Zombie Ritual

"Zombie Ritual"
Song by Death
from the album Scream Bloody Gore
Released1987
StudioLos Angeles
GenreDeath metal
Length4:35
LabelCombat Records
ProducerRandy Burns

"Zombie Ritual" is a song by American death metal band Death, appearing on the band's 1987 debut album Scream Bloody Gore. It is considered a hallmark of the band's early discography.

The song originally appeared on the band's Mutilation demo, released in 1986.

Composition and lyrics

The song's structure contains a pre-chorus, according to Loudwire. The song's lyrics detail a zombie attack, drawing influence from horror fiction. Loudwire called it "horror-and-gore-lambasted".

Legacy

In 2013, Loudwire said the song's intro was "perhaps the most familiar Death guitar lick." In 2015, Loudwire included it in the site's list of the "top 10 songs about zombies". In 2021, Ultimate Guitar named the track as among the heaviest songs of the 1980s. Eli Enis of Revolver said the riff was "a fucking classic" in 2022. That same year, Swedish rock band Ghost covered the song at a concert in Tampa, Florida.

References

  1. ↑ Hartmann, Graham (June 6, 2013). "No. 5: Death, 'Scream Bloody Gore' – Best Debut Metal Albums". Loudwire. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  2. ↑ Ramirez, Carlos (February 21, 2012). "Death, 'Zombie Ritual (Live)': Extreme Metal Legends Never Die — Premiere". Noisecreep. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  3. ↑ DiVita, Joe (March 29, 2016). "Death's 'Scream Bloody Gore' Receiving Deluxe Reissue". Loudwire. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  4. ↑ Hartmann, Graham (October 25, 2018). "10 Greatest Metal Songs of the 1980s (Year by Year)". Loudwire. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Wiederhorn, Jon (May 25, 2023). "38 Years Ago: Death Start a Revolution With 'Scream Bloody Gore'". Loudwire. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  6. 1 2 DiVita, Joe (July 18, 2013). "10 Best Songs by the Band Death". Loudwire. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  7. ↑ Järvinen, Samuel (March 27, 2026). "Introduction to Death's Discography #1: The Beginning & Scream Bloody Gore". Chaoszine. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  8. ↑ Hartmann, Graham (March 5, 2020). "The Secret to Metal Is Horror". Loudwire. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  9. ↑ Jamieson, Don (August 13, 2015). "Top 10 Songs About Zombies". Loudwire. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Friday Top: 20 Heaviest Songs of the '80s". www.ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  11. 1 2 Enis, Eli. "See Ghost Cover Death's "Zombie Ritual" in Tribute to Chuck Schuldiner". Revolver. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Watch: GHOST Pays Tribute To DEATH's CHUCK SCHULDINER At Tampa Concert". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. September 7, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2026.