First and foremost, props have to be given to Dying Fetus who are really the “Faith No More” of the deathcore movement. Their combination of modern hardcore and death metal has had a dramatic impact on the movement, to the point that they are almost revered as Gods by deathcore kiddies who sport Dying Fetus shirts much like goth kiddies did 10 years ago with the likes of Cradle of Filth. Dying Fetus is a great band, and last year’s album Descend Into Depravity was a highlight death metal album of the year, so these guys should feel honored that they have kind of become the highlight of an entire movement.

Despite Dying Fetus’ influence, I don’t think they can be classified as “deathcore”, which to me, is a complete death metal transformation of the metalcore movement with modern hardcore breakdowns, chugga chugga riffs, and downtuning. Obviously this description of deathcore is a bit basic, but this is exactly how to describe it; it’s as if some dudes playing metalcore suddenly realized that Napalm Death, Dying Fetus, Cephalic Carnage and Suffocation were cool, so much so that they began to form their core sound around the tenets set forth by these  extreme death metal greats.

The first two bands I have discovered to make this transformation, are California’s All Shall Perish and Animosity, both of whom released their debut records in 2003. All Shall Perish released Hate.Malice.Revenge in 2003 on Amputated Vein Records, and represented one of my favorite death metal records at the time, and really, still holds up for it’s unbridled brutality and incredible gutterals courtesy of Craig Betit, who almost single handedly laid the groundwork for modern deathcore gutterals with “pig squeals” (which were prior used by underground goregrind bands to great effect) and high yielding screams. I have yet to see on the Internet a true tribute to Craig Betit and the band that really paved the way for brutal death metal combining metalcore’s primal breakdowns and rhythms.

Next up was Animosity’s Shut It Down, released only a few months after Hate.Malice.Revenge, and while it doesn’t have as much brutality and vocal elements as later deathcore could contain, this is most certainly one of the earliest examples of pure metalcore making the transition to a much heavier element much like Possessed did for early death metal in the 80’s.

To many modern metal fans, 2003 probably doesn’t seem like that long ago to be engaging in a retrospect, but 7 years is a long time in metal! Consider for a moment the history that transpired in metal from 1983 to 1990, that 7 years introduced thrash metal, black metal, death metal, grindcore, modern hardcore, stoner metal, etc; essentially the largest progression in metal happened in under 10 years, so really looking back 7 years ago from 2010 to 2003 is an absolute necessity for continuity sake. We, as fans, need to know where our history comes from, and deathcore, whether we love it or hate it, is a major part of that history. So as true connoisseurs of metal, do yourselves a favor and check out these albums. Do you disagree with my selections? Leave a comment!

CODY

Combining early speed metal era Helloween and Blind Guardian with more melodic speed and thrash metal in America like Heathen and Armored Saint, Phantom Lord is not remotely flowery and does NOT have a dated sound. As we speak, I am listening to Evil’s Domain, the band’s second full length released in 2000, which is ripe with amazing solo’s, speed metal double kick and soaring vocals courtesy of Vasilis Axiotis. This is not Rhapsody of Fire or Heavenly. Many American fans will probably not like the vocals just based on style alone, however, this can be remedied with the outrageous riffing of Yiannis Fiorentis who has more in common stylistically with Morgana Lefay than any light hearted melodic metal band.

Phantom Lord, which should also not be confused with their German counterparts, is a band that any metal fan, regardless of what your opinion on power metal is, should check out on principal alone as a metalhead. There are riffs on each album that everyone can appreciate and bang to, and for those who don’t appreciate the high registered vocals, appreciation of that may come in time. Metal is about challenging your senses and broadening one’s horizons, let’s not let the numerous new age cookie cutter bands get in the way of true, quality bands like Phantom Lord who are severely underappreciated.

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Before “Photograph” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, Def Leppard was a bonafide heavy metal band. Contrary to what Joe Elliott espouses these days in interviews, they weren’t a “pop band” in the 70’s, they played straight up New Wave of British Heavy Metal. I am actually happy that Joe doesn’t try to play off his band as being metal though, because from 1983 onward, that title was left in England when they went off to America to earn fame and fortune. Nonetheless, the polished pop rock of their 80’s heydays is not what Def Leppard was always identified as, and their first record, 1980’s On Through the Night is actually a quality piece of 70’s era heavy metal! Def Leppard was no Saxon or Iron Maiden mind you, I mean Joe Elliott could never and still can’t sing worth a damn, but the licks they wrote back then were pretty mean.

If you are a fan of the classic sound, such as Riot, Diamond Head and Tygers of Pan Tang I’d highly suggest checking out the early demos, The Def Leppard EP, the bootleg album Warchild, and the debut On Through the Night for a full exposure to a classic sound that many people haven’t heard, especially Americans.

(“Wasted” from a 1999 performance? Rare indeed. UPDATE: Embedding not allowed for this, click here for the video.)

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I just recently discovered this band, and there’s only one word to describe their sound: fantastic. Despite being on the fairly well known indie label Lifeforce Records, Raintime has largely flown under the radar. Combining the best elements of power metal and melodic death metal (better or comparable to both Children of Bodom and Norther), Raintime essentially eliminates the excuse of those new age metalheads who deny that melodic metal seems to exist. Raintime has found a way to fully embrace power metal with both harsh and clean vocals, downtuned guitars ala death metal, and classic melodic guitar tones. I have very rarely heard a band meld together these two seemingly opposing forces so well, with most bands often leaning to the extreme side of the music.

My initiation into the world of Raintime was through their latest undertaking, Flies & Lies, an extremely catchy release with the perfect harmony of modern melodic death metal/gothenberg and power metal. Perhaps what makes this album stand out even more is their choice of covering the Michael Jackson classic, “Beat It,” which I always thought (amongst several other Jackson songs) would make a catchy heavy rock song, and I was right. Some may laugh at the idea of a metal band covering Michael Jackson beckoning the thoughts of Alien Ant Farm’s attempt at fame with their cover of “Smooth Criminal,” but where Alien Ant Farm fails (not being metal and sucking hard), Raintime succeeds, turning a classic Motown track into a catchy metal tune.

Flies & Lies may not be that old, nor is their debut Tales From Sadness, but this band has managed to fly under the radar for the breadth of their career, and to me this is criminal. Check out these guy’s Myspace, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

http://www.raintime.com/

http://www.myspace.com/raintime

Featuring horrific cover art and perhaps even more horrific, a malignant sound combining brutal thrash, grindcore and black metal that was rarely heard, Holocausto made it’s way through the tape trading circuit in 1987 with their debut Campo de Exterminio which still stands as one of Brazil’s most violent and controversial albums to date. This stuff is so brutal, it makes Sepultura’s early material sound like Britney Spears. If that isn’t the most stellar review an album of this stature and sound could garner, I don’t know what is.

Holocausto split up in the early 1990’s after releasing three more albums, and have recently reformed in 2004 and put out a comeback album in 2005 entitled De Volta ao Front. I have yet to hear this new album, but I am anxiously looking for it because I want to hear what Holocausto sounds like over 20 years after their controversial debut release.

Despite it’s uncompromising cover art and questionable themes, Campo de Exterminio is a true example of extreme underground metal that was harsher than all the Death’s and Napalm Death’s at the time. Seek this out, but be forewarned, you may have to pay a hefty pricetag as I don’t think this has been reprinted.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI_lpFJtu5I

http://www.myspace.com/holocaustowarmetal

http://www.holocaustowarmetal.kit.net/

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Right before the onslaught that became grunge in the early 90’s, there was a regional Seattle powerhouse by the name of Sanctuary, which is best known as the original band of Warrel Dane, Jeff Loomis and Jim Sheppard of Nevermore and Alice in Chains fame. However, unlike the modern metal sound of Nevermore, Sanctuary and their 1988 album Refuge Denied was the quintessential example of U.S. power metal. In fact, Sanctuary was such a hot ticket during their debut era, that they managed to get a deal with Epic and have their record produced by none other than Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine. However, after the release of Refuge Denied and their eventual follow up Into the Mirror Black, Sanctuary was put under pressure to succumb to the power of their major label overseers to transform their image and sound into the rising popularity of grunge in the Northwest. Naturally, Warrel and the rest of the band issued a big “fuck you” to their label, which eventually lead to the band’s eventual break up and reformation as Nevermore soon after. However, in their prime Sanctuary was a fantastic band with a side of Warrel’s voice that was much more of a shriek and dramatic than the melancholy his style would turn itself into in later years. Refuge Denied is truly an album that people need to at least check out, as this album and the entire Sanctuary legacy are an unsung, yet critical junction in the history of Northwestern metal.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM9qztf_GjU

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Before becoming one of the greatest modern rock guitarists of our time, Zakk Wylde was involved in a little country and blues inspired metal outfit by the name of Pride & Glory. Combining traditional country rhythms with hard hitting riffs that would later show up in Wylde’s Black Label Society, PnG was truly a demonstration of greatness, so much so that this album is still whispered under the breath of those in the know in regards to just how good Zakk Wylde was before he made it big with Ozzy and his solo material. It’s amazing how many people who are into Ozzy and Black Label Society aren’t familiar with Pride & Glory. This is a borderline legendary album that was truly unsung, even during it’s time.

Perhaps the greatest compliment of this album is it’s non-reliance on metal riffs. For what this album brings to the table in heavy, sludgy riffs, we are also given a dose of beauty in the form of Zakk’s incredible voice, and some down home style country. The songs that breathe tradition are not about metal and aggression, they are about demonstrating the great musical vibes of the South, in fact, I believe it’s Zakk’s dissatisfaction with making just another metal album that makes Pride & Glory so great. The band only put out this one album, but that fact only makes this project that much more special.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QOEYVgkD-E

Welcome to a new featue here at All Metal Resource. The Underground Forgotten will feature albums, EP’s and demos that were instrumental to the metal sound but have been largely forgotten about or even disregarded despite their impact on the modern metal landscape. To begin with, we feature P.O.D. (Payable on Death) and their first work as a unit.

Contrary to popular belief, P.O.D. weren’t always the Christian pop nu-metallers that they are today. In 1993, the band released an EP that would begin their course to eventual superstardom. Unlike later incarnations of the band’s sound, the fluent melodies and catchy hooks weren’t there to give the band its patented radio friendly sound of today. In fact, in an age when hip hop was becoming very raw and the band Faith No More was making headway with the MTV crowd inspiring them with their funky bass lines, aggressive music was reviving itself in multiple forms after the relative dullness of the late 80’s had converted many edgy music fans to grunge.

P.O.D. was definitely a product of the sound of the era, with politically motivated lyrics and bass work reminiscent of Rage Against the Machine and the aforementioned Faith No More, hip hop infused vocals ala Stuck Mojo and Body Count, and thrash sensibilities which brings to mind legendary crossover act Suicidal Tendencies. It’s kind of funny to see how a band, which now features a huge mainstream, MTV accepting audience, as an early pioneer in the rap rock sound. It would be interesting to hear how the founders of P.O.D. went from this raw, metallic sound, to a leading melodic nu-metal band that became the bane of traditional metalheads and the darlings of Ozzfest.

Similar Artists: Suicidal Tendencies, Stuck Mojo, Rage Against the Machine, Faith No More, Body Count