Hey Folks! It’s me… Again!

I’m coming back once more to explore the depths of a genre that arguably did not begin where you all thought it did! Yeah yeah… Alright, maybe Left Hand Path, Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious, Like An Ever Flowing Stream & The Red In The Sky Is Ours aren’t exactly the sound you would expect, but they were certainly a sign of something incredible that was about to happen. The birth of Melodic Death Metal!

Most of you, them, us… Would agree that Melodic Death metal really appeared in the form of Carcass’s 1993 album Heartwork. Even though some shades of what would become staples of the genre were heard before, this one would truly be the first album to be called as such. Mixing OSDM with more classic heavy metal styled riffs & melodies, our beloved genre (along with Thrash) would become for a lot of our teenage selves, a gateway into the more extreme bowels of metal’s subgenres. I would argue that it’s an almost obligatory step in the grand metalhead’s journey. Ah, how amazing it was to first taste the somewhat delicate sound of melodeath before rattling our ears with the obscenities & nonsensical wankery of grindcore, brutal tech-death, dissonant death and post metal… Rrrrright.

As you have become accustomed to by now, I will attempt to honour the genre by listing the absolute best Melodic Death metal albums to be ever released throughout the years. And I will do so starting with a few albums that are arguably not Melodic Death metal… Because I can and I did, hah! F*ck you! Along the way, you might stumble upon some strange & unorthodox choices mixing a plethora of other genres as well and that’s ok. Truly. Take it easy, don’t hyperventilate over it and just go with the flow. The main goal here is to help people who don’t know much about melodeath discover it and where it came from. I also want to push forward some less known jewels amongst highly praised landmarks of the style and sprinkle a bit of my personality along the way because that’s always fun. The albums will be ordered in years of release and there will be no other restriction or specific rules.

I hope you have a blast going through my list and that it brings you joy and a slight tingle on your nostalgia strings. Though, if it pisses you off, if I forgot your absolute favourite album of all goddamn time or if you think I’m an idiot, well… Just remember that I’m right, always and forever, thank you. Regardless It will be a pleasure for me to hear your recommendations or discuss anything related to melodeath below. Cheers & have fun!

-Guib-

Note: Albums with a 🇨🇦 are from my country (Canada) and albums with a ★ are my personal favourites.

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Last Updated: April 27th, 2024

1.Entombed - Left Hand Path

2.Carcass - Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious

3.Dismember - Like An Ever Flowing Stream

4.At The Gates - The Red In The Sky Is Ours

5.Carcass - Heartwork

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This is not a list over my favourite albums, although some of them on the list of course are. These are albums that formed me, had a huge impact on me and defined my musical taste. Without some of these releases I probably wouldn't even be the person that I am today.

1.Metallica - Master Of Puppets

2.Iron Maiden - Rock In Rio

3.Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death

4.Iron Maiden - Killers

5.Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time

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1.Enslaved - Isa

2.Orphaned Land - Mabool

3.Wintersun - Wintersun

4.Ayreon - The Human Equation

5.Into Eternity - Buried In Oblivion

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This is my personal selection of albums (with specific songs) that you'd like to play in your next metal party.
The songs are sorted so the more powerful and energetic songs are equally spread all along the list, except the last songs, which are softer than average.

I'm currently working in this list (well... in my spare time), so it's not the final one.

1.Unexpect - Fables Of The Sleepless Empire

2.Korpiklaani - Karkelo

3.Solefald - Norrøn Livskunst

4.Mastodon - Crack The Skye

5.Kvelertak - Blodtørst

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These Are Albums that give metal a good name, and create metalheads who live for little else. Originality, Raw talent, Brilliant atmosphere, Brutality with a great technical aspect, and just plain ass kicking.

1.Lux Occulta - The Mother And The Enemy

2.Borknagar - The Archaic Course

3.Ancient - Mad Grandiose Bloodfiends

4.Arcturus - La Masquerade Infernale

5.Bloodbath - Resurrection Through Carnage

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1.Wintersun - Wintersun

2.Behemoth - Demigod

3.Grip Inc. - Incorporated

4.Dark Age - Dark Age

5.Nightwish - Once

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A beginner's guide to genuine blasting. Call it Gothenburg, call it extreme power - whatever, it's always enjoyable.

Now ranked for even more win.

1.Wintersun - Wintersun

2.Children Of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll

3.Kalmah - Seventh Swamphony

4.Kalmah - 12 Gauge

5.Blood Stain Child - Idolator

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Great year with a lot of albums that has meant a lot to me and shaped parts of my taste in music.

1.Wintersun - Wintersun

2.Norther - Death Unlimited

3.Anorexia Nervosa - Redemption Process

4.Sonata Arctica - Reckoning Night

5.Cradle Of Filth - Nymphetamine

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This is a list of some of the very first albums that got me into metal. And before you look, yes, A7X and DragonForce are on the list, deal with it, it happened, I still listen to plenty of great bands!

1.Avenged Sevenfold - City Of Evil

2.In Flames - Come Clarity

3.Metallica - Master Of Puppets

4.At The Gates - Slaughter Of The Soul

5.DragonForce - Inhuman Rampage

      View entire list ››