Death was the American band formed in Altamonte Springs, Florida in 1983 by Chuck Schuldiner — widely regarded as the founders of death metal itself. Scream Bloody Gore (1987) defined the genre's early template; Human (1991) and The Sound of Perseverance (1998) show how progressive it became. Find Death vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Death formed in Altamonte Springs, Florida in 1983 (initially as Mantas, becoming Death in 1984) around Chuck Schuldiner (Charles Michael Schuldiner). The band is widely cited as the foundational act of death metal as a recognized genre, with their 1987 debut Scream Bloody Gore (released by Combat Records) defining the genre's early sonic template alongside Possessed's work. The band's lineup rotated extensively across the catalog, with Schuldiner as the constant member and primary songwriter; collaborators included Steve DiGiorgio, Sean Reinert, Paul Masvidal, Gene Hoglan, and many others. Schuldiner died from brain cancer (pontine glioma) on December 13, 2001 at age 34.
Death's catalog moved progressively from foundational death metal (Scream Bloody Gore, Leprosy) toward progressive death metal and technical death metal (Human, Individual Thought Patterns, Symbolic). Schuldiner's vocal style - the foundational death growl - and his guitar work are considered defining contributions to the genre. His later albums incorporated increasingly progressive song structures, jazz fusion influences, and intricate technical composition.
Original Combat, Relativity, Roadrunner, and Nuclear Blast pressings of the Death catalog are foundational items in death metal collecting. Multiple anniversary box sets, including the Relapse Records archival series, have been issued.
Listeners new to Death typically start with Human (1991) or The Sound of Perseverance (1998). Scream Bloody Gore (1987) is a common entry point for their early genre-defining work.
