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Everything About Deathcore

 Deathcore is a subgenre of extreme metal that blends elements of death metal and metalcore, incorporating the heaviness and brutality of death metal with the breakdowns, rhythmic elements, and sometimes melodic aspects of metalcore. This fusion results in a highly aggressive and intense sound that emphasizes technicality, heaviness, and mood-driven atmospheres. The genre is known for its heavy guitar riffs, blast beats, growling vocals, and often incorporates breakdowns—slow, heavy sections designed to incite moshing or headbanging.

Since its emergence in the mid-2000s, deathcore has grown into a widely popular and divisive subgenre in the metal community. It is often associated with brutal and chaotic music, though it has developed a diverse range of styles, from more melodic and atmospheric to relentlessly aggressive and technical.

Origins and Development of Deathcore

Deathcore has its roots in the metalcore scene, which itself is a fusion of hardcore punk and heavy metal. Metalcore bands typically feature a blend of heavy riffs, hardcore-style breakdowns, and clean or screamed vocals. In contrast, death metal is a more extreme subgenre of metal that is known for its growled vocals, blast beats, and complex song structures.

Deathcore arose as a fusion of these two genres in the early 2000s, with bands adopting the technical and guttural elements of death metal and fusing them with the rhythmic, breakdown-driven approach of metalcore. The genre emerged from underground scenes in the United States and Europe, drawing influence from early death metal bands like Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, and Dying Fetus, as well as metalcore bands like Earth Crisis, As I Lay Dying, and Killswitch Engage.

Key Characteristics of Deathcore

Deathcore is a dynamic and diverse subgenre of metal, but it has some defining characteristics that separate it from other extreme metal styles. Below are the key features that give deathcore its distinct sound and identity:

1. Heavy, Down-Tuned Guitars and Aggressive Riffs

  • One of the most defining characteristics of deathcore is the heavy, down-tuned guitar riffs. These riffs are often played in lower tunings (such as drop A or drop G), giving the music a dense, crushing sound. The guitar work often emphasizes chugging rhythms and palm-muted sections, which add to the genre's brutality.
  • The riffs often incorporate slams, a technique taken from slam death metal, which involves slower, groovy breakdowns designed to make the music even heavier.

2. Blast Beats and Fast Drumming

  • Deathcore drummers often use blast beats, which involve rapid double bass drumming and fast snare hits, as well as pounding rhythms to add to the intensity. Blast beats are a signature of death metal and contribute to the chaotic, aggressive sound of deathcore.
  • The tempo can vary, with songs often switching between fast, chaotic passages (reminiscent of death metal) and slower breakdowns (more akin to metalcore).

3. Vocals: Growls, Screams, and Shrieks

  • Vocals in deathcore are primarily growled or screamed, with an emphasis on low guttural growls and high-pitched shrieks. The growls come from the death metal tradition, while the shrieks and screams are influenced by metalcore and hardcore.
  • Many deathcore bands utilize dual vocals, where one vocalist uses deep death growls, while another may use high-pitched screams or clean singing to create a contrast in texture and intensity.
  • Lyrically, deathcore often focuses on dark and violent themes, including death, hate, suffering, psychological torment, and the gruesome (e.g., death, torture, war, existential anguish).

4. Breakdown-Centric Structure

  • Breakdowns—slow, heavy sections where the rhythm slows down significantly—are a hallmark of deathcore. These breakdowns are typically designed to create moments of intense heaviness and invite audience participation (such as moshing at live shows).
  • The chugging riffs during breakdowns are often paired with simple, powerful drumming, creating a rhythmic foundation that encourages headbanging and moshing. Breakdowns can sometimes become very long, emphasizing heaviness over technicality.

5. Influences from Death Metal and Metalcore

  • Deathcore blends the aggression, gritty growls, and blast beats of death metal with the rhythmic breakdowns, melodic structures, and mosh-driven sections of metalcore.
  • Some deathcore bands incorporate elements of slamming death metal (focusing on low, slow riffs) or technical death metal (complex, fast-paced riffs), depending on the band's style.

6. Technicality and Composition

  • While deathcore is often known for its aggressive and brutal side, some bands introduce technical elements in the form of complex riffs, time signature changes, and polyrhythmic drumming. Bands that emphasize technicality often bring in intricate melodies and counterpoint in their compositions, adding a layer of sophistication to the genre's brutality.
  • Many deathcore bands employ atmospheric passages, using synths or ambient interludes to create mood shifts and further expand the genre's sonic palette.

Subgenres of Deathcore

As deathcore has evolved, it has given rise to several subgenres, each with unique characteristics or fusions with other genres of metal. These subgenres add to the diversity of the genre and provide a variety of sounds and styles within deathcore.

1. Slam Deathcore

  • Characteristics: This subgenre merges deathcore with slam death metal, which focuses on slower, heavier riffs, with an emphasis on groove and brutality. It typically features thick, sludgy breakdowns and deep, guttural vocals. Slam deathcore often includes palm-muted chugging and short, intense passages that keep the tempo slow, while maintaining the heaviness.
  • Examples: Lorna Shore, Signs of the Swarm, Ingested

2. Technical Deathcore

  • Characteristics: Technical deathcore incorporates elements of technical death metal, focusing on complex song structures, polyrhythmic drumming, and intricate guitar work. The focus is on precision and technical proficiency, while still retaining the breakdowns and heaviness typical of deathcore.
  • Examples: Whitechapel, The Faceless, All Shall Perish

3. Symphonic Deathcore

  • Characteristics: This subgenre blends symphonic or orchestral elements with deathcore, resulting in a more melodic and cinematic sound. Bands often incorporate synths, strings, and choirs to create an atmosphere that contrasts with the heavy and aggressive riffs. It gives the music a grand, almost epic feel, while still maintaining the aggression and breakdowns of traditional deathcore.
  • Examples: The Black Dahlia Murder (later works), Fleshgod Apocalypse (though more death metal, they influence symphonic deathcore), Make Them Suffer

4. Deathcore / Black Metal Fusion

  • Characteristics: This fusion combines elements of black metal's atmospheric and melodic qualities with the heaviness and breakdowns of deathcore. Vocals are often shrieked in the style of black metal, while the riffing and structure stay close to traditional deathcore. The genre is more melodic and cold than traditional deathcore, with influences from blackened death metal.
  • Examples: Lorna Shore, Acrania, Shadow of Intent

Notable Deathcore Bands and Albums

1. Whitechapel

  • Album: This Is Exile (2008)
  • Influence: Whitechapel is one of the most influential bands in deathcore. Their album This Is Exile is a defining release for the genre, combining heavy breakdowns, technical guitar work, and intense vocals.

2. Suicide Silence

  • Album: The Cleansing (2007)
  • Influence: Known for their ferocious breakdowns and brutal vocals, Suicide Silence is often considered a leader in the deathcore scene. Their debut album The Cleansing was one of the most important records in shaping the genre.

3. Job for a Cowboy

  • Album: Doom (2005)
  • Influence: One of the first deathcore bands to gain widespread recognition, Job for a Cowboy's album Doom combines death metal's brutality with metalcore's breakdowns and aggressive vocals.

4. Lorna Shore

  • Album: Immortal (2020)
  • Influence: Lorna Shore is one of the top-tier bands in modern deathcore, known for incorporating symphonic elements, black metal shrieks, and technical riffing to create a unique, emotionally intense style.

5. The Black Dahlia Murder

  • Album: Unhallowed (2003)
  • Influence: Though technically a melodic death metal band, The Black Dahlia Murder’s influence on the deathcore scene is undeniable, particularly in how they blend technical riffs and melodic hooks with extreme aggression.

Conclusion

Deathcore is a brutal, intense subgenre of metal that combines the best aspects of death metal and metalcore. With its aggressive breakdowns, heavy guitar riffs, growling vocals, and blast beats, deathcore is one of the most intense forms of heavy music. It has continued to evolve, incorporating influences from slam death metal, technical death metal, black metal, and even symphonic elements, allowing for a wide array of stylistic variations. While it remains polarizing within the metal community, deathcore has proven to be one of the most influential and enduring subgenres in the modern metal landscape.

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