The 10 Best Breakdowns of All Time in Metal

Since the dawn of heavy metal, breakdowns have been a universally beloved section no matter the subgenre. With moshing being a huge part of metal culture, it is no surprise that metalheads are drawn to songs' nastiest and most violent parts.

With modern subgenres like deathcore competing to create the heaviest possible breakdown, there is certainly no shortage of options! It's an incredibly hard task to narrow down to just 10 songs, but without further ado, here are our top 10 favorite breakdowns of all time!

Chelsea Grin - "Recreant"

From the first note of "Recreant", Chelsea Grin delivers complete and utter brutality. "Recreant" is still one of the heaviest songs we've heard and it's a classic track that helped Chelsea Grin get on the map in the heavy metal scene.

The band's live performance of "Recreant" shows the energy and intensity that this song holds.

Thy Art Is Murder - "Reign of Darkness"

"Reign of Darkness" is a breakdown masterclass. Despite an epic guitar intro and 3 minutes of fantastic slamming riffage, the highlight of this track is the last 30 seconds, which contains one of the most iconic drum fills in a breakdown ever. Thy Art Is Murder perfects the breakdown formula with "Reign of Darkness" while adding some of the most memorable drumming to date.

Pantera - "Domination"

Pantera has many iconic breakdowns but the one that stood out most to us was 1990's "Domination". After a soaring guitar solo in typical Pantera fashion, "Domination" launches into a nasty slowed-tempo breakdown with distorted guitar chugging, dissonance, and massively reverbed snare hits. "Domination" is an early example of a breakdown in metal that introduced a lot of people to the concept.

Slaughter to Prevail - "Demolisher"

Bringing things to a more modern sound, the Russian deathcore act, Slaughter to Prevail has amassed a huge following after blowing up from their song "Demolisher". Lead vocalist Alex Terrible has some of the lowest growls in the metal community and "Demolisher" showcases his powerful growls in its breakdown. The band even screams Demolisher at their live performances without a microphone (to rooms of thousands of people) showing Alex Terribles insane vocal projection.

Suicide Silence - "No Pity For A Coward"

From their 2008 album "The Cleansing", "No Pity For A Coward" is our favorite Suicide Silence breakdown. The last minute of the track is full of classic slamming deathcore riffs, double bass drum patterns, epic guitar leads, and Mitch Lucker's iconic screams. "No Pity For A Coward" is a classic track that's brutality still holds up today.

A Day To Remember - "Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End"

"Disrespect Your Surroundings!" is one of the most recognized breakdown callouts of all time and the ensuing breakdown doesn't disappoint. Known for being somewhere in-between metalcore and pop-punk, A Day To Remember shows a more brutal side of their music with "Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End".

Lorna Shore - "To The Hellfire"

Lorna Shore took the internet by storm in 2021 as "To The Hellfire" went completely viral. Lorna Shore's over-the-top breakdowns garnered millions of views and drew reactions even from outside of the metal scene. With inhuman snarls, growls, and screams, "To The Hellfire" contains multiple breakdowns with orchestral elements and technical instrumentals that work alongside Will Ramos's impressive vocals to create some of the heaviest breakdowns of all time.

Knocked Loose - "Suffocate"

From Louisville, Kentucky, Knocked Loose are masters of the breakdown. With their blend of hardcore and deathcore, Knocked Loose has a list of breakdowns that could qualify for this list, but today we picked "Suffocate" as it is one of the band's most creative breakdowns.

"Suffocate" featuring pop-gone-metal vocalist Poppy, builds up with rising screeching ambience before catapulting into a series of breakdowns that starts with a reggaeton beat (what!?). Knocked Loose continues to slow the breakdown tempo and unleashes an onslaught of slamming drums and aggressive down-tuned guitars.

Brand of Sacrifice - "Eclipse"

Brand of Sacrifice brings a brutally heavy yet catchy sound to deathcore with their use of choirs, electronic elements, and folk instrumentals. "Eclipse" builds up with a haunting choir before blasting into rapid double bass drumming, booming guitar chugs, and what sounds like a traditional Indian Sitar filling in the background. With some of the nastiest vocals and riffs in the game, Brand of Sacrifice crafts some of the best breakdowns in modern metal.

Slayer - "Raining Blood"

Widely considered one of the first breakdowns in metal music, you can't list the best breakdowns without paying homage to Slayer's "Raining Blood". After some of the most iconic guitar riffs in metal history, Slayer jumps into dramatic guitar chugging and eventually layers guitar leads overtop of it. "Raining Blood" is nearly 30 years old and Slayer's music inspired generations of metal musicians, helping metal breakdowns to be what they are today.

What are your favorite breakdowns of all time?

For more breakdowns check out our other lists here.

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