Death metal as its name suggests is solely about death, pain, suffering and destruction. “Death metal is usually identified by extreme brutality, intensity and speed. "Blast beats" are frequently used to add to the intensity of the music. The vocals - death grunts, (guttural roars) or "growls", as they are often called, are rough and often incomprehensible. Similarly, those not familiar with the genre sometimes confuse it with "death rock", which is an entirely different musical classification altogether.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_metal "Black metal is a musical genre which emerged in the early 1980s predating the great expansion of heavy metal 'extreme' genres. It evolved out of thrash metal, like death metal. There are two views on the genre. One views black metal as a very specific form of music that must adhere to a particular 'style' in order for it to be a part of the genre; while the second considers the lyrical and philosophical/political ideology of the music (likely to be heavily inspired from Friedrich Nietzsche) to take more precedence in defining the genre itself, rather than 'style'." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_metal

both are great, both refute the everyday meaningless lifestyle of poor souls we see in public places, nightclubs, bars, churches and mosques... its about beauty, free thought and sodomy.... not an answer, just a thought

black metal is satanic. death metal is about death

black metal is more melodic than death.black has satanistic lyrics but death anti-christianic (that is a big difference).death's lyrics are close to some metal lyrics but with the big difference at drums and vocals

The difference between Black Metal and Death Metal is that Black Metal goes more for melody than does Death Metal. Death Metal deals more with horror, and though Black Metal has much more pronounced Satanism, Death Metal bands including Deicide, the godfathers of Death Metal, also describe Satanism and denouncement of religion. Death Metal also works to create a brutality in their music that is not for the faint of heart as in the case of Cannibal Corpse or Mortician, whereas Black Metal (mainly Norweigan Black Metal) works to demonstrate their hatred for Christianity. I am a Death Metalhead, and I hate all established religion too, but at least Death Metal and Satanic Death changes that hatred into anger, all the while attacking other themes of torture, murder, death, necrophilia, and rape in both a meticulous and brutal fashion. Bands like Cannibal Corpse attack many different brutal themes, and there is still a hatred for religion demonstrated, like that in their song Murder Worship.

Firstly the vocals are clearly different, death metal (which is utter crap in my opinion, sorry guys) tends towards much deeper and lower toned growls (think of a werewolf or the voice of a demon, or a blatant prick trying to immitate the voice of what he thinks a demon might sound like) where as black metal tends to have a higher sounding screechier vocal style, like a growl but more like the sound of anguish and high pitched hatred sqeezed out by the hands of satan. Musically death metal is alot more chuggier and thrashier using power chords, where as black metal is more melodic (sometimes even beautiful) and tends to use finger style and a picking strings lead style of playing, sometimes the melodies are quite chaotic. Of the two I prefer black metal if I'm in the mood for that sort of thing, to limit yourself to listening to only one type of music is actually in direct opposition to what these bands are "singing" about and the message they (often poorly) try to get across. Try some classical or some trance. Avoid hip hop it sucks and blows at the same time. Hip hop is destroying real music. Death metal and black metal bands dont do them selves any favours with the way they dress though, its a bit gay silly and pathetic, the girls are awesome though, gothic beauties, the guys should tone it down though. fags. dont bother writing a reply back to me I'll never visit this gay site again, as I'll be with your mums dancing the tango, oh yeah, i went there bitches. big hugs, peace out homies, xxx

from heavy metal, thrash metal and death metal evolved. trash and death metal is more faster and and with more powerful guitar riffs. they are not tend to use piano or keyboard as a instrument. vocal is more like growling. subjects like anti socialism and frustration are involved in most of lyrics. black metal is a kind of ideology rather than a genre. it's all bout satanic, anti-Christianities etc. they are tend to use keyboard and they rapidly use sound like church organ on it. rapid harmonic guitar solos and riffs included here. basically very high peached, screamed tune used in black metal.

from heavy metal, thrash metal and death metal evolved. trash and death metal is more faster and and with more powerful guitar riffs. they are not tend to use piano or keyboard as a instrument. vocal is more like growling. subjects like anti socialism and frustration are involved in most of lyrics. black metal is a kind of ideology rather than a genre. it's all bout satanic, anti-Christianities etc. they are tend to use keyboard and they rapidly use sound like church organ on it. rapid harmonic guitar solos and riffs included here. basically very high peached, screamed tune used in black metal.

Black Metal - Ackercocke Death Metal - Lamb of God Both of those bands are fuckin' sick by the way /m/(>.<)/m/

for ME Black Metal is : Dimmu Borgir and Death Metal is like : Children of Bodom But i know that between me and my friends and everybody else means something different i mean another style of band.

Black metal is more than a genre, it has its own "culture" (i use that term loosely). its very anti christian, and satanic. there have been many cases of black metalists burning down churches. musically its quite melodic, the vocals are growly but high pitched. Death metal isn't always about death, it refers to what the music sounds like ( i played my friend, a jazz musician, some once without telling him it was death metal and he said "thats what i imagine death to sound like" haha), its very fast paced around 210 beats per minute at least.

Death metal is usually identified by extreme brutality, intensity and speed. "Blast beats" are frequently used to add to the intensity of the music. The vocals - death grunts, (guttural roars) or "growls", as they are often called, are rough and often incomprehensible. Similarly, those not familiar with the genre sometimes confuse it with "death rock", which is an entirely different musical classification altogether. "Black metal is a musical genre which emerged in the early 1980s predating the great expansion of heavy metal 'extreme' genres. It evolved out of thrash metal, like death metal. There are two views on the genre. One views black metal as a very specific form of music that must adhere to a particular 'style' in order for it to be a part of the genre; while the second considers the lyrical and philosophical/political ideology of the music (likely to be heavily inspired from Friedrich Nietzsche) to take more precedence in defining the genre itself, rather than 'style'." Black Metal goes more for melody than does Death Metal.

The amount of hair gel.

Death metal is usually more technical, more about the instruments, concerned with being fast and powerful. Lyrically, there is a wide range but mostly deal with loss, mourning, anger, sadness, aggression. Black Metal is generally more about the "feel" of the music, rather than the technical prowess of it. Lyrical themes are darker, more satanic in nature.

The lines between black metal and death metal are bluring every day with each new band that emerges. There are many cross-overs, mixes and combinations. In the purest of definitions from a stylistic perspective, there are (or were originally) stark differences, lyrics not withstanding. Death - Vocalist is not singing or screaming but rather forming a percusive sound in the upper section of the esophagus that is 90 % of the time not dependant at all on the diaphram. Death is strictly guitar driven without layering, harmonic or melodic characteristics. The Drums in the original death metal bands are played to sound like machine guns signifying a war-like sound and in early DMA featured guitars shaped like weopons. Black Metal - Vocalist is mixing a scream like a hardcore punk screem that is so overdriven that it distorts into a gritty sound much like the sound of suffering people. This was often mixed with a harmonic element in the same singer who is pressing an actual musical note through the scream through esophogeal compression (like a horn) and vocal chord variation. This type of alternative vocal sound lends itself to very crude melodies which are then galvanized by the song structure which includes a signature melody often layered with one of the guitars or in many cases some haunting keys. Black metal also features machine gun simulated drumming but varies its texture much more. Death metal sounds like the reaper comming to war Black metal sounds like a gothic castle filled with blood and the howls of suffering souls.

easy Vocal rip - death vocal trash - black (the term is actually vocal trash i love metal and am not trying to slander it in anyway.)

Death Metal somehow involves the concept of mortality. Black Metal somehow involves the emotions of depression, despair, sadness, heartache, and suffering (much more so than just the Blues) ... ... and they may overlap by being about those emotions because of a death.

Black metal = satanism and your own instincts with no religion. Death metal = deals with deep issues and war including religion, but they dont burn churches like grogoroath.. (black) and they are not satanism if they said they are then they are doing it for the commercialism..

Death metal is more death grunts, and low screams. (Listen to Nile, or Dying Humanity) Black uses a lot of high pitched screams and usually have keyboards. (check out Abigail Williams)