METAL HAMMER’S LIST OF THE BEST DEATH METAL SONGS EVER IS SUSPECT
Thursday, February 5th, 2009 at 12:01pm by Axl Rosenberg
I haven’t read an issue of Metal Hammer since 2006, when they did that awesome Kerry King bloodpack cover for the 20th anniversary of Reign in Blood. It’s not that I don’t like Metal Hammer – it’s just that there’s no American version, and, honestly, it’s kinda costly to buy imported magazines. But my point is this: I’m not really in any position to talk about the state of Metal Hammer as a whole. I can’t tell you that’s it great or that it sucks, because it’s been three years since I purchased an issue.
I mention this because the magazine’s German edition just did a reader’s poll to determine the best death metal songs of all time, and I find the list kinda weird. I love Arch Enemy and think “We Will Rise” is about as good a melodeath anthem as we’ve had thus far in the 21st century, but is it better than songs by Carcass, At the Gates, or Opeth? What am I to make of a list that puts Job for a Cowboy and All Shall Perish above Suffocation?
See the complete list (along with the voting percentages) after the jump. Of course it’s entirely possible that some douche bags just kept voting over and over, thereby tipping the scales, but, still, I thought it was worth having a good ol’ fashioned debate over.
- Cannibal Corpse – ‘Hammer Smashed Face’ (TOMB OF THE MUTILATED, 1992) (25%)
- Arch Enemy – ‘We Will Rise’ (ANTHEMS OF REBELLION, 2003) (15%)
- Death – ‘Crystal Mountain’ (SYMBOLIC, 1995) (13%)
- Amon Amarth – ‘Pursuit Of Vikings’ (FATE OF NORNS, 2004) (12%)
- Vader – ‘Carnal’ (BLACK TO THE BLIND, 1997) (12%)
- Sepultura – ‘Arise’ (ARISE, 1991) (12%)
- Carcass – ‘Heartwork’ (HEARTWORK, 1993) (11%)
- In Flames – ‘Only For The Weak’ (CLAYMAN, 2000) (10%)
- Kataklysm – ‘In Shadows And Dust’ (SHADOWS & DUST, 2002) (9%)
- Behemoth – ‘Christians To The Lions’ (THELEMA.6, 2000) (9%)
- Decapitated – ‘Winds Of Creation’ (WINDS OF CREATION, 2000) (8%)
- At The Gates – ‘Slaughter Of The Soul’ (SLAUGHTER OF THE SOUL, 1995) (8%)
- Morbid Angel – ‘Rapture’ (COVENANT, 1993) (8%)
- Obituary – ‘Slowly We Rot’ (SLOWLY WE ROT, 1989) (8%)
- Opeth – ‘The Drapery Falls’ (BLACKWATER PARK, 2001) (7%)
- Children Of Bodom – ‘Deadnight Warrior’ (SOMETHING WILD, 1997) (7%)
- Nile – ‘Black Seeds Of Vengeance’ (BLACK SEEDS OF VENGEANCE, 2000) (6%)
- Bloodbath – ‘Eaten’ (NIGHTMARES MADE FLESH, 2004) (6%)
- Deicide – ‘Once Upon The Cross’ (ONCE UPON THE CROSS, 1995) (5%)
- Hypocrisy – ‘Roswell 47’ (ABDUCTED, 1996) (5%)
- Entombed – ‘Left Hand Path’ (LEFT HAND PATH, 1990) (5%)
- Dark Tranquillity – ‘Punish My Heavens’ (THE GALLERY, 1995) (5%)
- Six Feet Under – ‘Feasting On The Blood Of The Insane’ (MAXIMUM VIOLENCE, 1999) (4%)
- Bolt Thrower – ‘World Eater’ (REALM OF CHAOS, 1989) (4%)
- Vital Remains – ‘Dechristianize’ (DECHRISTIANIZE, 2003) (4%)
- The Black Dahlia Murder – ‘Funeral Thirst’ (UNHALLOWED, 2003) (4%)
- Neaera – ‘Where Submission Reigns’ (THE RISING TIDE OF OBLIVION, 2005) (4%)
- Paradise Lost – ‘As I Die’ (SHADES OF GOD, 1992) (4%)
- Necrophagist – ‘Only Ash Remains’ (EPITAPH, 2004) (4%)
- Napalm Death – ‘Siege Of Power’ (SUFFER THE CHILDREN, 1990, EP) (4%)
- Job For A Cowboy – ‘Entombment Of A Machine’ (DOOM, 2005) (4%)
- Cynic – ‘Veil Of Maya’ (FOCUS, 1993) (3%)
- All Shall Perish – ‘Wage Slaves’ (THE PRICE OF EXISTENCE, 2006) (3%)
- Belphegor – ‘Lucifer Incestus’ (LUCIFER INCESTUS, 2003) (3%)
- Dissection – ‘Night’s Blood’ (STORM OF THE LIGHT’S BANE, 1995) (3%)
- Dismember – ‘Override The Overture’ (LIKE AN EVERFLOWING STREAM, 1991) (3%)
- Amorphis – ‘Black Winter Day’ (TALES FROM THE TOUSAND LAKES, 1994) (3%)
- Unleashed – ‘Death Metal Victory’ (WARRIOR, 1997) (3%)
- Suffocation – ‘Liege Of Inveracity’ (EFFIGY OF THE FORGOTTEN, 1991) (3%)
- Die Apokalyptischen Reiter – ‘Unter der Asche’ (ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, 2000) (3%)
- Grave – ‘Soulless’ (SOULLESS, 1994) (3%)
- Soilwork – ‘Mercury Shadows’ (NATURAL BORN CHAOS, 2002) (3%)
- Dying Fetus – ‘Schematics’ (STOP AT NOTHING, 2003) (3%)
- Anathema – ‘Sleepless’ (SERENADES, 1993) (3%)
- Tiamat – ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ (CLOUDS, 1992) (3%)
- Thrown To Belial – ‘Destined To Rot’ (2%)
- Illdisposed – ‘Near The Gates’ (THERE’S SOMETHING ROTTEN IN THE SATE OF DENMARK, 1997) (2%)
- Atheist – ‘Piece Of Time’ (PIECE OF TIME, 1990) (2%)
- Gorefest – ‘Erase’ (ERASE, 1994) (2%)
- Pestilence – ‘Twisted Truth’ (TESTIMONY OF THE ANCIENTS, 1991) (2%)
- Asphyx – ‘The Rack’ (THE RACK, 1991) (2%)
- Aborted – ‘Dead Wreckoning’ (THE ARCHAIC ABATTOIR, 2005) (2%)
- Terrorizer – ‘Fear Of Napalm’ (WORLD DOWNFALL, 1989) (2%)
- My Dying Bride – ‘The Crown Of Sympathy’ (TURN LOOSE THE SWANS, 1993) (2%)
- Massacre – ‘From Beyond’ (FROM BEYOND, 1991) (2%)
- Despised Icon – ‘In The Arms Of Perdition’ (THE ILLS OF MODERN MAN, 2007) (2%)
- Origin – ‘The Aftermath’ (ANTITHESIS, 2008) (2%)
- Krisiun – ‘Conquerors Of Armageddon’ (CONQUERORS OF ARMAGEDDON, 2000) (2%)
- Hate Eternal – ‘King Of All Kings’ (KING OF ALL KINGS, 2002) (2%)
- The Haunted – ‘Hate Song’ (THE HAUNTED, 1998) (2%)
- Devourment – ‘Babykiller’ (BUTCHER THE WEAK, 2006) (2%)
- Debauchery – ‘Blood For The Bloodgod’ (RAGE OF THE BLOODBEAST, 2004) (2%)
- Misery Index – ‘Conquistadores’ (DISCORDIA, 2006) (1%)
- Pungent Stench – ‘For God Your Soul, For Me Your Flesh’ (FOR GOD YOUR SOUL… FOR ME YOUR FLESH, 1990) (1%)
- Malevolent Creation – ‘The Will To Kill’ (THE WILL TO KILL, 2002) (1%)
- Morgoth – ‘Under The Surface’ (ODIUM, 1993) (1%)
- Cryptopsy – ‘Emaciate’ (WHISPER SUPREMACY, 1998) (1%)
- Edge Of Sanity – ‘Black Tears’ (PURGATORY AFTERGLOW, 1994) (1%)
- Hatesphere – ‘The Fallen Shall Rise In A River Of Blood’ (THE SICKNESS WITHIN, 2005) (1%)
- Immolation – ‘Those Left Behind’ (DAWN OF POSSESSION, 1991) (1%)
- Benediction – ‘Nightfear’ (TRANSCEND THE RUBICON, 1993) (1%)
- Fleshgore – ‘Obtrusion’ (MAY GOD STRIKE ME DEAD, 2006) (1%)
- Zyklon – ‘World Ov Worms’ (WORLD OV WORMS, 2001) (1%)
- Skinless – ‘The Optimist’ (FORESHADOWING OUR DEMISE, 2001) (1%)
- The Crown – ‘Total Satan’ (DEATHRACE KING, 2000) (1%)
- Evocation – ‘Silence Sleep’ (DEAD CALM CHAOS, 2008) (1%)
- Fleshcrawl – ‘As Blood Rains From The Sky…’ (AS BLOOD RAINS FROM THE SKY… WE WALK THE PATH OF ENDLESS FIRE, 2000) (1%)
- Annotations Of An Autopsy – ‘Welcome To Sludge City’ (WELCOME TO SLUDGE CITY, 2007, EP) (1%)
- Autopsy – ‘Acts Of The Unspeakable’ (ACTS OF THE UNSPEAKABLE, 1992) (1%)
- Carnal Forge – ‘Butchered, Slaughtered, Strangled, Hanged’ (PLEASE… DIE!, 2001) (1%)
- Mortician – ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ (ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, 1998, EP) (1%)
- Atrocity – ‘Blut’ (BLUT, 1994) (1%)
- The Berzerker – ‘Heavily Medicated’ (ANIMOSITY, 2007) (1%)
- Vomitory – ‘Revelation Nausea’ (REVELATION NAUSEA, 2001) (1%)
- The Duskfall – ‘Source’ (SOURCE, 2003) (1%)
- Anima – ‘The Daily Grind’ (THE DAILY GRIND, 2008) (1%)
- Angelcorpse – ‘Sons Of Vengeance’ (EXTERMINATE, 1998) (1%)
- God Dethroned – ‘The Warcult’ (INTO THE LUNGS OF HELL, 2003) (1%)
- Panzerchrist – ‘Roomservice’ (ROOMSERVICE, 2003) (1%)
- Cancer – ‘Cancer Fucking Cancer’ ’ (TO THE GORY END, 1990) (1%)
- Macabre – ‘Zodiac: Identity Unknown’ (SINISTER SLAUGHTER, 1993) (1%)
- Unanimated – ‘Life Demise’ (ANCIENT GOD OF EVIL, 1994) (1%)
- Disgorge (US) – ‘She Lay Gutted’ (SHE LAY GUTTED, 1997) (1%)
- Grotesque – ‘Blood Runs From The Altar’ (INCANTATION, 1990, EP) (1%)
- Gorguts – ‘Condemned To Obscurity’ (THE EROSION OF SANITY, 1993) (1%)
- Brodequin – ‘Slaves To The Pyre’ (METHODS OF EXECUTION, 2006) (1%)
- Nightrage – ‘The Glow Of The Setting Sun’ (SWEET VENGEANCE, 2003) (1%)
- Iniquity – ‘The Bullet’s Breath’ (GRIME, 2002) (1%)
- Repulsion – ‘Maggots In Your Coffin’ (HORRIFIED, 1989) (1%)
- Sinister – ‘Sense Of Demise’ (DIABOLICAL SUMMONING, 1993) (1%)
- Nocturnus – ‘Alter Reality’ (THRESHOLDS, 1992) (1%)
- Konkhra – ‘The Dying Art’ (SEXUAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER, 1993) (1%)
- Haemorrhage – ‘Mortuary Riot’ (MORGUE SWEET HOME, 2002) (0%)
- Carnage – ‘Infestation Of Evil’ (DARK RECOLLECTIONS, 1990) (0%)
- Satanic Slaughter – ‘We Are The Bringers Of Armageddon’ (BANISHED TO THE UNDERWORLD, 2002) (0%)
- Incantation – ‘Christening The Afterbirth’ (ONWARD TO GOLGOTHA, 1992) (0%)
- Waco Jesus – ‘Filth’ (FILTH, 2003) (0%)
- Master – ‘America The Pitiful’ (ON THE 7th DAY GOD CREATED… MASTER, 1992) (0%)
- Defleshed – ‘Royal Straight Flesh’ (ROYAL STRAIGHT FLESH, 2002) (0%)
- Goratory – ‘Anally Injected Death Sperm’ (RICE ON SUEDE, 2004) (0%)
- Detonation – ‘Sword-Carved Skin’ (AN EPIC DEFIANCE, 2003) (0%)
Discuss amongst yourselves.
-AR
Uhh. Whaaat?
Without bands like Atheist and Cynic, a ton of bands today probably wouldn’t be doing what they do. However, it is nice to see Cannibal Corpse, arguably more “Traditional Death Metal” than JFAC and All Shall Perish, not that those bands aren’t good at what they do.
I’d be more curious to see how the members of the top 10-20 vote getters on this list would respond to the question.
I love Neaera, especially their first album.But even I don’t think that song should be there.
The video single from the most boring Arch Enemy album is the second greatest death metal song ever?
nice to see CC at #1 =P don´t even know why the hell children of bodom is so high up, no disrespect but that high of cuality is not what there known for. lots of better bands AND songs. and i laughed when I saw that only for the weak with in flames was between kataklysm and Carcass, just such a confusing mix those three xD
the likers of older, more classic death-metal usually don´t pay attention to these things so i bet it´s a bunch of 15 yearolds voting their asses of. a shame but likely to be true…
And I guess each band was only allowed one song to be voted on?
While i disagree with you about the quality of CoB, it is totally odd that they would be on a list of best death metal songs. I can’t see them being classified as death metal by any stretch of the imagination. Oh and metal hammer fucking blows as far as the bands they choose to cover, but the writing is decent and usually a good read anyways.
Arch Enemy at #2 is bullshit…
I couldn’t care less about a good majority of the bands MH cover, but that’s cause it’s geared towards more commercial metal such as Arch Enemy and Bodom. It’s mainly people who’ve only gotten into metal in the past few years who buy it, (you know the type, goofy walks and greasy hair but at least they don’t wear Korn hoodies) hence this list being much different to what we would pick. My point is we all have to start somewhere!
Here’s something fascinating:
The only song on that list from the 80s is Obituary’s 1989 Slowly we rot. No Celtic Frost, no Hellhammer, no 80s Death or Mantas, no Bathory, no Possessed (the guys who coined the term death metal with the song death metal), no Venom, etc. etc. Why do you think that is?
As far as I know, hatespere is not death metal o.O
I just hate it that Heartwork is like the only Carcass song that people know as well as Hammer Smashed Face for Cannibal Corpse.
The last time I bought Metal Hammer I found it mostly full page ads. That’s how they make their money, but it’s like the Vogue of Metal magazines with as far as amount of ads go.
I like how Possessed is not even on the list. Huh?!?
What a shitty fucking list. The Black Dahlia Murder? In Flames? Really? For fucks sake…
yeah i agree that bodom isn´t really death-metal.
Though I´ve seen people class them as death-metal. but they´re more some mix between thrash/death power metal not as much death as thrash some people even class them as finish death-metal along with imperanon and norther and such, that´s where i think people got the idea from…
and all that about hammer smashed face being the most famous song. i agree , it hammer my head off every time i listen to it but they have other even better songs.
I love it that Amon Amarth is high up on the list. Listening to their music always makes me want to go and cleave some skulls with a battleaxe
Here’s my list, in no particular order
Incarnated Solvent Abuse
Cryptic Realms
Hammer Smashed Face
Blessed are the Sick
Vermin
Crawl
Suicide Machine
Zero Tolerance
And the Psychic Saw
Out of the Body
Onward Into Countless Battles
Death Metal (duh)
I’m sure I’ll think of more, but that’s what I have for now
Carnage, Incantation, and Master receive 0%
What a shame
There are too many types of d metal around today.
I’m not saying that’s a bad thing… I’m just saying that it makes the creation of a list like this a lot harder…
I was surprised to see Carnal Forge on there, I’ve been listening to a lot of Testify For My Victims and Aren’t You Dead Yet? lately, and I had forgotten how good they are.
However, Mortician has no fucking place on any best of list anywhere, ever. The most boring fucking bullshit band on the face of the goddamn planet. The best part of their “music” is the 2 minute plus horror movie samples leading up to the 30 second bullshit “song”.
And Arch Enemy is super fucking popular with the Hot Topic set, so I’m really not surprised that they made number two. Remember, this is based on the votes of the generally tasteless masses, and not evaluated on the basis of actual quality.
Death metal is a lot trickier then people relize because so many other takes on metal have been influenced by death in many different ways. And what is death metal to some isnt to others. for instance, I would consider Hellhammer and Celtic Frost black metal.
Understanding the importance of genres and their roots is important, but theres only one thing as bad as scene kids and that is metal nerds, “WHAAA thats false metal, WHAAA thats not trve kvlt, WHAAA that band is lucky enough to be popular so now i have to talk shit about them on moms computer WHAAAAAAAA
It is such a shame that such a great genre that gained its following by people willing to be open minded about music has become just another monkey bar on the playground to fight over.
I am surprised though that a certain song by a certain band hasn’t been bitched about yet on this list, but some uptight elitist douche is bound to mention it so i will surely have my rebuttle ready.
this list is ridiculous. There are good songs on there, but a lot aren’t death metal and a lot are in the wrong places.
“Here’s my list, in no particular order
Incarnated Solvent Abuse
Cryptic Realms
Hammer Smashed Face
Blessed are the Sick
Vermin
Crawl
Suicide Machine
Zero Tolerance
And the Psychic Saw
Out of the Body
Onward Into Countless Battles
Death Metal (duh)
I’m sure I’ll think of more, but that’s what I have for now”
That already sounds a better than half of that poll…
Seriously, most of the songs by the better artists aren’t even their best songs!
I mean At The Gates has ‘Slaughter of The Soul’ as their track although a great song, it isn’t their best! Where’s ‘Blinded By Fear’, ‘Under a Serpent Sun’, ‘Cold’ or Suicide Nation’!?
Same goes for Arch Enemy, Bloodbath, Death, Grave, Amon Amarth and Deicide! What a fucking useless poll…
And why the hell is The Haunted’s ‘Hate Song’ in there?! That’s not death metal, it’s more thrash! What the fuck were these people thinking, next time, when you make a death metal poll, do a little more research and use common sense…
I’m glad i read the Brittish version and not the German :/
WTF!!! A little choked that Pungent Stench are near the bottom…
Some ok bands but wtf songs?
“I am surprised though that a certain song by a certain band hasn’t been bitched about yet on this list, but some uptight elitist douche is bound to mention it so i will surely have my rebuttle ready.”
Arise?
My Dying Bride is a great band, but “Crown of Sympathy” is not a death metal song.
Rik, I can only assume that Carl is thinking of In Flames’ “Only For The Weak”.
I personally love the song, but is it DM? NO. I would be hard pressed NOT to respond the same way to almost half or more of this list. This list clearly encompasses all subgenres of DM and is a poorly crafted attempt to get more website hits/voters. *YAWN*
reply to the guys writing about in flames – only for the weak not being death-metal.
one thing i get irritated about is that people giving their opinions about the songs genres not the bands. this is just me takling, this is how i judge.
in flames is a melodic death-metal band from gothenburg. the song only for the weak was created by this band, the band being melodeath makes the song death-metal according by me. you judge your way.
just my opinion
can´t bands make different kinds of songs without changing genres ? my question to you guys…
Oh right, didn’t notice that hadn’t been mentioned. Well I’m a huge In Flames fan (or at least I was until ASOP came out) but I’ve never understood the love for Only For The Weak. Clayman is an awesome album but that’s easily the worst track on there.
And no, just because they’re a melodic death metal band doesn’t mean everything they make is a mdm song. Are you trying to tell me that Come Clarity and The Chosen Pessimist are melodic death metal songs?
no that´s not what I´m saying i know that those songs aren´t melodeath so to speak but I judge the songs based on the bands genre. I know that it´s not entirely correct =P just how I feel xD
I feel exactly like you, haven´t listened frequently to them in like 6 months since ASOP came out, and have also never understood the love for only for the weak it´s a godd song but not that good…
Sepultura death Metal? um, hello… Thrash?
plus ‘Chapel of ghouls’ is the best DM song ever (IMHO). also, the fact that Deicide isn’t on this list is pretty laughable.
Deicide is on the list Nick, Once Upon The Cross
Whoops:)
Although Sepultura and even Slayer is Thrash,it can be considered in a Death Metal list,if one wants to stretch it.Its really band and even album specific.
Arch Enemy
Sepultura
In Flames
r u jokin???
the list is killin me….
A lot of them are thrash metal man!!!
can u see?????????
I’d like to see the raw numbers instead of percentages.
Vader & Behemoth so high up the list :D Fuck yeah ! Arch Enemy and CoB don’t belong on this list…
I’m glad Soilwork’s on there, but you guys definitely got the wrong album. Anything off of The Chainheart Machine would be a hell of a lot better (specifically Gen Speed Kill or Machinegun Majesty). Definitely the wrong Opeth song (The Drapery Falls only has one death metal part in it! Should’ve gone with Blackwater Park; no clean vocals). Paradise Lost was never death metal. Meshuggah is very much death metal (among other things). So were Celtic Frost; one of the originals. Also, it’s interesting Deicide wasn’t on there, for notoriety purposes.
On a side note, I laughed my ass off when I saw Hammer Smashed Face. Forever will it be associated with Ace Ventura. And I’m assuming the list was in no particular order.
Where is the best of all ….Rotting Christ!!!!!!! Noooooooo!!!!
Any “death” metal list that doesn’t have Death at #1 doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Some of the bands aren’t even death metal…Cynic? Opeth? Both are progressive metal. Amon Amarth is folk. The rest of it is shitty poser satanic bands singing about gore and religion…it’s been done for like 15 years…time to get new topics. List fails.
Bloodbath and Opeth both being up there makes me really happy, and with two killer songs, as well. Brilliant. :)
However, I’d have to agree with most of the rest of you guys – while I love We Will Rise as a song, I’d never give it 2nd place on an all time best list.
Arch Enemy?
FUCK OFF……………ALL SO DEAD
in my opinion, this list is completely wrong.
i may only be a “15 year old that has only gotten into metal in the last few years”, but, so many of these songs are thrash or melodic death metal. if this was a “True” death metal list, Death would have to be #1. Cannibal Corpse is a great band, & hammer-smashed face is amazing, but there is no way that it should be at the top.
another thing, please dont generalize my generation. not all of us have side fringes and wear skinny jeans. it pisses me off that because i am growing up in a time where bands like “bring me the horizon” & “escape the fate” are more well known than a band like Death or Morbid Angel. there are still a few of us Defending The Faith.
\m/
The list is pretty much a joke. When kids can vote, and vote as much as they like, this is what you get. 75% of the list is shit anyway.