Death Angel

Formed in 1982, Death Angel cut their teeth in the same Bay Area thrash-metal scene that spawned Metallica and Exodus, growing a loyal audience thanks to powerful, nimble playing and impressively quick tempos. After releasing two successful demos, Heavy Metal Insanity and Kill As One, the band scored a record deal and in 1987 released their first official album, The Ultra-Violence. Death Angel quickly followed it up with Frolic Through the Park, which led to tours with Motörhead and Testament and a major-label record deal for the brawnier Act III. The band broke up in 1991 but reformed a decade later, anchored by a quartet of long-serving musicians: guitarist/cofounder Rob Cavestany, vocalist Mark Osegueda, bassist Dennis Pepa, and drummer Andy Galeon. The latter two players left by the late '00s, but Death Angel have soldiered forward and earned greater respect for their role in popularizing thrash metal. Their 2013 full-length The Dream Calls for Blood was their highest-charting album to date, with taut, aggressive arrangements and songwriting; the title track of 2019’s Humanicide even earned a Grammy nomination.