Recommended hard rock and heavy metal

Masterpieces of death metal. Recommended popular songs.

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.

When you hear the term “death metal,” what kind of music comes to mind?

Even among fans of heavy metal, some people find death metal hard to enjoy.

It’s certainly a genre that isn’t for everyone, but the world of death metal is actually incredibly deep.

There’s technical death metal, underpinned by overwhelming musicianship; progressive death metal, where intricate song structures reach an artistic level; brutal death metal, which pursues extremity and sheer destructive force; and deathcore…

In this article, we’ve selected popular tracks and must-hear classics from across the many subgenres and eras in death metal’s history.

It might just change your entire concept of what death metal is.

Enjoy!

Death metal masterpieces. Recommended popular songs (31–40)

Our Endless WarWhitechapel

Whitechapel – Our Endless War (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Our Endless WarWhitechapel

They’re a death metal/deathcore band from Tennessee, USA, but their name comes from Whitechapel in London, a place famous as the site of Jack the Ripper’s crimes.

They first came to Japan in 2017.

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Senceless MassacreRINGS OF SATURN

RINGS OF SATURN – SENSELESS MASSACRE (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Senceless MassacreRINGS OF SATURN

This thrilling track that makes you exclaim, “What is this technique?!” is Rings of Saturn’s “SENSELESS MASSACRE.” While it’s an intense death metal song, it also conveys a certain clarity and even evokes a cosmic element, true to the band’s name.

It suggests new possibilities for metal.

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Murakami Shinpei

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UNBØUNDMachine Head

MACHINE HEAD – UNBØUND (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

UNBØUNDMachine Head

Veteran American metal band Machine Head, embodying strength and a will for liberation, delivers a striking new track.

Groovy, heavy riffs intertwine with frontman Robb Flynn’s impassioned vocals to create overwhelming intensity.

While retaining the band’s thrash metal elements, the song weaves in catchy melodies, showcasing steady evolution.

Released as a lead single from the album UNATØNED, due out April 25, 2025, it has also been chosen as the theme song for the film Rebellion Rising, slated for release in 2025.

With its powerful sound and strong message, this track is perfect for moments when you want to awaken your inner strength or fire yourself up.

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No CompromiseTHE HAUNTED

THE HAUNTED – No Compromise (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

No CompromiseTHE HAUNTED

The Haunted, the band formed by the Björler brothers from At the Gates.

They’re often grouped under melodic death metal as well, but this track leans heavily into death hardcore.

The way they build hooks and craft chorus lines really shows how versatile this band is.

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In conclusion

From legendary bands that have been active since the dawn of death metal to groups that rose to prominence in the deathcore scene from the 2000s onward, the spirit of death metal has been passed down across eras and continues to pulse around the world.

Because it’s an inherently underground genre, the deeper you dig, the more you’ll discover its profound appeal.

If this piques your interest, take the plunge and step into the dark sonic realm!