Editing Death metal (section)

===Emergence and early history (early to mid–1980s)===
[[Image:Death Mexico 06-89.jpg|thumb|right|Pioneering death metal band [[Death (metal band)|Death]] in 1989]]
English extreme metal band [[Venom (band)|Venom]], from [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]], crystallized the elements of what later became known as [[thrash metal]], death metal and [[black metal]], with their first two albums ''[[Welcome to Hell]]''<ref>{{cite web |last=Rivadavia |first=Eduardo |title=Venom: Welcome to Hell |website=[[AllMusic]] |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000268406 |access-date=February 14, 2014 |archive-date=July 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709174857/https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000268406 |url-status=live }}</ref> and ''[[Black Metal (Venom album)|Black Metal]]'',{{sfn|Kahn-Harris|2007}} released in late 1981 and 1982, respectively. Their dark, blistering sound, harsh vocals, and [[macabre]], proudly Satanic imagery proved a major inspiration for extreme metal bands.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ankeny|first=Jason|title=Venom Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5755|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=February 14, 2014|archive-date=April 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425110720/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5755|url-status=live}}</ref> Another highly influential band, [[Slayer]], formed in 1981. Although the band was a thrash metal act, Slayer's music was more violent than their thrash contemporaries [[Metallica]], [[Megadeth]], and [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]].<ref name="Metal Hammer">{{cite web|last=de Paola|first=Enrico|title=Into The Lungs of Hell|url=http://www.emptywords.org/MetalHammerItaly03-2000.htm|work=[[Metal Hammer]]|publisher=Empty Words|date=March 2000|access-date=July 19, 2014|archive-date=July 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713105117/http://www.emptywords.org/MetalHammerItaly03-2000.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Their breakneck speed and instrumental prowess combined with lyrics about death, violence, war, and Satanism won Slayer a cult following.<ref>{{cite web|last=Huey|first=Steve|title=Slayer Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5453|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=February 14, 2014|archive-date=April 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425111436/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5453|url-status=live}}</ref> According to Mike McPadden, ''[[Hell Awaits]]'', Slayer's second album, "largely invent[ed] much of the sound and fury that would evolve into death metal."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vh1.com/news/gfg7pz/slayer-hell-awaits-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404081929/https://www.vh1.com/news/gfg7pz/slayer-hell-awaits-30 |url-status=live |archive-date=April 4, 2023 |title='Hell Awaits' by Slayer Turns 30, Still Head Of The Thrash Class of '85 |last=McPadden |first=Mike |date=March 22, 2015 |website=[[VH1]] |access-date=July 5, 2019}}</ref> According to [[AllMusic]], their third album ''[[Reign in Blood]]'' inspired the entire death metal genre.<ref>{{cite web|first=Steve|last=Huey|title=Slayer: Reign in Blood|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r18220|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=January 5, 2007|archive-date=August 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804163853/http://www.allmusic.com/album/r18220|url-status=live}}</ref> It had a big impact on genre leaders such as [[Death (metal band)|Death]], [[Obituary (band)|Obituary]], and [[Morbid Angel]].<ref name="Metal Hammer"/>

[[File:Possessed - Jalometalli 2008 - 02.JPG|thumb|150px|left|[[Jeff Becerra]] of [[Possessed (band)|Possessed]]{{sfn|Mudrian|2004|p=}}]]

[[Possessed (band)|Possessed]], a band that formed in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] during 1983, is described by AllMusic as "connecting the dots" between thrash metal and death metal with their 1985 debut album, ''[[Seven Churches (album)|Seven Churches]]''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Eduardo|last=Rivadavia|title=Possessed: Seven Churches|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r15558|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=February 14, 2014|archive-date=December 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227123208/http://www.allmusic.com/album/r15558|url-status=live}}</ref> While attributed as having a Slayer influence,<ref>{{cite web|last=Rivadavia|first=Eduardo|title=Possessed Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5171|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=February 14, 2014|archive-date=April 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425111502/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5171|url-status=live}}</ref> current and former members of the band had actually cited Venom and [[Motörhead]], as well as early work by [[Exodus (band)|Exodus]], as the main influences on their sound. Although the group had released only two studio albums and an EP in their formative years, they have been described by music journalists and musicians as either being "monumental" in developing the death metal style,{{sfn|Purcell|2003|p=54}} or as being the first death metal band.<ref>{{cite book|last=McIver|first=Joel|title=The Bloody Reign of Slayer|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]|year=2008|isbn=978-1-84772-109-9}}</ref>{{sfn|Ekeroth|2008|p=12}}{{sfn|Mudrian|2004|p=70}} [[Earache Records]] noted that "the likes of Trey Azagthoth and Morbid Angel based what they were doing in their formative years on the Possessed blueprint laid down on the legendary ''Seven Churches'' recording. Possessed arguably did more to further the cause of 'Death Metal' than any of the early acts on the scene back in the mid-late 80's."<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview With Jeff Becerra |url=http://www.earache.com/WickedWorld/interview/possessed/possessed.html |publisher=[[Earache Records]] |access-date=July 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113120317/http://www.earache.com/WickedWorld/interview/possessed/possessed.html |archive-date=November 13, 2012 }}</ref>

[[File:Chuck Schuldiner.jpg|thumb|170px|right|[[Chuck Schuldiner]] (1967–2001) of [[Death (metal band)|Death]], during a 1992 tour in Scotland in support of the album ''[[Human (Death album)|Human]]''.]]

During the same period as the dawn of Possessed, a second influential metal band was formed in Orlando, Florida. Originally called Mantas, Death was formed in 1983 by [[Chuck Schuldiner]], [[Kam Lee]], and [[Rick Rozz]]. Inspired by the [[Brandon, Florida]] act [[Nasty Savage]], they took the sound of Nasty Savage and deepened it.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last1=Stevenson|first1=Arielle|date=October 22, 2009|title=The way the music died: The earliest days of Tampa Death Metal|url=http://www.tampabay.com/features/music/the-way-the-music-died-the-earliest-days-of-tampa-death-metal/1046088|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027025354/https://www.tampabay.com/features/music/the-way-the-music-died-the-earliest-days-of-tampa-death-metal/1046088/|archive-date=October 27, 2009|website=[[Tampa Bay Times]]|publisher=[[Times Publishing Company]]|accessdate=April 26, 2016}}</ref> In 1984, they released their first demo entitled ''Death by Metal'', followed by several more. The tapes circulated through the tape trader world, quickly establishing the band's name. With Death guitarist Schuldiner adopting vocal duties, the band made a major impact in the emerging [[Florida death metal]] scene. The fast minor-key riffs and solos were complemented with fast drumming, creating a style that would catch on in tape trading circles.{{sfn|Purcell|2003|p=54}} Schuldiner has been credited by AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia for being widely recognized as the "Father of Death Metal".<ref name="Death">{{cite web|last=Rivadavia|first=Eduardo|title=Death Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4050|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=August 13, 2008|archive-date=April 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424070300/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4050|url-status=live}}</ref> Death's 1987 debut release, ''[[Scream Bloody Gore]]'', has been described by About.com's Chad Bowar as being the "evolution from thrash metal to death metal",<ref>{{cite web|last=Bowar|first=Chad|title=Death Profile|url=http://heavymetal.about.com/od/death/p/pro_death.htm|publisher=About.com|access-date=January 14, 2014|archive-date=May 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502050614/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/death/p/pro_death.htm|url-status=unfit}}</ref> and "the first true death metal record" by the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]''.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Aldis, N.|author2=Sherry, J.|title=Heavy metal Thunder|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|year=2006}}</ref> In an Interview Jeff Becerra talked about the discussions of being the creator of the genre, saying that Schuldiner cited Possessed as a massive influence, and Death were even called "Possessed clones" early on.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jeff-beccera-puts-an-end-to-debate-over-who-was-the-first-death-metal-band-death-or-possessed/|title = JEFF BECERRA Puts an End to Debate over Who Was the First Death Metal Band: DEATH or POSSESSED|date = August 20, 2017|access-date = January 6, 2020|archive-date = August 20, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170820200245/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jeff-beccera-puts-an-end-to-debate-over-who-was-the-first-death-metal-band-death-or-possessed/|url-status = live}}</ref> Along with Possessed and Death, other pioneers of death metal in the United States include [[Macabre (band)|Macabre]], [[Master (American band)|Master]], [[Massacre (metal band)|Massacre]], [[Immolation (band)|Immolation]], [[Cannibal Corpse]], [[Obituary (band)|Obituary]], and [[Post Mortem (band)|Post Mortem]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Norton|first=Justin M.|title=Post Mortem - 'Coroner's Office' Retrospective|url=http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/postmortem.htm|publisher=[[About.com]]|date=February 19, 2009|access-date=February 14, 2014|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221221406/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/postmortem.htm|archive-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Marquard|first=Bryan|title=John McCarthy, at 40; was lead singer for local thrash rocker Post Mortem|url=http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2009/02/08/john_mccarthy_at_40_was_lead_singer_for_local_thrash_rockers_post_mortem/?page=full|access-date=February 14, 2014|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]|date=February 8, 2009|archive-date=February 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223090810/http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2009/02/08/john_mccarthy_at_40_was_lead_singer_for_local_thrash_rockers_post_mortem/?page=full|url-status=live}}</ref>