The lead vocalist position was originally filled by Dennis Pepa, until Mark Osegueda became the band's permanent singer in 1984.

After releasing two demo tapes, Heavy Metal Insanity (1983) and Kill as One (1985), the band signed with the independent label Enigma Records and released its debut full-length album, The Ultra-Violence, in 1987, followed a year later by Frolic through the Park (1988); both albums were minor successes in the United States and Europe.

[1][2] In 1989, Death Angel signed with Geffen Records, and released its only album for the major label, Act III, in the following year.

Act III failed to chart in the United States, but enjoyed some success in Europe, including France, Belgium and Switzerland.

Death Angel subsequently signed to the German independent label Nuclear Blast, and released The Art of Dying, their first studio album in 14 years, in 2004.