Death growl

The death grunt (also called death growl or death vocals) is a vocal style typically employed by death metal and grindcore singers. This technique is often seen as a key factor in distinguishing death metal from other closely related musical genres although many hardcore and metalcore bands use a similar vocal style. Death grunts are also employed by doom death metal and some gothic metal bands but commonly in a somewhat more accessible way.

Such vocals are very low pitched, guttural and typically difficult to decipher, especially to an unfamiliar listener. Some vocalists, however, are capable of grunting ferociously, whilst keeping it all intelligible. The most esteemed "grunters" are often able to produce sounds barely recognisable as human. The death growl is in competition with black metal vocals for the cherished title of "most vicious human sound possible while retaining the ability to breathe."

As with many musical developments, it is difficult to pinpoint a specific individual as "inventing" a technique; it is likely that many people developed the method gradually. Kam Lee of Death/Mantas in 1983/1984 has been cited as influential, as has the singing featured on Venom's 1981 album Welcome to Hell.

Key Artists

• Chris Barnes (Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under)
• Lee Dorrian (Napalm Death)
• Martin van Drunen (Pestilence, Asphyx, Bolt Thrower, Comecon)
• Mark 'Barney' Greenway (Napalm Death, Benediction)
• Sylvain Houde (Kataklysm)
• Dave Ingram (Benediction, Bolt Thrower)
• Kam Lee (Massacre, Mantas / Death)
• Darren Moore (Mourning Beloveth)
• Frank Mullen (Suffocation)
• Chris Reifert (Autopsy, Abscess, The Ravenous)
• Chuck Schuldiner (Death)
• Bill Steer (Carcass)
• John Tardy (Obituary)
• Jeffrey Walker (Carcass, Blackstar)
• Karl Willetts (Bolt Thrower)
• Lord Worm (Cryptopsy)
• Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth, Bloodbath)
• Johan Hegg (Amon Amarth