Death Metal Songwriting Advice

You want a song that punches through walls and makes necks negotiate with gravity. You want riffs that feel like a fistful of black coffee to the ears and drums that move like a freight train with attitude. This guide gives you ruthless, practical songwriting advice for death metal written for artists who want to get better fast and stop guessing forever.

Everything here is written with millennial and Gen Z sensibilities in mind. That means we keep it real, a little ridiculous, and always useful. We explain every term and acronym so you will not need to ask what BPM means in a group chat. We also give real life scenarios so the ideas land like a riff that refuses to leave your head.

What is death metal and why does songwriting matter

Death metal is a style of extreme metal built on fast tempos, heavy low end, aggressive vocal delivery, and complex riff work. It is not a single formula. There are technical bands with math like choreography, old school bands that trade speed for groove, and atmospheric bands that add cinematic textures. Good songwriting is what separates a band that sounds like a good practice take from a band that makes people empty their pockets for a shirt and play the song on repeat.

Think of songwriting as stage direction for chaos. The riffs are the actors. The drums are the lighting. The vocals are the narrator that yells the plot at you. Put all of that in order and you have a song people remember. Fail, and you have three minutes of random violence that no one can explain at a party.

Common death metal terms and acronyms explained

• BPM means beats per minute. It tells you how fast the song is. A 200 BPM blast beat is like running a sprint with your drum kit behind you.
• DAW means digital audio workstation. Examples are Ableton, Pro Tools, Logic, Reaper. This is the software where you record and arrange your song. Think of it as the control room where the chaos gets shaped.
• EQ means equalizer. It is the tool you use to make a guitar sit in the mix without smothering the kick drum. Imagine it as sculpting sound with a tiny knife.
• Trigger in drums means replacing or enhancing an acoustic hit with a sampled hit so that every snare and kick sounds consistent even when played at 270 BPM.
• Growl and guttural are vocal styles. Growls are lower and throat based. Guttural vocals emphasize deep low frequencies. We will cover safe technique later.
• Tremolo picking is fast alternate picking on a single note or power chord. It creates a buzzing thunder effect when combined with palm muting and heavy gain.

Start with a strong riff idea

Death metal songwriting usually begins with a riff. That riff can be a tremolo picked line, a chugging rhythm, a chromatic march, or a harmonic motif. The key is to build around one clear idea. If you try to stack five ideas in one riff the listener will file a complaint with their brain.

Riff creation steps that actually work

1. Pick a tuning and stick with it for the session. Common tunings are standard with drop tuning or tuned down to low C or B. Lower tunings give weight but require clarity in production.
2. Decide on a tempo range. Rough guide, slow death metal lives around 90 to 120 BPM, mid tempo groove death sits 120 to 160 BPM, and blast heavy death sits 160 BPM and above. These are not rules only useful starting points.
3. Improvise for five minutes with a single rhythmic motif. Record it. Use your phone if you are in a garage with bad lighting and better ideas than furniture.
4. Pick the strongest two bars. Loop them. Then write a complementary two bar phrase that answers the first phrase. Call them question and answer. The answer can be a rhythmic change, a harmonic shift, or a palm muted chug pattern that ground the melody.
5. Repeat until the riff can be hummed or chanted. If you can hum it in the shower you are close.

Real life scenario

You are on your way to a shift at a coffee shop. You hum a tremolo line into your voice memo. At lunch you plug your phone into your guitarist friend laptop. Two hours later you have a riff that will not stop. That riff becomes the chorus riff. That is how songs start when you move fast.

Riff techniques that define death metal

Tremolo picking

Tremolo picking is fast alternate picking on one note or power chord. Use alternate picking, not wild flailing. Start slow and increase speed with a metronome. Focus on evenness first and speed second.

Palm muting and chug

Palm muting creates that tight chug sound when the string is pressed lightly against the bridge while being picked. Combine palm muting with rests to create percussive patterns. The difference between a good chug and noise is the space you leave between hits.

Chromatic runs

Chromatic movement, where the riff moves by half step steps, creates a crawling evil feel. Use chromaticism to connect heavier sections or to create tension before a release. Sprinkle chromatic lines like seasoning not main course.

Harmonics and pinch harmonics

Use natural harmonics for eerie bell like tones. Use pinch harmonics sparingly to accent a hit. Pinch harmonics are the squeal you get when plucking the string with a specific thumb angle on the pick. When used correctly they act like an exclamation point.

Displaced accents and syncopation

Accenting unexpected beats makes headbangers lose their equilibrium in a good way. Instead of hitting on the strict downbeat shift accents to off beats, ghost certain notes, and leave space where the listener expects noise. That tension rewards attention.

Song structure that works for death metal

Death metal structures are flexible. Unlike mainstream pop you are allowed to be longer, weirder, and more brutal. But that does not mean aimless. Every section should do something. Here is a reliable map you can steal and adapt.

Reliable structure map

• Intro motif or ambient lead that sets the mood
• Main riff A that introduces the hook
• Verse riff B that supports vocals and builds tension
• Chorus riff or heavy motif that is the main pay off
• Instrumental bridge with tempo change or harmony shift
• Solo or lead passage that adds color
• Return to main riff for final assault and short outro

Variation ideas

• Start with a drum intro that prefaces a blast beat assault
• Use a slow heavy section in the middle to create contrast and make the final fast section hit harder
• End abruptly with silence for dramatic effect

Vocals that sting and do not ruin your throat

Death metal vocals are an instrument. Your vocals should sit with the riff and become part of the riff. They should be audible enough that listeners can sing along to the rhythm if not the words. Do not choke your voice into pieces. Here is how to practice safely and sound great.

Vocal types

• Low growl uses deeper chest resonance and controlled breath. It gives weight and bass to the vocal mix.
• Guttural emphasizes low end and often sits under the mix like a rumble. It is used for a sense of threat.
• High scream cuts through dense guitars. It uses the false cord area and can be raw and piercing.
• Hybrid styles combine low and high textures for variety and tension.

Practice tips for healthy vocals

1. Warm up like you mean it. Gentle hums, lip rolls, and brief vowel sounds will protect you.
2. Learn breath support. Use your diaphragm not your throat. Imagine breathing into your belly and pushing with controlled pressure.
3. Start with low volume and increase over time. Do not try a blast right away or you will regret it later.
4. Record yourself. Listening back reveals strain and timing issues you cannot feel while screaming.
5. Seek instruction from an experienced extreme vocal coach when possible. They can give immediate hacks that save years of pain.

Real life scenario

You think you have a perfect cave man roar. Record one take and send it to a friend who is not biased. They will either confirm your monster status or politely ask if you swallowed a speaker. Use that feedback and practice with a metronome to lock timing.

Lyrics and imagery without tripping into cliché

Death metal lyrics often explore dark themes. That does not mean blood for the sake of attention. The strongest lyrics are specific, atmospheric, and emotional. They take images the listener can feel and turn them into narrative freight.

Lyric strategies

• Use concrete images not vague adjectives. Instead of saying the town is evil describe the rusted church bell or the paint peeling off a child swing.
• Pick a point of view. First person gives immediacy. Third person can make the narrator a creepy biographer. Second person draws the listener into complicity.
• Write scenes with objects and actions. One striking image repeated with variation becomes a motif.
• Lean on metaphor to create emotional distance when you need it. Metaphor lets you be dark without being blunt.

Prosody tips for lyrics

Make sure your stressed syllables fall on strong beats. If a heavy word lands on a weak beat the line will feel wrong even if the grammar is perfect. Speak your line like a normal sentence and mark the natural emphasis. Then place that emphasis on the beat where the music will support it.

Dynamics and contrast make brutality meaningful

Unending speed becomes tiresome. Use dynamics to create moments that hit harder because something softer came before. That is math and psychology that works on the body.

• Use a slow heavy section before a blast section to create impact
• Cut instruments for one bar to highlight a vocal punch
• Build progressively. Add one instrument at a time into a repeating riff so the band arrives at the chorus with momentum
• Use tempo changes carefully. A sudden slow down can feel massive if the drummer and bass lock it in tight

Arrangement details that separate demo from record

Arrangement is about what to add and what to leave out. Too many layers can blur the riff. Too few layers can make a section sound thin. Balance is the point. Think of your arrangement like a horror movie soundtrack. The sparse bit makes the loud bit meaningful.

Layering ideas

• Double track guitars to create stereo width. Pan left and right. Keep one performance slightly different to avoid a sterile wall of clone tone.
• Add a lead guitar motif over the chorus but keep it brief. A repeating lead phrase functions like a hook.
• Use ambient textures in the intro and bridge. A quiet drone under a whispered line adds tension.
• Keep bass clear. A distorted bass can make the mix muddy. Consider a clean low pass bass under the guitars for low end clarity.

Production and tone tips for heavy clarity

Getting a heavy tone is part art and part math. You want thickness without mud. Here are practical mixing and recording tips that do not require an expensive studio.

Guitars

• Record with good strings and a tight setup. Poor intonation kills brutal riffs.
• Double track rhythm guitars. Pan one hard left and one hard right. Keep a center guitar if you want extra bite but avoid frequency clash.
• Use amp sims or real amps. The important part is controlling the low mid frequencies. Cut around 250 to 500 Hz if things feel boxy.
• Boost presence around 3 to 6 kHz for bite. But be careful. Too much and the track gets harsh.

Drums

• Trigger the kick for consistency at high tempos. Use a natural sounding kick sample that matches your drummer kit.
• Blend room mics for snare to maintain weight. Layer with a tight snare sample for attack.
• Keep cymbals clear of the guitars by using high pass and transient shaping. At high tempos cymbals can smear the mix.

Bass

• Record DI and amp. Blend both. DI gives low end while an amp gives grit.
• Compress lightly to keep notes even in fast riffing. Avoid over compressing to the point the tone dies.
• Subs matter. Make sure the kick and bass do not fight. Side chain the bass slightly to the kick if needed for clarity.

Vocals in the mix

• Compress gently for consistency. Too much squashing kills the dynamics that make vocals human.
• EQ out unwanted low rumble below 80 Hz but preserve the meat of deep growls.
• Add a tiny saturation for presence. Use short delays or plates for distance depending on the vibe.

Tools and workflows that speed up finishing songs

If you want to finish more songs you need a reliable workflow. Good gear helps but process helps more.

DAW setup checklist

1. Create a template with labeled tracks for guitars, bass, drums, vocals, and ambience. Save this template for every session.
2. Set up a guide scratch drum track if you write on guitar. A click and simple kick hat grid keeps timing honest.
3. Name your track versions. Versioning is your friend. You will like being able to go back.

Collaboration tips

• Share stems when collaborating remotely. A stem is a rendered track like guitars or drums that another contributor can import into their DAW.
• Use a shared folder with clear naming. Example name: SongTitle Version 03 GuitarRiffA. This avoids the file abyss.
• Ask one direct question when you want feedback. Example: Does the second riff hit or does it need more contrast. Focused feedback is actionable.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

• Riff fatigue. Mistake: Riffs that all sound like the same tremolo buzz. Fix: Introduce chordal stabs, rests, and swung passages. Give the ear a landmark to return to.
• Muddy low end. Mistake: Guitars and kick fighting. Fix: Carve space with EQ. Let the kick own a small window around 60 to 100 Hz and make guitars sit above that region with a low cut.
• Static dynamics. Mistake: Everything played loud all the time. Fix: Use quiet sections and drop outs to let impact matter.
• Unintelligible prosody. Mistake: Vocal syllables misaligned with beats. Fix: Rewrite lines so emphasized words land on strong beats. Record spoken rhythm to check.
• Solo that does nothing. Mistake: A solo that is just fast scales. Fix: Make solos melodic. Use motifs, repeats, and well placed bends to make the solo memorable.

Exercises to level up your death metal writing

Riff swap

Write one riff in a slow tempo. Now play the same notes at double the speed and write a complementary riff that fits. This teaches how a motif can live in multiple tempos.

Blast beat practice

Set the metronome to 120 BPM and practice a simple kick alternating with single stroke snare at eighth notes. The goal is consistent hits not speed. Increase in 5 BPM increments when nothing feels sloppy.

Vocal looping

Record a four bar riff and loop it. Improvise different vocal textures over it for five minutes. Try low growl, mid scream, whisper, chant. This helps find vocal colors that suit the riff.

Lyric camera pass

Write a verse with three concrete images. Now rewrite it so each image carries an action. Actions give the lyric momentum and make the line playable.

Gear cheat sheet without the flex

• Guitars: A solid set neck or through body with active pickups gives clarity and tightness. Single coil guitars are allowed but require more EQ work.
• Strings: Heavier gauges for lower tunings. Think 11 to 54 or heavier depending on tuning and feel.
• Picks: Stiff picks for tight attack. Try thicker picks to lock into the pick attack.
• Amps: High gain heads or amp sims with tight low mids. Use a good IR if you record direct to keep cabinet realism.
• Drums: Triggers for kick and snare help at high tempos. Good cymbal selection is key for clarity.
• Interface: Low latency audio interface with good preamps. Your ears will thank you.

Making songs that translate live

Studio tricks are great until you hit the stage and the PA system eats your cymbals. Make arrangement choices with live performance in mind.

• Keep essential riffs playable by the drummer and guitarists for the entire performance. If a part is too complex it might be precious and fall apart live.
• Use vocal breaths and spaces to avoid throat collapse on a long set.
• Rehearse transitions with lights and cues if possible. A tight hit on stage feels huge when the band is synced.
• Consider dynamics for crowd movement. A slowdown with heavy groove is perfect for a collective headbang or stomp.

Release and business basics for death metal bands

Artists need to think like artists and operators. The song only starts earning when people can find it. Here are simple practical steps that do not require a music law degree.

• ISRC means International Standard Recording Code. It is a unique code for each recorded song. Your distributor often assigns this when you upload music.
• Distribution through services like DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby gets your music on streaming platforms. Each platform has reach and pricing differences so pick one that fits your plan.
• Performance rights matter. Register with a society like BMI or ASCAP so your public performances and streams generate mechanical royalties. These names stand for organizations that collect payouts when your music is played publicly.
• Metadata is not boring. Tag your tracks with clear credits, songwriter names, and roles. This matters when royalties start to arrive.

FAQ

How do I start a death metal song if I only know one riff

Loop that riff and build around it. Create a contrasting second riff that answers the first. Add a tempo change or a slow bridge to create dynamics. If you only have one idea expand it by changing rhythm, adding harmonies, or shifting the register. A one riff song can work if you vary texture and arrangement over time.

What tempo should my death metal song be

There is no single tempo. Pick based on the vibe. If you want crushing heaviness choose slower tempos with a lot of groove. If you want relentless aggression push tempo up. Use the drummer as your tempo compass. Practical ranges are 90 to 120 BPM for heavy groove, 120 to 160 for mid tempo, and 160 BPM and above for blast driven sections. Always test the riff at multiple tempos before committing.

How do I make my guitar tone heavy without muddying the mix

Record tight performances, double track and pan, use EQ to carve space for kick and bass, and focus on the low mid range. Cut problem frequencies rather than boosting everywhere. A small low cut on the guitar and a focused mid scoop can create clarity while preserving weight.

Are drum triggers cheating

No. Triggers are tools used to enhance consistency. At extreme tempos triggers help the listener perceive each hit. Use them to complement the acoustic sound not to replace it entirely unless that is your goal.

How do I keep my vocals healthy touring

Warm up daily, hydrate, rest when possible, and avoid yelling outside of performance. Use microphone technique to reduce strain and consider a light vocal monitor mix so you are not pushing to hear yourself. A vocal coach is a huge investment if you plan to tour often.

How do I write lyrics that are dark but not cliché

Focus on original images, specific objects, and personal angles. Avoid repeating gore just because it is expected. Use metaphor and scene detail to create mood that feels lived in. If you write from a real anxiety or fear you will land authenticity that outperforms shock value.

Action plan for writing a death metal song today

1. Choose a tuning and set a tempo target. Decide if you want heavy groove or blast energy.
2. Improvise a riff for five minutes. Record it. Pick the two strongest bars and loop them.
3. Write a complementary riff that answers the first. Test both at double and half speed to find other shapes.
4. Draft a lyrical concept with three concrete images and one emotional through line. Keep lines short and vocally rhythmic.
5. Lock a basic drum grid in your DAW or record a click. Record scratch drums or program a simple pattern to guide the session.
6. Record rhythm guitars doubled. Pan left and right. Add a centered low bass and tidy the low mids with EQ.
7. Practice vocal takes in short bursts. Save the screaming to the end of the session and track multiple light passes instead of one maximal take.
8. Mix with clarity in mind and export stems for feedback. Ask one friend what two moments they remember from the song.