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 ››

A little list series where I list my top 20 favorite metal albums every year starting from the year I was born in.

2019 was solid year to end the decade with great releases in Progressive and black metal, doom metal had a strong showing and I finally found a deathcore band that I care about, the 2010's may not have been the most influential decade in metal but it did had a punch of great releases, that might be considered classics down the line, time will tell.


My favorite non metal albums of 2019

1. Remind Me Tomorrow
By Sharon Van Etten (Indie Pop, Synthpop)


2. GREY Area
By Little Simz(UK Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop)


3.Titanic Rising
By Weyes Blood (Art pop, Dream pop)


4. Morbid Stuff
By PUP (pop punk)


5. There Existed an Addiction to Blood
By clipping. (Industrial Hip Hop, Horrorcore)



My favorite movie from 2019

1.Wilderun - Veil Of Imagination

2.Swallow The Sun - When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light

3.Lingua Ignota - Caligula

4.Crypt Sermon - The Ruins Of Fading Light

5.Insomnium - Heart Like A Grave

      View entire list ››

This is a list of all the death metal albums I have listened to that I thought were at all worth remembering. Like my other genre lists, this is just a record of my own listening experience that I use for personal organization, not a definitive account of the best or all of the death metal out there; there will probably be albums or bands that are not death metal in the strictest sense. You'll find some OSDM, melodeath, tech death, death-doom, maybe a bit of deathcore, I don't know. Maybe some non-death metal albums by death metal bands that I put in here just because.

1.Death - The Sound Of Perseverance

2.Death - Symbolic

3.At The Gates - With Fear I Kiss The Burning Darkness

4.At The Gates - Slaughter Of The Soul

5.Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side

      View entire list ››

1.Wilderun - Veil Of Imagination

2.Opeth - In Cauda Venenum

3.Borknagar - True North

4.Eternal Storm - Come The Tide

5.Soen - Lotus

      View entire list ››

This list aims to be the Wintersun equivalent of LeKiwi's fantastic So I Heard You Like Opeth... list (go and check that one out if you're a fan).

A lot of us around these parts are/were big fans of Wintersun. While Jari may take his sweet time writing, recording, (and let's not forget) producing albums, there are many bands that have a similar sound we can enjoy listening to while we wait for the next Wintersun release, praying that it doesn't disappoint!

This list is a collection of the best albums by those bands.

In alphabetical order and featuring 1 album per band. I will add to this list over time as I discover more.

Enjoy!

My other lists:
Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated)
Top 25 EPs (also ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres)
Top 200 Overrated Albums (trigger warning)

1.Æther Realm - Tarot

2.Aephanemer - Prokopton

3.Atavistia - One Within The Sun

4.Blind Stare - Symphony Of Delusions

5.Children Of Bodom - Hatebreeder

      View entire list ››

This list is meant to be an extensive, but by no means exhaustive, collection of the greatest (modern) metal albums and eps. Running the gamut from avant-garde to trve norweigan black metal. *As someone who is young in age, my tastes tend to revolve around the period of the 80s to the present.* Although certain metal albums from before will certainly be featured, the period of the 60s-70s will be under-represented. I refer you to this excellent list to gain a better appreciation for some of the best metal from that period: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/freis/martin_popoffs_the_top_500_heavy_metal_albums_of_all_time/

1.Aara - En Ergô Einai

2.Aarni - Bathos

3.Aaskereia - Dort, Wo Das Alte Böse Ruht

4.Aastraal - Tuba mirum spargens sonum per sepulcra regionum, coget omnes ante thronum

5.AATHMA - Avesta

      View entire list ››

All the albums released in 2019 that i have listened to, ranked from best to worst. This is of course my opinion. Recommendations are always welcome.

1.Abigail Williams - Walk Beyond The Dark

2.Misþyrming - Algleymi

3.Tool - Fear Inoculum

4.Alcest - Spiritual Instinct

5.Esoteric - A Pyrrhic Existence

      View entire list ››

Well, 2020 is not the most enjoyable year, is it...

So I looked back at 2019 to do a little nostalgic ranking of when the world was only half crazy....

My top 50 (rate 8 & above)

Like always opinion my own and I am obviously right

Album count: 160
Average rating: 7

1.Cult Of Luna - A Dawn To Fear

2.Alcest - Spiritual Instinct

3.Blut Aus Nord - Hallucinogen

4.Borknagar - True North

5.Swallow The Sun - When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light

      View entire list ››

Here is a list of all the bands who received at least one write-in vote during MSA 2019.

Following the annoucement of the results, this information is lost, I post it here so you can continue to explore your favorite genres !

I'm still working on fixing links, if you find errors, feel free to notify in the comments !

1.Babymetal - Metal Galaxy

2.Cave In - Final Transmission

3.Mother Of Millions - Artifacts

4.Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

5.Soen - Lotus

      View entire list ››

1.Babymetal - Metal Galaxy

2.Cave In - Final Transmission

3.Mother Of Millions - Artifacts

4.Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

5.Soen - Lotus

      View entire list ››

1.Kryptos - Afterburner

2.Overkill - The Wings Of War

3.Brymir - Wings Of Fire

4.Iron Fire - Beyond The Void

5.Aephanemer - Prokopton

      View entire list ››

Once again I will try to comprise a mini-compendium of the toitest death metal releases of the year, this being 2019.
Will definitely be updated as I hear new shit so check back for more and recommend me stuff!
In alphabetical order by band name.

1.Abnormality - Sociopathic Constructs

2.Aephanemer - Prokopton

3.Altarage - The Approaching Roar

4.Ataraxie - Résignés

5.Baest - Venenum

      View entire list ››

This is the list of albums I had on heavy rotation during 2019. If an album was very good but way too long or demanding to listen to it more than twice, you won't see it here (e.g. Esoteric). I have limited attention span and favourite albums are called "favourite" because we keep listening to them non-stop. The order below is more or less accurate.

1.Atlantean Kodex - The Course Of Empire

2.Idle Hands - Mana

3.Diamond Head - The Coffin Train

4.Flotsam And Jetsam - The End Of Chaos

5.Numenorean - Adore

      View entire list ››

1.Borknagar - True North

2.Cult Of Luna - A Dawn To Fear

3.Alcest - SPIRITUAL INSTICT

4.Soilwork - Verkligheten

5.Rammstein - Rammstein

      View entire list ››

Non Metalstrom Bands

Antigone's Fate: https://antigonesfate.bandcamp.com/
D Aphelium: https://daphelium.bandcamp.com/
Diffuse Horizon: https://diffusehorizons.bandcamp.com
Feigd: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5VrkQRSU8qzraXKkSZG7IS
Harvst: https://harvst.bandcamp.com/
Helgafell: https://helgafell.bandcamp.com

1.Iapetus - The Body Cosmic

2.Overkill - The Wings Of War

3.Saor - Forgotten Paths

4.Aephanemer - Prokopton

5.Metsatöll - Katk Kutsariks

      View entire list ››