Death metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its aggressive sound, deep growling vocals, and complex guitar riffs. It often features fast tempos, intricate song structures, and themes that explore topics like mortality, violence, and existentialism. Bands like Death and Cannibal Corpse are well-known pioneers of this genre. The genre emerged in the mid-1980s, evolving from earlier styles of heavy metal and thrash metal. Death metal is recognized for its technical musicianship and has influenced various other genres, including black metal and grindcore. It has a dedicated fan base and continues to thrive in underground music scenes worldwide.