oh cool, a thread i can contribute to
there's some good recs in here about older 'classic' death metal bands, but there are also newer 'modern' bands in the genre that are pushing the genre and actually sounding good doing it.
bands like Hour of Penance who have put out two really excellent albums in the last couple years, and the related side-project Fleshgod Apocalypse, which has to be some of the best classical-music influenced tech death I have ever heard.
There is also Decrepit Birth, whose album '..And Time Begins' is considered by m(e) to be a death metal masterpeice. They've since streamlined their sound over the past two albums but they are still worth checking out.
Honestly, pretty much any band on the more death-metal-centric labels like Willowtip and Unique Leader are worth checking out. Go explore.