Choosing Death Fest goes down April 16 at Philadelphia’s Union Transfer. To celebrate, we’re asking some of the artists performing to list some very specific “death metal top 5s.” Of course, Derkéta guitarist/vocalist Sharon Bascovsky slowed things down a bit with her Top 5 Doomy Death Metal Songs of All Time. Here we go:
Bolt Thrower “Destructive Infinity”
When I first bought War Master, it was just a promo cassette, red cover—nothing fancy. But the music was there, so I thought, and that’s all that mattered. About a decade or so later I got Warmaster on CD. To my surprise track five comes on and it was a song that was left off of the promo cassette. For me, it was a new Bolt Thrower song from an old release, really tripped me out. It has been one of my favorite songs from them ever since.
Carnage “Dark Recollections”
Carnage is one of those bands that when I first heard them I was blown away. “Dark Recollections” to me captures what death metal is all about. You cannot listen to it without actually getting captured into the song, and to me that is what makes a good song. This is one of those songs that you like at first listen.
Nomenclature Diablerie “Lovecraft”
Back in the tape trading days, Ross [Dolan] from Immolation included the Nomenclature Diablerie two-song demo on a mix jam tape that he sent to me. It was an instant favorite. Still to this day not too many people know about this band, but I’ve always raved about them in interviews. Years later, the band had contacted me after noticing my mention of them in interviews and I finally got the scoop. The band was created out of a contest between two roommates to see who can create the heavier band. Matty Smith [guitars] recruited Sloth from Sadistik Execution [drums] and with Toneye’s vocals, they created one of the most brutal cult death metal recordings. Brilliant.
Rottrevore “Conspiracised”
Rottrevore is a band that to me is the U.S. equivalent of the great Swedish death metal that captured most of our souls back in the ’80s and early ’90s. Their songs are extremely well written and catchy, lots of hooks that stay away from the expected patterns, and is just pure brutality. “Conspiracised” is just one of those songs, right around the 40-second mark you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Entombed “Morbid Devourment”
What is a list without the mighty Entombed?! “Morbid Devourment” is one of my favorites off of Left Hand Path, which is undoubtedly one of the most iconic death metal albums of all time. The Phantasm outro to the song “Left Hand Path” still gives me chills to this day. This song brings in a touch of doom that adds this eeriness that death metal should have.
So, that is my list of just five of the songs that have captured a part of me in this cursed death metal lifestyle. The impact of these songs is pretty huge though, kind of like when you find others that have been captured by these songs you just give them that subtle nod that, “yeah, you get it; you’re alright—you’re family.”
