We have talked about the best clean singers in heavy metal – hell, we’ve talked about the best singers in general – but who are the best screamers?
Who are those front people that, through their performances, exude such a terrifying and chilling presence? We’re talking about those vocalists who unleash blood-curdling screams, demonic growls, and banshee-like shrieks.
Well, that’s what we’re here talking about today. Below we have compiled a list of the 10 best screamers in heavy metal.
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – Cannibal Corpse
In all of heavy metal’s history, George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher has one of the most terrifying-sounding voices in the genre. What sticks out the most to us is the man’s growls – holy shit. If you were walking home at night and you heard this guy belt a scream, you’d probably start hauling ass.
Another voice who has a similar power to make one jump out of their skin is Will Ramose of Lorna Shore – but for different reasons. Yes, Ramos can hit some hefty l0ws, but what’s even more captivating (or eerie) about his performances is his extraordinary highs. If you were walking through a haunted house and you heard him scream, you’d swear a ghost was on your tail.
Travis Ryan – Cattle Decapitation
The Cattle Decapitation frontman is fascinating – not only can he provide such exhilarating and menacing energy through his vocals, but he adds a liquidy, mucusy texture to his voice that just sounds gross as hell. On top of that, he uses his vocal range to provide such emotionally intense performances.
Josh Scogin – ’68/The Chariot
There’s a deceptive straightforwardness to Josh Scogin’s voice; while he may not be growling or dropping absurd gutturals like other metal vocalists, his vocals come across as forward and gripping. And besides Scogin’s voice just being hard-hitting on its own, it also serves to elevate the thrilling noise rock sound of ’68. His prior work in The Chariot can’t be understated either, as he helped elevate the band to become one of the scene’s best live acts by a wide margin, something that carries over to what ’68 does today.
Vincent Bennett – The Acacia Strain
There’s providing intense lows and surprising shrieks, and then there’s just screaming with raw, abrasive energy. That’s Vincent Bennett in The Acacia Strain. While he does show off some impressive lows, Bennett’s voice stands out most when he’s being forward – exuding a sharp, barking-like presentation that feels uncomfortable and startling.
Not only does Randy Blythe have such an amazing range to his voice, but when he screams – he sure does exude one hell of a presence. Along with the natural grit of his voice, Blythe’s performances sound animalistic, offering this feral-like tone that sounds wild and intense.
Mallika Sundaramurthy – Unfathomable Ruination
Mallika Sundaramurthy offers a captivating vocal presentation in every song she works on. There’s a metallic quality to her voice that is quite unique, but also, it throws you off a little; it’s frankly, and we mean this in a good way, monstrous-sounding. From her past work in Abnormality, to what she’s doing now in Unfathomable Ruination, Sundaramurthy’s voice will amaze you.
Dwid Hellion – Integrity
Another vocalist who provides a metallic rawness through their voice is Dwid Hellion. Hellion’s voice works perfectly alongside Integrity’s instrumentation, the two creating an overall air of abrasive ferocity. Whether it’s in how he screams, barks, or howls, Hellion will always throw you for a loop.
According to Phil Bozeman, he likes metal that sounds “scary” and “menacing” – so it only makes sense that he would convey such qualities through his voice. Throughout Whitechapel’s career, Bozeman has shown off a variety of vocal techniques, but his most memorable is when he’s going all-in on a sinister tone, making himself sound like some demon flying out of hell.
Aleksandr “Alex Terrible” Shikolai – Slaughter To Prevail
Another incredibly talented deathcore vocalist is Alex Terrible of Slaughter To Prevail. Also conveying animalistic aggression through each of the band’s songs, Alex provides gnarly energy through his voice. Hell, he sounds so intense as a vocalist that he sometimes conveys more of ferocious energy than the instrumental side of the band.