Picking through "Best Of OSDM" lists

[Parasite]

I have been looking back in time for some great old muddy death metal in the same spirit as Considered Dead and Mental Funeral  and I have come across lists that are in the hundreds. It seems there are an endless supply of these "best of old school death metal album" lists out there.  Now im certain about at least 50 % of these lists are no good and the user put them on there for some cult points or something but I am still compelled to chip through them.

So far I found a few that I have been enjoying:

Gorefest - Mindloss(1991)
Morta Skuld - As Humanity Fades(1994)
Deceased - Luck of The Corpse(1992) <- I had put off listening to this one for a long time, im glad I gave it a try!
Wombbath - Internal Caustic Torments(1993) <- i knew about this one prior to my search, this one was a real treat for me and was just what I was looking for, sick gruesome twisty riff atmosphere.

Anyways here are the lists I was looking at that someone had made.

http://rateyourmusic.com/lists/list_view?list_id=113590&show=25&start=0

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Audioslave666raj/my_top_100_old_school_death_metal_albums

Take a look and tell if there is any you know of/have heard that are worthy of a listen. Please indulge me with your opinions and views on some of these.  I have heard most of the albums that are reviewed on the DLA.

[Annihilation]

Sickening Gore is alright as far as "lesser-knowns" go. I'd say Darkified too, but they recently got a Dark Descent remaster, and are probably better known by now. Immortalis is okay too. German death with keyboards. Like other German bands, kinda boring.

Problem with those lists apart from their general disregard for quality: albums aren't a very good measure of a band's worth. A lot of solid bands didn't have an opportunity to record a full-length or burned out before their first.

Apparition (US) [Eternally Forgotten/Curse the Sunrise]
Burial (NL) [Frigid Cold]
Eldritch Horror [Untouched by the Sun]
Mordicus (first demo/EP)
Swazafix (kinda hardcore-ish)
Feretrum [From Far Beyond]
Excavation (NL) [Gravemouth]


^some of the better less-mentioned stuff.

EDIT: added specific releases

[Humanicide]

Never was into Wombbath really, but Deceased is fucking awesome. "Luck Of The Corpse" is like Voivod doing death metal. Shit rules - not sure why it's so overlooked!

That Audioslave list seems weird and kind of arbitrary - Convulse ahead of Morbid Angel? "Beyond Sanctorum" at #99? I dunno man seems shady to me.

[Parasite]

Hey thanks for the replies, i will look into those bands you mentioned Annihilation.  I don't think these lists are best to worst or anything just randomly thrown together.

Ya i didn't have high expectations for that Luck of the Corpse album but it definitely blew me away.  I really like the drumming on it, it has absolutely no consistence at all it is constantly morphing and changing but still keeps the pace and doesn't sound random.  The vocals also sound really good, on some of the following albums I find King's voice to be kind of stretched out and too raspy. I am very pleased I finally got around to that one!

Wombbath i found in the back of that Swedish death metal book, looked em up, saw that cover and downloaded it immediately.  I like the way the vocals are in rhythm with the riffs and the fact that the dude sounds like early Hypocrisy's singer.  I hope that record gets a repressing sometime soon!

Anyways if there are some on their you haven't heard give em a listen and let me know what you think.

[death-metal]

Reminds me of NWN/FMP (same label at this point).

Most obscure shit is obscure because it blows. No offense, Ara. (haha)

If you're going to pick the best of DM... pick the best and don't give a shit about what others think.

[Parasite]

Reminds me of NWN/FMP (same label at this point).

Most obscure shit is obscure because it blows. No offense, Ara. (haha)

If you're going to pick the best of DM... pick the best and don't give a shit about what others think.

It depends what you call obscure, I may not. Who said anything about obscurity anyways?

Infester is obscure, would you not tell someone new to Death Metal that they have to hear that album?

There are some diamonds in the rough.

[Annihilation]

Most obscure shit is obscure because it blows. No offense, Ara. (haha)

I'd rather listen to Eldritch Horror than most stuff people don't believe to be obscure / some of the "pinnacle": much of Asphyx's output, good amount of Bolt Thrower, good amount of Sinister, Autopsy, later Carcass, the majority of the Florida scene... etc.

But yes, statistically, you are correct. Not sure what the point of saying this is on the DLA's forum, though, apart from a fear that those exploring the lesser-known material must be scheming hipsters!