What were the origins of death metal?

[buckets_of_rain]

Rock music came about through that one DJ, Alan Freed, wasn't it? And blues was a few labels back then selling the music as "authentic" and outsider. Reminds me of Malcolm McLaren with punk. I don't trust mass culture at all, or what it tells me of history. There are so many lies that fall apart when you do the research and so few truths that stand up, and when you look behind the lies, you find that someone is profiting and that's why they are there. People like buckets_of_AIDS, while a nice fellow in his own right, come here and just about cut and paste in dogma from the mainstream. Why are you afraid to learn?

I am willing to learn when you post something that is able to be proven.  Everything I learned by listening to the recordings.  There is a lot of my knowledge that has come from mass media, but I am not about to change my mind about somethihg until someone at least sites something of credit.

Buckets_of_AIDS.  heh.

[Dylar]

Well that distinction simply is because the genre progressed as other genres of metal became over-commercialized, while blues is traditionally based.

The blues aren't 'traditionally based' - they just never change because the essence of the blues is a twelve bar formula of I IV V progressions.

[buckets_of_rain]

The blues aren't 'traditionally based' - they just never change because the essence of the blues is a twelve bar formula of I IV V progressions.

I meant it was a tradition started in familes based on gospel music.  Other than that I completely agree with this post.

[ultranex]

The birth of Necrophagia was solely inspired by Killjoy's obssession with horror and upon first hearing Venom and then HellHammer
Necrophagia was formed in late 1983 by Killjoy. The band released various demos and in 1987 they released "Season of the Dead" Then shortly broke up afterwards claiming Extreme musical differences. Killjoy stated that "the other band members wanted to go torward a more mainstream style while I wanted to get heavier and sicker." When asked what made him develope his unique singing style , he simply stated "I just wanted to sound like the demon that possessed Reagan from "The Exorcist".

The liner notes of Death is Fun say Necrophagia invented death metal.  I have demos from 84 if you want me to upload them.  

[Cacao Daemon]

 I find it funny that the ORIGINS of Death Metal never get elaborated in this discussion. ALbum dates and bands are not ORIGINS, ideas, imagery, and emotions are. That is what truly defines Death Metal as an art form and makes it worth discussing.

[born for banning]

Yeah, and those are conveyed in part by influences. It rose up as a musical movement. That in turn developed some ideas from the past. But you've got a point. Let's talk about that.

If death metal was as Slayer put it NWOBHM and hardcore punk, then we have:

* Apocalyptic Worldview
* Distrust of Society
* Dislike of Morality
* Distrust of the Crowd
* Anti-Humanism ( death > morality, democracy)

What else?

[FIAT]

Yeah, and those are conveyed in part by influences. It rose up as a musical movement. That in turn developed some ideas from the past. But you've got a point. Let's talk about that.

If death metal was as Slayer put it NWOBHM and hardcore punk, then we have:

* Apocalyptic Worldview
* Distrust of Society
* Dislike of Morality
* Distrust of the Crowd
* Anti-Humanism ( death > morality, democracy)

What else?

By the late '80s, a fairly comprehensive philosophy had  developed, which included:

*Didsdain for dualism: holistic embrace of life experiences, whether "good" or "bad," rather than hope of afterlife

*Re-emergence of traditional/heroic/esoteric religion through Satan as prominent symbol: comparison of the death/black metal motif with the poignant worship of Baphomet by the Knights Templar reveals it to be more than fortuitous

[More Celt Than Sassenach]

people seem to have forgotten sodom's first demo/EP (dont know which one it is) Witching Metal, it came out in 1983

[Blood Puke]

Sodom's Witching Metal demo came out in 1982.

Slaughter's Strappado is a total classic in 80's Death Metal.

Has anyone talked about Carcass? Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment is from 1987, and in the same year they started to record their classic first album.

And Nuclear Death's Wake Me When I'm Dead is from 1986. That's about the end of my additions.

OK, Insanity's demo was mentioned; I thought it wasn't.

http://blacklungproductions.com/insanity/resources/fire.rm

See the video featuring Joe DeZuniga (1966-1987) the original vocalist/guitarist of Insanity belt out this intense tune from the early underground days of death metal. In RealPlayer format at 240X180 with enhanced audio from the '85 demo.

[born for banning]

By the late '80s, a fairly comprehensive philosophy had  developed, which included:

*Didsdain for dualism: holistic embrace of life experiences, whether "good" or "bad," rather than hope of afterlife

*Re-emergence of traditional/heroic/esoteric religion through Satan as prominent symbol: comparison of the death/black metal motif with the poignant worship of Baphomet by the Knights Templar reveals it to be more than fortuitous

It definitely had gnostic undertones through the way bands separated mentation from physical torment. Interesting points.

I think it's safe to say that death metal grew out of late 1970s metal, which had gotten too rock music to be interesting, and late 1970s punk/hardcore which was abrasive but had no ideas. It was simply the next step.

[Silas_Dement]

Early Messiah, as well as other bands already mentioned.