Death Metal Giants

A "death metal giants" poll without Death, Entombed, Obituary, Dismember, Carcass, Suffocation ??????????????????

As far as your List:

My vote went to Opeth (and that said, I've been a Fan since Still Life, then purchased Blackwater Park and went backwards in their catalogue and been a die-hard fan ever since).  I have known about Opeth since their 1st album Orchid, from reading about them in a Great long-gone Extreme Metal Magizine that was called Ill Literature.  It had a great description about their music and was very intriguing.  I have no idea why I never got around to buying all those albums all those years.
I then saw them open for Nevermore (the Dead Heart in a Dead World Tour) for their "Blackwater Park" album and I was... stunned!  So was Akerfeldt!  He was soo gracious and even a bit timid to hear such a warm reception to their 1st time in the US.  What can I say, I like all the facits and layers of making their Death Metal very unique (If you like it or not) and they have had great musicians in their line-ups.
But I do like Nile in that pure Death Metal sence, and that they are technical is cool too, and also Guitarist  & Vocalist Karl Sanders is interested in Egyptology and other Middle Eastern history- ups the wow factor 10 fold.  Excellent Music!

Cannibal Corpse- I admire them for their sheer musical talent, but the Gore Lyrics, I'm not a fan
of the genre (sorry, I'm just really into lyrics and that stuff depresses me).
In Flames- I am more of a fan of the "Whoracle" era and previous albums.
Morbid Angel- Fan of their later years.

I think other Bands that are the "Icons" of Old School (and reletively newer) that I admire:
1. Death- from "Human" to "The Sound of Perseverence" are my fave era. "Individule Thought
Patterns" is my favorite album. Chuck Shuldiner is probably my fave Death/"Cookie Monster"
vocalist 1st, then Akerfeldt, as far as understanding what they are singing for the most part.
2. Carcass- Even though they are one of the Bands that started Gore/Grindcore it was unique,
but "Tools of the Trade" to "Swansong" are my fave era with "Heartworks" being my fave, a
brilliant album.
3. Meshuggah- I'm a huge fan, these are the newer kids on the block I guess with Opeth (what,
its been 20 + years now?), Meshuggah and Opeth have also been put in the Progressive Metal
catagory as well , so they are both very diverse.  I put Meshuggah in the Death/Math catagory
because if you tell the average Progger or Metalhead theyre "Death Metal" , they'll have a pre-
concieved notion what it might be.  I just believe this music should be used to catapolt Tiger
Tanks at low flying 747's while being shot at with 50mm Vulcan Canons.
4. Sepultura- I know I know, the "kids" will say "Thats Thrash", but when they started, they were
considered Death Metal.  Unfortunately I think they lost their way after the Band broke apart
(the 1st time), but my faves are, "Beneath the Remains", "Arise" and "Chaos A.D.".
6. Pestilence- One of the 1st to be technical and yet brutal, they then tried to get into the early
days of "Math/Tech Metal" but I just couldnt get into it, and I'm a Prog fan.  Something about the
Guitar Tone they switched to and those annoying Keyboard sounds overpowered the Guitars.
"Malleus Malificarum" and "Consuming Impulse" are my faves.
I have not heard their latest but looking forward to it.
7. Malevolent Creation- I have heard most of their early albums but "Retribution" should be
considered a Classic! Freakin' MEAN Cookie Vocals but you can understand him clearly, these
guys were not only fast but accurate not sloppy. Alex Marquez on Drums should be up there with
the greats. Brett Hofman the Vocalist really emphasises the anger of the Lyrics, especially in the
song "Slaughter of Innocense" about a serial killer and the Revengeful gutteral scream against
him  ". . . DIE! - MOTHER - f**kERRRRRR!!!!!!" sums it all up.  Any Violence in the lyrics is more
to tell a blunt story, not for sheer shock value and I respect that.
The Guitar Duo are violent as Chainsaws cutting through shards of steel, but again, precise and
well executed.

I also like:
Necrophagist, Gorod, Gardenian, Darkane, Extol, Soilwork, Arch Enemy (older albums, but later
era is good as well), Napalm Death, Decapitated, Atrocity, Mourning Sign, At the Gates, Rosicrusion,
Oppressor, Cryptopsy, Goreguts (later years), Emperor (later years), Ihshan, Scar Symmetry, Edge
of Sanity ("Crimson", another highly influencial album) and Loudblast. 
I'm a little behind on the newer guys, but I like the Technical with the Brutality.  I'm into Thrash and
Tech-Thrash/Math Metal as well.

If you are a Opeth fan, I suggest checking out:
1. My Dying Bride (The originators of that "sound")
2. Winds
3. Leprous
4. Enochian Theory
5. Novembers Doom

Good to be a part of this new Forum from PA! I can be a "Newbie" with everyone else now
Bang On!


Edited by MAVIIIVAM - 04 Mar 2011 at 10:22pm

Kind of unfair for the other bands as they are all pure death metal acts (except In Flames of late) and Opeth is not, but hey, I vote Opeth !

Really Cannibal Corpse is so low on votes DAMNNNNNNNNNITTTTTTTTTT

One of those polls where I find it almost impossible to vote. Each band is equally important as the next in the death metal genre.
Hell I'll give my vote to Morbid Angel, simply because at this moment in time I enjoy them the most out of this list

FusionKing wrote: Actually, although I don't really care for Death Metal, I'm just curious about something...what do you guys think of 'Master'?

Groundbreaking for their time and one or two great songs but you only really need to listen to one of them, any more and you're likely to get bored pretty quick.

Yesterday I saw Bolt Thrower on stage. That was fabulous.

And they ARE death metal giants.

i woud stongly recommend the album 'war master' :

OPETH!

What? Opeth? Winning a "Death metal giants" poll? 

I hadn't voted in this yet, so seeing as it's been resurrected I'll toss one the way of Morbid Angel.  And yes, this poll desperately needs some Death.