From thrash and death metal to metalcore and deathcore, these are our picks for the 10 Sickest Breakdowns of All Time!

The breakdown may be the most overused section in modern metal, but when a band changes up the mood with some masterful composition, a breakdown can be brilliant as well as devastating. In the 21st century, breakdowns are more associated with metalcore and deathcore, but it’s the death metal bands that really pioneers the extreme breakdown.

You’ll find Suffocation on this list for their Despise the Sun smasher “Funeral Inception.” The track’s breakdown has become its signature moment, with fans blowing out their vocal cords to scream “God forbid, God forbidden” with vocalist Frank Mullen. Cannibal Corpse’s signature cut, “Hammer Smashed Face,” also features one of the most stomach churning breakdowns ever recorded, so look out for them in this Loud List.

Slayer mastered the art of the breakdown in “Raining Blood,” tearing down the riff-heavy opus into a single chord getting crunched again and again by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Breaking the song down to its bare bones created an iconic moment in “Raining Blood,” guaranteed to get fans moving in the pit. Pantera’s “Domination” also cemented how a breakdown can be used with maximum force, with Dimebag Darrell hitting fans with a punishing crunch immediately after pulling his whammy bar to set the section up beautifully.

Check out our picks for the 10 Sickest Breakdowns of All Time in the Loud List above!

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