Death were the pioneers of death metal — and, in their later years, one of the most important progressive metal bands of all time. Founded in Florida by the visionary guitarist and vocalist Chuck Schuldiner, they evolved from the raw, genre-defining brutality of their early albums into a sophisticated, technical and deeply progressive force. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of their finest songs.

The short version

If you only hear a few, make them “Crystal Mountain”, “The Philosopher”, “Spirit Crusher” and “Pull the Plug” — their most beloved melodic prog-death landmark, a technical signature, a crushing late classic, and their most influential early anthem. The full ranking is below.

From death metal to prog mastery

Few bands have travelled as far as Death. Founded in Florida in the early 1980s by Chuck Schuldiner — rightly known as “the father of death metal” — they began with the raw, gore-soaked brutality of Scream Bloody Gore, the album widely credited with defining the genre. But Schuldiner was restless, and across seven flawless albums he pushed his music into ever more technical, melodic and progressive territory, recruiting a revolving cast of virtuosos and reaching a peak of prog-death perfection on Human and Symbolic. Death metal’s founding band became one of its most sophisticated. These fifteen songs are the best.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing songcraft, technicality, influence and lasting impact. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate.

The essential six

At the very top sits “Crystal Mountain” (1995), their most beloved song and a melodic prog-death landmark. With it: “The Philosopher” (1993), a technical, riff-driven signature; “Spirit Crusher” (1998), a crushing, iconic late classic; “Symbolic” (1995), the powerful, melodic title track of their masterpiece; “Lack of Comprehension” (1991), the standout of their progressive breakthrough; and “Pull the Plug” (1988), their most influential early anthem.

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Reliably great

The next tier is essential too. “Flesh and the Power It Holds” (1998) is a sprawling, progressive tour de force; “Trapped in a Corner” (1993) is a dizzying display of technicality; “Zombie Ritual” (1987) is a genre-defining cut from the album that started death metal; “Together as One” (1991) is a relentless attack with a surprisingly catchy chorus; and “Zero Tolerance” (1995) is a punishing, dynamic highlight.

Deeper cuts

For the dedicated, these reward repeat listens. “Flattening of Emotions” (1991) is the technical opener of their progressive leap; “Evil Dead” (1987) is an early fan favourite; “Open Casket” (1988) is a churning, brutal early classic; and “Spiritual Healing” (1990) is the melodic title track of their transitional album.

Every song at a glance

All fifteen songs, in chronological order — each linked to the album it comes from, so you can hear it in context.

Where to start

Begin with their 1995 masterpiece Symbolic, the pinnacle of melodic progressive death metal, and the technical breakthrough Human, then the jazzy The Sound of Perseverance and the tech-prog Individual Thought Patterns. Their raw early albums, from Scream Bloody Gore to Leprosy, reward deeper exploration.

The players

Death was, above all, the vision of Chuck Schuldiner — guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and sole constant member. Famously, he assembled an almost entirely new lineup for nearly every album, drawing in some of metal’s finest musicians: guitarists like James Murphy and King Diamond’s Andy LaRocque, drummers like Gene Hoglan and Richard Christy, and bassists like the great Steve DiGiorgio. The Human album even featured Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert of Cynic. Chuck Schuldiner died in 2001, but his influence on metal is immeasurable, and his band’s legacy endures.

Why they still matter

Death didn’t just help invent a genre — they proved it could be intelligent, technical and profoundly progressive. Their influence runs through virtually every progressive metal band that followed, from Opeth to Between the Buried and Me to Mastodon, and albums like Symbolic remain touchstones of the form. Decades on, Chuck Schuldiner’s music stands as some of the most visionary in all of metal.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: rank their records with our guide to the best Death albums, or place them in the bigger picture with the best progressive rock songs of all time.

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