Extreme Metal Olympics: Group 1, Quarter Finals

Welcome to the Quarter Finals of Loudwire's Extreme Metal Olympics! We've had an insane week so far, with some of the heaviest, most influential and innovative bands within the realm of brutality battling for the gold. Beginning with 32 bands representing their homelands, we're now down to eight.

In Group 1 of the Extreme Metal Olympics, six of the original eight bands have now been eliminated, with only two left to duke it out. They will now fight for a spot in the Semi Finals.

American band Death are the architects of death metal. As one of the most influential, respected and admired bands in music history, Death managed to defeat a band of similar stature, England black metal pioneers Venom.

Taking on Death in the Quarter Finals is pure American metal outfit Lamb of God. The band edged out Norwegian black metal heavyweights Dimmu Borgir in the last round, and are one of the eight remaining participants in the Extreme Metal Olympics.

Check out music from these two bands and vote for your favorite below!

(All Quarter Finals polls will close on Tuesday, August 7, at 12 noon ET. Fans are able to vote once per hour in every poll, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite band wins!)

Death, 'The Philosopher'

Lamb of God, 'Desolation'