slaughter of the Soul, Dark Tranquillity's The Gallery, and In Flames' The Jester Race, all released in the mid-1990s, were highly influential albums in melodic death metal, with At the Gates and In Flames being the two most common influences on North American 2000s heavy metal bands. Many American heavy metal bands emulated At the Gates' sound, resulting in the usage of the phrase "At the Gates worship".
Metalcore is a fusion genre combining elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk, that originated in the late 1980s. Metalcore is noted for its use of breakdowns, which are slow, intense passages conducive to moshing, while other defining instrumentation includes heavy guitar riffs often utilizing percussive pedal tones and double bass drumming. Vocalists in the genre typically perform screaming, more popular bands often combine this with the use of standard singing, usually during the bridge or chorus of a song. However, the death growl is also a popular technique within the genre.
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with metalcore/hardcore elements seen in the 1990s, deathcore itself emerged in the early 2000s and gained prominence beginning in the mid-2000s within the southwestern United States, especially Arizona and inland southern California, which are home to many notable bands and various festivals.
Embodyment was a Christian rock band from Arlington, Texas. The group formed in 1992 and were first known by the name Supplication where they originally played death metal, later turning to deathcore with the release of their debut album Embrace the Eternal, which in turn is credited as one of the earliest deathcore releases of all time. Following their debut full-length the band would completely abandon all their extreme metal elements thereafter, pursuing instead an alternative rock/nu metal style with their album The Narrow Scope of Things and subsequently became lighter with each proceeding album.
Hirax is an American thrash metal band from Cypress, California. Starting in 1984 under the leadership of vocalist Katon W. De Pena, the band played in Los Angeles and San Francisco with several of their thrash metal peers such as Metallica, Exodus, and Slayer. The band was an early example of thrash metal, speed metal and crossover thrash, yet inspired by cross-genre influences including blues vocalist Sam Cooke, who De Pena once cited as "the greatest vocalist [De Pena] has ever heard."
The Red Chord is an American extreme metal band from Revere, Massachusetts, formed in 1999. The group comprises vocalist Guy Kozowyk, guitarist/vocalist Mike "Gunface" McKenzie, bassist Greg Weeks and drummer Jon Rice. The band gained a fanbase with its 2002 debut album Fused Together in Revolving Doors. The second album, Clients, was released in 2005 and sold over 50,000 copies in the U.S. They released their third album, Prey for Eyes in 2007, which sold between 4,000 and 5,000 copies and debuted at No. 198 on the Billboard 200 chart. Their latest album, 2009's Fed Through the Teeth Machine, debuted at No. 180 on the Billboard 200 chart.
All Shall Perish is an American deathcore band from Oakland, California, formed in 2002. The band was signed to Nuclear Blast and have released four full-length albums through the label. Their final album, This Is Where It Ends, was released on July 26, 2011.
Bloodlust is the debut studio album by American deathcore band Through the Eyes of the Dead, released on October 25, 2005 through Prosthetic Records. After releasing an EP and a split, Through the Eyes of the Dead released Bloodlust. The album is considered a deathcore album with elements of melodic death metal, featuring a musical style similar to bands like At the Gates and The Black Dahlia Murder. Before the deathcore label existed, Bloodlust was labeled as metalcore due to its combination of melodic death metal with occasional hardcore breakdowns, which resembled metalcore. Bloodlust's lyrics were inspired by serial killers, and depicted poetic lyrics telling stories and imagery. Through the Eyes of the Dead cited Cannibal Corpse, Carcass, Death, In Flames, At the Gates and Dark Tranquility as influences.
Awaken the Dreamers is the third studio album by American deathcore band All Shall Perish. It was released on September 5, 2008 through Nuclear Blast. It sold just under 5,000 copies in its first week of release entering the Billboard 200 at number 126. The album is notable for including clean vocals in tracks such as the title track and "Memories of a Glass Sanctuary", something that is rare in deathcore.
Salt the Wound was an American deathcore band from Cleveland, Ohio, formed in 2001. The band is signed to Rotten Records and have released three full-length studio albums. After the release of their debut album, Carnal Repercussions the band would continuously tour to an overwhelming extent, which led to their disbandment during the first half of 2010. With later negotiations, the group reformed in 2011 with original as well as new members releasing their next full-length studio album Kill the Crown.
Sea of Treachery is an American metalcore/deathcore band from Hebron, Kentucky, United States, formed in 2004. Since forming, they have released three EPs and two full-length studio albums, the first being At Daggers Drawn, which was released on April 29, 2008 on Sumerian Records, and the second being Wonderland, released on December 14, 2010 on Blkheart Group. The digital version of Wonderland, featuring a bonus track, was released January 4, 2011. In early 2012, the band had reformed with the original line-up who were on the At Daggers Drawn record, played a reunion show in Newport, Kentucky, and have also announced more shows around the tri-state area.
A Clear Perception is the debut album by British metalcore band The Eyes of a Traitor. The album was released in Europe on Listenable Records in Europe on 23 February and then in United States on 10 March.
The Eyes of a Traitor were an English metalcore band from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, formed in the summer of 2006. The band consists of vocalist Jack Delany, drummer Sam Brennan, guitarists Tim George and Matthew Pugh, and bassist Tom Hollings. There have been numerous line-up changes within the band, mainly due to members wishing to pursue education. According to the band, its name derives from a conversation the band members had whilst watching Star Wars.
Catalepsy is an American deathcore band formed in 2004. They have released one EP, Godless, and three studio albums, Iniquity, Bleed and Abomination of Desolation.
Eradikal Insane is a French death metal band that formed in Marseille, France, in 2004. The group consists of guitarists and founders Nicolas and Florian Escoffier, vocalist Cyril "J.Trom" Van Zandijcke, drummer R and bassist Loris Guillen.
Oblivion is an American technical death metal band from the Bay Area formed in 2007. They have released three albums, one demo and several music videos. Members of Oblivion have previously performed in several notable metal bands such as Antagony, All Shall Perish, Hacksaw to the Throat, Alchemicon, Feast and Fractals. Another notable aspect of Oblivion is the fact that one member has a doctorate degree in music and is a university professor, while another has a doctorate in mathematics. Currently, the band is signed to Unique Leader and will release multiple albums through the label. A reissue of their debut album, Called to Rise, was released on October 15, 2013.
Here Comes the Kraken is a Mexican deathcore band from Aguascalientes, formed in 2007. They have released three full-length studio albums, two extended plays, and one demo.
Behold the Kingdom was an American Christian metal and Christian hardcore band, and they primarily played deathcore, metalcore, and hardcore punk. They come from Sidney, Ohio. The band started making music in 2009, and their membership was lead vocalist, Josh Moon, lead guitarists, Riley Snyder and Derrik Young, bassist, Mark Baker, and drummer, Cliff Deweese. Their first studio album, The Eyes of the Wicked Will Fail, was released by Rottweiler Records, in 2011, which was the only album from the band, who disbanded in 2013.
Virtue Has Few Friends was the only release by the deathcore band A Thousand Times Repent, due to losing their drummer and not finding a replacement. The song, "Curses! Another Shape-Shifting Wraith" features a clip from the flash cartoon, Ninjai.
