Technical Death Metal Essentials

While death metal has almost always relied on virtuosic shredding and dizzying drum work, it became increasingly complex as it entered the ’90s. Genre pioneers Death are often credited with leading this charge, but fellow Floridians Atheist, Nocturnus and Cynic—along with Dutch masters Pestilence—deserve just as much credit. All of these bands moved death metal into more progressive territory by incorporating elements of jazz fusion, atypical rhythm structures, odd time signatures and diminished chords. Their influence is heard globally, in the intricate work of Sweden’s Meshuggah, Germany’s Obscura, New Zealand’s Ulcerate and many others.