Death Metal - A videographic chronological history of the classical times

Death Metal GIF

As some of us already know the golden age of the death metal scene stretch from the late 80's to the second part of the 90's. 

Within these years, the bands involved managed to release videos made for MTV, using technical equipment very different that is used today, paid a lot of money and spent a lot of energy and time in order to achieve what they wanted to express in order to promote the musical message, their live abilities, the fan-base reaction or the band's image, in general. 

In that respect many of the videos created back then are pure masterpieces.

Let's see how bands managed to portray themselves back in the Death Metal heydays.

The first video issued in the classical death metal scene undoubtedly must be Death's performance in 1988 at the Combat Tour, along with headliners Raven plus Dark Angel, Forbidden and Fate or Fear, containing : Left to Die ; Pull the Plug ; Forgotten Past and Denial of Life songs.

The second one is surely Paradise Lost's performance "Live Death" at the Peaceville Mischievous Night Party, Saturday 4th November 1989 at Bradford Queens Hall containing tracks from their "Lost Paradise" album : Deadly Inner Sense ; Frozen Illusion ; Breeding Fear ; Paradise Lost ; Our Savior ; Rotting Misery and Internal Torment played in such a passionate way. 

The video cassette was officially released exactly one year later on November 4th, 1990.

Morbid Angel released "Live Madness '89" recorded at Nottingham on November 14 performing most of the "Altars of Madness" LP proving that they are a total Death Metal machinery and a crucial future metal force.

Grindcore and Death/Grind inventors, Napalm Death issued "Live Corruption" in 1993, captured at the Salisbury Arts Centre in Salisbury, England on June 30th, 1990 when they played a lot of their classical tracks taken from their first albums, new tracks as well, interviews, plus a video-clip made for "Suffer the Children" one of the most outstanding songs from "Harmony Corruption" LP, their most successful album, so far.

It was 1990 and Entombed, the Swedish quintet,  released the "Left Hand Path" video from the same named disc, showing their live performance and establishing their leader status on the Scandinavian Death Metal scene.

Norway was represented by the famous Darkthrone with "Live in Oslo 1990"  performing 6 tracks from their classic "Soulside Journey" Death Metal debut LP.

 

Sci-fi horror inspired tech-death-metal Nocturnus genius performance for the "Lake of Fire" the first track taken from their most outstanding and original albums in the history of metal published under the name of "The Key" back in 1990.

Massacre From Beyond GIF

Legendary Massacre with "Chamber of Ages" promoted the first "From Beyond" issue showing their energetic live act in front of their unleashed fan-base. 

A black and white masterwork, for sure!

Death's first video-clip perfectly pictured a psychological tragedy described in the lyrics of the song taken from the classical 1991 "Human" opus called "Lack of Comprehension".

Steve DiGiorgio's original band Sadus released "Good Rid'nz" and "Certain Death" videos containing edited live footage taken from their first two albums "Illusions" and "Swallowed in Black".

The very charismatic Floridian combo, Obituary chose "Turned Inside Out" played live, the last track from their "Cause of Death" classic disc, in order to portray and prove to the world their full potential.

Once again, the iconic band Morbid Angel presented themselves with a video-clip for "Blessed are the Sick/Leading the Rats" taken from the much praised 1991 - "Blessed are the Sick" album. 

The video express what the track and the album is all about at the musical and lyrical concept.

War themed, British Bolt Thrower came up with "Cenotaph" taken from the 1991 "War Master" album representing their Death-Grind delivery performance, the band and their legions produced in a very dynamic fashion.

By year of 1991, Napalm Death returned more energetic than ever and this can be seen in their "Mass Appeal Madness" official video.

A video-clip documenting their tour around the world, probably taken when they toured for the "Harmony Corruption" LP.

As, of the same video content was presented on"The World Keeps Turning" in order to promote their fourth "Utopia Banished" effort just a year later.

The German quintet Morgoth chose "Sold Baptism" as a video-clip and "Isolated" live performance to represent their first and much praised "Cursed" output released back in 1991. 

The first above mentioned is a short horror movie featuring the band members and the front-man Mark Grewe as the main character.

Just like a short B-grade horror movie, the British band Cancer made a video-clip for the "Back from the Dead" song present on the much appreciated "Death Shall Rise" work dated in 1991.

"Shrunken and Mummified Bitch" being a quite sick/black humorous video-clip made by the Austrian trio Pungent Stench, and from the same album they came up with "Sick Bizarre Defaced Creation" a black and white live video-clip edited with overlayed reprises here and there from their 1991 "Been Caught Buttering" Death-Grind second album.

Carcass tried to capture the musical message on the much appreciated "Necroticism - Descanting and Insalubrious" album with the "Incarnated Solvent Abuse" video released in 1991 and the second video, being a live footage and a master interpretation for "Corporal Jigsore Quandary" taken from the famous "Grindcrusher Tour".

The above mentioned tour, also includes a full performances by both Carcass and their fellow Bolt Thrower

The Dutch quartet Pestilence managed to portray themselves in a very effective way, the general message and the atmosphere from the conceptual 1991 released "Testimony of the Ancients" album,  throughout the undoubtedly masterpiece of a video-clip : "Land of Tears".

A short horror story.

Their previous second effort named "Consuming Impulse" dated back in 1990 featuring Martin Van Drunen handling the bass and the vocal duties, at that time was presented with the "Out of the Body" video-clip.

Their colleagues from God Dethroned made a video-clip for the "Necromagnon" track, in a wretched, construction area, presenting the debut album "The Christhunt" dated as of 1992.

Colleagues in Death/Grind and co-nationals of Pungent Stench, Disharmonic Orchestra launched "Groove" video in order to promote "Not to be Undimentional Conscious" their second album back in 1992.

The famous, by now, polish combo Vader were presenting themselves playing in a post-communist industrial environment with the song "Dark Age" taken from the debut album, "The Ultimate Incantation" issued as of 1992.

Floridian based Nocturnus returned with a video for the "Alter Reality" track taken from their second LP "Thresholds" released in 1992.

At the same year, British Death Metal veteran quintet Bolt Thrower, spearheaded again with "The IVth Crusade" video from the same named release with an energetic live collage.

There's no question that Morbid Angel's "God of Emptiness" video is another Metal masterpiece , representing the one of the band's main lyrical topics. 

One of the most viewed out there and a symbolic representation for the genre's overall song themes - religion. 

It is the last track taken from their third much appreciated album "Covenant" dated in 1993. Also, we have "Rapture" video to enjoy, the song opening the 1993's classic, by now long-play. 

"Covenant" is one of the most sold death metal full-lengths out there.

Another true memorable masterpieces in terms of video production must be the Entombed's "Stranger Aeons" from "Clandestine" and Dismember's " and "Dreaming in Red" videos taken from their both second releases. 

Dismember, also released a video for the above mentioned second album, titled "Indecent&Obscene" opening track "Skinfather" consisting moslty of their live experience.

Prior to that, Dismember promoted their music with the "Soon to be Dead" video-clip taken from the "Like an Everflowing Stream" classic disc, dated in 1991.

From the same Swedish lands, the soon to became, one of the most death metal influential personality Peter Tägtgren presented his band Hypocrisy with two videos "Impotent God" which is a live performance and a videoclip for "Left to Rot" in 1992 promoting their "Penetralia" debut album.

One year later they returned with a video called "Pleasure of Molestation" a song which is published on the second disc "Osculum Obscenum", and by 1994 released "Inferior Devoties" a video-clip made for a track taken from the same named EP showing themselves as a trio, for the first time, with Peter Tägtgren behind the frontline microphone.

As, for the fourth effort dated in 1996 "Abducted" album, the band chose to make a video-clip for the song "Roswell '47" consisting mostly from their touring footage.

The, heathen to become, Johnny Hedlund's Unleashed show their live strong display of "Before the Creation of Time" from the first "Where No Life Dwells" album. 

Later on they promoted their third effort "Across the Open Sea" and their fan-base with "The One Insane" video performing in a club.

Interment from Sweden, again, presenting themselves with a video-clip created for "Infestering Flesh" back in 1992, a song taken from their first demo.

The first progressive death metal band, Dan Swanö's Edge of Sanity filmed "Black Tears" the power play for the "Purgatory Afterglow" in a black and white low-budget fashion. 

The vocal clean delivery resembles much of what is called Gothic Metal, today, as the overall album's direction is quite diverse.

The Australian trio Mortification presented themselves with a video taken from "Scrolls of the Megilloth" LP, their best achievement, so far, with the eponymous song, published back in 1992.

Besides the "God of Emptiness" artwork the Carcass' "Heartwork" must be another important vector and surely a masterpiece for the genre, up to this day.

A true terrifying videoclip, but perfect in portraying the viciousness of the music presented on the eponymous album issued in 1993. "No Love Lost" being at the same quality level in terms of video production and musical inspiration.

Germans from Morgoth, also returned with the much appeciated "Odium" disc, promoted by the "Under the Surface" video at the same year.

Also, Chuck Shuldiner , the Godfather of Death Metal returned and brought Death back to live  inviting Andy LaRoque, King Diamond's lead guitarist, Steve DiGiorgio, the famous and very technical bass player and no other than Gene Hoglan to record one of the most daring metal issues of all times "Individual Thought Patterns" that was promoted with a video for the closing track "The Philosopher".  

A total outstanding performance, there!

Californian Autopsy had "Voices" played in a garage hailing the unforgettable "Acts of the Unspeakable" LP back in '93.

Entombed returned with "Hollowman" and "Wolverine Blues" from their Groove Death Metal opus out in '93, with Lars G. Petrov (R.I.P) handling, again the vocal duties. 

"Hollowman" is such a great work in 'good optics' register, per say, showing the band playing in an old factory. Another video masterpiece for Metal, indeed!

Again, hailing from Sweden, Grave veteran band , provided the Death Metal hordes with the "Soulless" video made in 1994, from the same named collection of songs.

As, on the same year, british quintet Napalm Death made short horror film for "The Plague Rages" which would be one of the power plays of the "Fear ,Emptiness, Despair" album.

The much appreciated Obituary returned with "The End Complete" video-clip inorder to promote the same named album back in 1993 and for the "World Demise" effort decided to release a video made for the opening track "Don't Care" dated back in 1995.

Gorefest Erase GIF

 

From the dutch front the four Gorefest highlighted their "False" opus through the "Get-a-life" video containing a fine edited live performance followed by the 1994 "Erase" as one of the most memorable moment from the same named disc.

"The Eindhoven Insanity" released in August 11th, 1993 documents Gorefest's live performance at the much famous and appeciated Dynamo Festival in the same year containing 9 songs.

Same goes for their co-nationals from the Sinister band, who released a video-clip for the song "Leviathan" taken from the much appreciated and one of their best LP's ,"Diabolical Summoning" dated back in 1993.

The video represents the band besides a short horror movie about wichery, time distortion and occult practices.

Dismember returned with the masterpiece named "Casket Garden" taken from their 1995 issued album "Massive Killing Capacity". One of the most beautiful videos made in Death Metal.

Carcass released "Swansong" opus back in 1996, before the split-up and chose as the power play, the first song "Keep on Rotting in the Free World" containing a mix of live and other video footage to please their worldwide fan-base.

Cannibal Corpse watch us "Through the eyes of the Dead" video, enjoying one of the most inspired albums released in metal ever "The Bleeding", released back in 1994, being their first official one.

The British iconic quintet Benediction released "Foetus Noose" an interesting video-clip made with overlayed live footage, presenting their fan-base.

Also, not-to-be-missed "The Grotesque" video-clip taken from the eponymous EP from 1994.

This video-graphic journey through one of the most aggressive metal genres out there will be closed by mentioning the last videoclip dedicated by the same Birmingham veterans Benediction to Jack the Ripper, naming the first song taken from the 1995 output "The Dreams you Dread" called "Down on Whores - Leave them all for dead!"

Gothic Metal I.

Gothic Metal GIF

By the year of 1991 the underground metal scene, especially in Europe,  was populated, mostly, with endless death metal bands, many of them copying what the leaders in charge, already have done or copying each other.

...And then a "weird" album arrived on the stores' shelves...

Published by Peaceville Records, it was named "Gothic" and released by the now-known band Paradise Lost.

This album was the first one to inflame fans' and other bands' imagination worldwide.

A game-changer,for sure!

The album "goes" into the opposite direction as their contemporaries, so to speak, in terms of speed, mood and the overall melodic delivery.

An experimental album trying to add and encapsulate the Gothic-Rock atmosphere into their traditional Death Metal roots.

According to Gregor Mackintosh the album's producer statement at hearing was : 

" - You will never go anywhere with this one! It doesn't fit any category!"

Also, Paradise Lost are responsible for creating the Doom / Death Metal style and introducing the "beauty and the beast" vocal duality, just one album earlier, on "Lost Paradise - 1990" with the song "Breeding Fear" being the first attempt in this category.

Prior to that, the idea of Gothic-Rock came from the Punk-Gothic band The Damned who's vocalist Dave Vanian used to dress like Dracula during their live performancies.

Later on, acts known as New-Wave, Gothic-Rock, Synth-Pop or Death-Rock well known heroes like Joy Division , Siouxsie and the Banshees , Bauhaus , Killing Joke , The Cure , The Sisters of Mercy , Fields of the Nephilim , Christian Death or the very avantgardistic Dead Can Dance took the challenge and started to experimence with a more dark, bleak touch, somehow, inspired and paved the way for the most of the Gothic Metal bands, with their melodic, and or melancholic song structures, dark attitude and the specific baritonal vocal output.

On the other hand, another big influence for this new genre was 1987 Celtic Frost's "Into The Pandemonium" release.

This LP was a very controversial one at that time, as well, as they left their traditional Black/Thrash/Death roots for a more experimental approach.

The result was a rejection by some fans, but it was fully embraced by others.
It is an album full of new ,fresh and innovative ideas combining industrial tunes with dark melancholic moments, almost a prophetic act if we see how Gothic Metal developed in years to come.

Actually, it cannot be drawn a strict line between the Death / Doom Metal and Gothic Metal, as the genres are quite closely intertwined from the very beginning. 

The same goes for the lyrical content, as for the both styles includes mostly kind of the same content : philosophical or spiritual subjects, moody description of nature, personal drama ,religious issues here and there or sentimental issues, but rarely social troubles, per say.

Moving back to the inventors of the genre, the absolutely memorable "As I Die" the last track taken from the "Shades of God" album was an instant blow, sending massive waves through the extreme metal community and being the track that managed to polarize and amaze with its powerful feeling, originality and spontaneity. 

Later on, the song was an inspiration for them,, as well, in terms of song writing for their next "Icon" output released in 1993.

Their next albums as above mentioned "Shades Of God - 1992" ; "Icon - 1993" 

  Paradise Lost - Icon GIF

and the much praised "Draconian Times - 1995" developed the ideas into a more Gothic Heavy Metal approach,  building a mountain of melancholy, evolving and still keeping their original style, but moving their music to the highest levels and increasing their popularity among the metal audience. 

For example, by the year of 1995 the band was called "the european Metallica" as they dethroned them throughout the scandinavian metal tops published at that time.

My Dying Bride must be the second band who cemented the Doom / Death Metal genre through "As The Flower Withers" from 1992, then on the second one they were also experimenting with gothic bleak atmospheres throughout the entire album. Especially at the vocal delivery.

"Turn Loose The Swans - 1993" is a classic and a very representative album. Their following LP's as: "The Angel And The Dark River - 1995" ; "Like Gods Of The Sun - 1996" and "34.788%... Complete - 1998" put the band on the top of metal listeners.

Anathema surely being the third and the one to complete the-so-called "Peaceville Three" bands
putting, again, British Metal in the top of the well known innovative movement in the general rock/metal picture.

Their slow and crushing, yet very atmospheric metal was a breath of fresh air in the emerging extreme metal scene.
The first two full-lenghts and two EP's are an important reference in that respect.

Another British band that promised a lot with its first album was Enchantment.

"Dance of the Marble Nacked - 1994" will please any Paradise Lost listener with their melancholic heaviness. 

Sadly, despite the fact that they had a 6 records deal with Century Media, Enchantment disbanded after their much appreciated first full-length album.

On the other side of the ocean, an important pioneering band from the first half of the '90s include Type O Negative from New York. 

Their musical core consists in a very Sabbath-ish riffage mixed with The Sisters of Mercy dark-voice singing.
Some Hardcore-punk reprises can be heard here and there, reminiscent of Peter Steele's (R.I.P.)
songwriting for Agnostic Front or hanging out in C.B.G.B's-club area.

Sadly, the only one band alike to be remembered from the States, but their "Bloody Kisses - 1993" is a memorable and classic LP to get into.

In Europe the idea wasn't much expected to be explored and it was embraced soon, as the second wave of Death Metal of mid '90's started to change or to fade away.

The Gathering must be the next to mention, especially with their first albums, being recommended for a best musical trip, rich in romantic and gothic atmospheres.

Their later works started to incorporate more and more atmospheric elements, probably due to admiration for Pink Floyd of the main composers, there, and the general sound moved away from the strictly "Goth" musical identity.

However, they are mostly described as Doom-Death, early and Atmospheric Metal with Prog and Alternative influences added within, on their last albums.

Norway provided with bands like Theatre of Tragedy , Tristania and Mortal Love to the general map, whose full discographies are totally recommended in order to achieve the absolutely dramatic, dreamy and the melancholic experience northern Gothic Metal has to offer.

The Gothic Metal scene was enriched by Germany with the, veteran by now, band Crematory with his much melodic and romantic Death Metal accompanied by powerful keyboards.

 Their music has that typical German "exactness" in terms of execution, but powerful, straight to the point and with such melancholic substance.

From "Transmigration - 1993" to "...Just Dreaming - 1994" and the much appreciated "Illusions - 1995" they built a strong and distinctive style not to be forgotten by fans and the metal music history in general.

 
Their following catalog continued mostly on the same musical formulas adding, also industrial influences on some releases, or more or less riff content intensity.

Atrocity is a German band who started to incorporate Gothic Metal tunes as they left Death Metal present on their first two albums.

LP's like "Calling the Rain - 1995" Featuring vocalist Alex Krull's sister, Yasmin Krull ; "Die Liebe - 1995 (in collaboration with the Gothic Rock band Das Ich)" ; "Willenskraft - 1996" are the works to turned the tides on goth and metal waves letting the fans of their first two original albums scratching their heads in confusion.

The German band Evereve, also is about to be mentioned with albums like "Seasons - 1997" ; "Stormbirds - 1998" and "Regret - 1999" combining heaviness with powerful melodramatic lines.

The same goes for the band Dark, who contributed with three albums, much appreciated at that time, starting from 1994.

Pyogenesis will be remembered with "Ignis Creatio - 1992 EP","Underneath - 1992 EP" ; "Waves of Erotasia - 1994 EP" and "Sweet X-Rated Nothings - 1994 LP"...sadly the next records moved their music towards alternative-pop music leaving the goth-metal legions in confusion.

Another band who plays on the quality music specter is Secret Discovery hanging between Metal and Rock,their songs are pretty much memorable Gothic tunes, in this regard!



One of the most important German acts are Darkseed,as they also begin their adventure with Death Metal rawness,then moving towards Gothic Metal through "Midnight Solemnly Dance - 1996" landing on fertile Gothic Metal ground with "Spellcraft - 1997" ; "Romantic Tales - Re-issued 1998" and "Give Me Light - 1999". On the last albums Darkseed combines metal with electronica and Dark Wave inherited from the well known german tradition.

The Austrian band Visceral Evisceration made a significant  standpoint on their "Incessant Desire for Palatable Flesh" back in 1994. 

Heavily influenced by the "Gothic" album, but very much appreciated by the underground fan base of those times. 

At the lyrical section, the band chose to focus around gory dark humor, which can be easily guessed by the way their song titles are named, unlike the contemporaries within this genre.

Lacrimosa the Swiss duo led by Tilo Wolff and Anne Nurmi mixes Gothic Rock with Heavy Metal accompanied by classical instruments and electronica. Originally,on their first album it was more on the Dark Wave style,but as the music evolved metal and classical elements were added gradually to the concept. Their third "Inferno - 1995" album gained international success despite the German language mostly used in their lyrics.

On the next albums Lacrimosa added more and more classical instrumentation in partnership with London a Symphony Orchestra,the Rosenberg Ensemble and the Hamburg State Opera, moving their style to Symphonic Gothic Metal collage.

In the mid '90s from the dark side of Portugal came Moonspell with a quite Black Metal-ish debut "Wolfheart - 1995" that includes, also substantial Gothic vibes and seriously fantastic songwriting, this album is an instant success! The second incarnation as beeing "Irreligious - 1996" totally they totally jumped in the goth-metal wagon delivering a strong ,powerful and representative product.

In years to come metal community was somehow disappointed by their appetite for experimentation, but their last LP's demonstrates that Moonspell is an undeniable force, able to reinvent themselves and to rise again from the ashes, bringing great albums and keeping Gothic Metal fans around their scene.

The second portugese Gothic Metal act, in terms of popularity should be the band Heavenwood.

Their music "goes" more into the Cemetary, Lake of Tears direction, this time.

The band contributed with "Diva" - 1996 ; "Swallow" - 1998 before splitting up, but managed to reform back in 2008 and, since then they brought to the attention albums like : "Redemption" - 2008 ; "Abyss Masterpiece" and "The Tarot of the Bohemians" - 2016

To be continued here...

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