What Year Marked the Release of the Pioneering Deathcore Album?

The deathcore genre truly began to flourish in the early to mid-2000s, with influential bands like Antagony, The Red Chord, Despised Icon, and All Shall Perish launching their debut albums. Many enthusiasts and critics alike credit these groundbreaking artists, along with others from that era, as the fundamental architects of deathcore, and rightfully so. Their debut records are considered some of the most iconic within the genre. These pioneering groups ushered in a fresh wave of metal, significantly contributing to the evolution of a subgenre that remains immensely popular over two decades later.

Among the bands mentioned, Antagony often receives less recognition for their pivotal role in establishing the deathcore sound despite their debut album predating those of their contemporaries. Their first full-length LP, See Through These Eyes, was released in 2001, representing one of the earliest examples of deathcore in the 2000s. Interestingly, their initial demo dates back to 1998, showcasing a thrash-influenced sound that hints at the origins of a band contributing to what would become the breakdown-heavy genre we know today.

EXPLORE FURTHER: Ranking the 13 Best Deathcore Albums of the 2000s

While it is clear that Antagony deserves more acknowledgment for their contributions to deathcore, there is another band that emerged even earlier, with their full-length debut coinciding with Antagony‘s rise.

Which Band Released the First Album in the Deathcore Genre?

In 1992, a young Christian band named Supplication was formed in Arlington, Texas. They produced one demo in 1993; however, after enduring several lineup changes, the band rebranded as Embodyment. Following a couple more demo releases in 1994 and 1996, they signed with Solid State Records in 1997, which led to the release of their debut full-length album, Embrace The Eternal.

This album marked a significant transformation in the band’s sound. Building upon the death metal and grind elements present in their earlier demos, Embodyment crafted a distinctive style that would continue to evolve and influence future generations of musicians for decades. While their sound retained traces of death metal influences from bands like Suffocation, they began to incorporate innovative vocal styles, unique guitar tones, and elements such as panic chords. Although breakdowns had previously existed in metal and other genres, Embrace The Eternal featured some of the earliest instances of breakdowns that would come to define the deathcore sound.

Embodyment’s Track “Swine”

The Lasting Impact of Embodyment on Deathcore and Their Unexpected Shift to Alt-Rock

Following the release of Embrace The Eternal, Embodyment underwent a dramatic shift in their musical direction, largely influenced by a lineup change that replaced original vocalist Kris McCaddon and guitarist James Lanigan. Their subsequent album, The Narrow Scope of Things, showcased an alternative and hard rock sound that emphasized clean vocals, moving almost entirely away from their previous death metal and deathcore roots.

Despite the band’s evolution and eventual disbandment in 2004, Embodyment left an undeniable mark on the deathcore genre and its progression. Their one album, which represented a fleeting moment in a career characterized by constant change, focused on innovation and helped ignite a movement in metal that continues to resonate more than 25 years later.

The production techniques and instrumentation choices evident on Embrace The Eternal can be clearly traced in later works by bands such as Animosity and Glass Casket, which in turn influenced a new wave of artists who would carry the deathcore legacy well beyond the 2000s.

In a statement shared with Loudwire, Glass Casket vocalist Adam Cody expressed, “Embrace The Eternal was a significant influence for Glass Casket. Personally, I was captivated by that style of rolled high screams, and I know our guitarist Dustie was a passionate admirer of the groovy chugging rhythms throughout the album. This record opened our eyes to the possibilities of blending genres and creating something truly unique.”

While Embodyment may not receive the recognition they deserve for initiating the pivotal developments in the genre, their impact on deathcore is undeniable, with their 1998 debut LP, Embrace The Eternal, serving as a cornerstone in the genre’s history.