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 19th, 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

      View entire list ››

TOP 50 of 2014.

The great return of Empyrium!

Album rate 8 & above

Album count: 144
Average rating: 7.04

1.Empyrium - The Turn Of The Tides

2.Mors Principium Est - Dawn Of The 5th Era

3.Fen - Carrion Skies

4.Anathema - Distant Satellites

5.Moanaa - Descent

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This is a list of (celtic/medieval/extreme) folk metal albums (in alphabetical order) based on their artwork. It includes iconic cover art from classic albums as well as fascinating work from more recent releases.
There is a saying that "you should not judge a book by its cover", which is of course also true in the case of music albums. However, the artwork can complement the production and give a visual introduction to the musical theme and atmosphere. More than for any other kind of music, this may be true for metal.

(Updated 19.02.2023)

1.Arkona - Гой, Роде, Гой!

2.Brymir - Voices In The Sky

3.Cnoc An Tursa - The Giants Of Auld

4.Eluveitie - Helvetios

5.Eluveitie - Slania

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The ship of Theseus is a thought experiment that goes along the lines of a ship whose wooden parts are replaced one by one until all of its original parts have been replaced. The question is then raised at which point did the ship stop being its original self. When the first part was replaced? When half the parts were replaced? When the last part was replaced?

1.Quiet Riot - Road Rage

2.Napalm Death - Harmony Corruption

3.In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading

4.Stratovarius - Nemesis

5.Immortal - Northern Chaos Gods

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This is a list of all the folk metal albums I have listened to that I found to be of at least marginal quality. It is purely for my own organizational purposes and is not meant to be a definitive statement about the genre; for that reason, there are some entries that don't entirely fit the description, including some neofolk albums and bands that don't exactly play "folk metal" but are close enough.

1.Elvenking - Secrets Of The Magick Grimoire

2.Forefather - Ours Is The Kingdom

3.Forefather - Steadfast

4.Forefather - Last Of The Line

5.Dalriada - Áldás

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Max is 5. Yes, I'm a bit late.

1.Equilibrium - Erdentempel

2.Wagakki band - VOCALO Zanmai

3.Babymetal - Babymetal

4.Trollfest - Kaptein Kaos

5.Tengger Cavalry - Ancient Call

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1.Darkspace - Dark Space III I

2.Equilibrium - Erdentempel

3.Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere

4.Panopticon - Roads To The North

5.Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

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Favorite means Favorite!

1.Wintersun - Time I

2.Wintersun - Wintersun

3.Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

4.Woods Of Ypres - Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light

5.Týr - The Lay Of Thrym

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1.Avantasia - The Mystery Of Time

2.Equilibrium - Erdentempel

3.Orden Ogan - To The End

4.Eluveitie - Helvetios

5.Sabaton - Carolus Rex

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1.Helevorn - Compassion Forlorn

2.Septicflesh - Titan

3.Arch Enemy - War Eternal

4.Mors Principium Est - Dawn Of The 5th Era

5.Ghost Brigade - IV - One With The Storm

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Suggestions For The Eclectic Metalhead - 2014 Edition. I spent over half of 2014 NOT absorbing new metal, and thus spent the rest of the year catching up. I'm pretty certain I missed many great albums, as well as missing a few entire genres, so know that this isn't an exhaustive list (and why it is only 30 instead of 50). These albums all easily rate an 8 or higher and are my favorite and most recommended albums. If your tastes are equally varied, please recommend me your favorites in return!

1.Evenoire - Herons

2.Evergrey - Hymns For The Broken

3.Wayfarer - Children Of The Iron Age

4.November-7 - Awaraxid 7mg

5.Sivyj Yar - From The Dead Villages' Darkness

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Great year, especially when it comes to melodic stuff. So glad that At the Gates and Empyrium delivered something solid. Even happier that Vanhelga really has become a "Lifelover 2", only darker. Although I am dissapointed that Deathstars didn't release a #1 album.

1.Vanhelga - Längtan

2.Harakiri For The Sky - Aokigahara

3.Twilight Force - Tales Of Ancient Prophecies

4.Duskmourn - Legends

5.Saor - Aura

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1.Sólstafir - Ótta

2.Nightbringer - Ego Dominus Tuus

3.Sabaton - Heroes

4.Dark Fortress - Venereal Dawn

5.Lux Occulta - Kołysanki

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Cos, y'know, same shiz different year. Ran out of space again so will post final album opinions in comments.

1.Infestus - The Reflecting Void

2.Dirge - Hyperion

3.Nero Di Marte - Derivae

4.Steve Rothery - The Ghosts Of Pripyat

5.Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere

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Every year, hundreds of albums are written and released for people to buy and hopefully not steal. I spend most of my free time searching far and wide for new music, most of which only very few people know about. This list will contain all the albums released this year that I listened to, and what I thought of it. The rating system is as follows:
Based = Awesome, Perfect
Chill = Solid, Substantial
Dope = Good-not-great, Something I'll only listen to if I'm bored
Retarded = Mediocre, Unremarkable
Mindfucked = Complete waste of time
Also, there will be albums that aren't metal that will appear here, just cause.

1.1349 - Massive Cauldron Of Chaos

2.Abigor - Leytmotif Luzifer - The 7 Temptations Of Man

3.Aborted - The Necrotic Manifesto

4.Aenaon - Extance

5.Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere

      View entire list ››