Dim Mak

Emerging in the late 1990s, the metal band Dim Mak, which calls its style "cobracore," arose from the dissolution of the cult death metal favorites Ripping Corpse. Vocalist Scott Ruth, guitarist Shaune Kelley, and drummer Brandon Thomas had all performed in that earlier group, and they formed Dim Mak alongside bassist Dennis Carrol. The new project's music largely extends Ripping Corpse's foundation, though the vocals adopt a modestly more hardcore character and the lyrics center on martial arts imagery while frequently referencing snakes. The name Dim Mak itself originates from a Chinese martial arts practice.

Enter the Dragon, the band's debut album, was issued in 1999 by the Singapore-based Dies Irae Productions, but limited distribution prevented it from circulating widely in the U.S. Their next release, Intercepting Fist, appeared in 2002 on the more accessible Olympic label. Produced by Morbid Angel guitarist and former Ripping Corpse member Erik Rutan, the album introduced a broader audience to Dim Mak's furious, ultra-heavy, and inventively structured interpretation of death metal. Knives of Ice followed in April 2006 on Willowtip.