This list aims to be the counterpart to the Metal Storm Top 200 Albums (plus a few extras).

If you discover a new band or already like any of ones here, please give this list a thumbs up and/or leave a comment so we can get these overlooked gems in front of more people.

Criteria:
• High-quality musicianship (i.e. 9-10/10 IMO)
• 1 album per band

Ordered by number of votes then MS rating.

As these are albums with a low number of votes, the rating is likely to change frequently. I will update this list as often as I can.

Updated: 29-Jan-24

My other lists:
Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated)
Top 25 EPs (also ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overrated Albums (trigger warning)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)

1.Solipsist - The Human Equation

2.Ayahuasca - Beneath The Mind

3.Cryptomnesia - Primordial Oddity

4.Element (USA) - The Energy

5.Telepathy - 12 Areas

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A 2016 list about ugly metal, cute pop and weird music.

I was trying to do something sorted alphabetically, but I realized it makes more sense if I sort them in the order I discover/listen to. So, the closer to the top, the later I found about the release. Older entries to the bottom.

Antecipated albums are sorted in release date.

1.El Ahrairah - St

2.Mega - St

3.Crayon Pop - Evolution Pop Vol I

4.Xenon Maiden - Enigma

5.Kodemari Koruri - Lunatic Butterfly

      View entire list ››

Welcome to my 2016 list. Most of you are aware how lists on MS work :- If the album appears at the top it's amazing (imo) and highly recommend you give it a listen... if it's featured at the bottom then I probably don't like it. If you have any recommendations for albums, feel free to leave a message in the comments section!!

1.Whispered - Metsutan - Songs Of The Void

2.Mesarthim - Pillars

3.Equilibrium - Armageddon

4.Omnium Gatherum - Grey Heavens

5.Twilight Force - Heroes Of Mighty Magic

      View entire list ››

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

      View entire list ››

For me more than you, as the sheer amount of music in the world has turned me into a goldfish as far as remembering what I've listened to and what I thought of it. However, if you find something cool from here, more power you my friend!

1.Cult Of Luna - Mariner [Collaboration]

2.Fallujah - Dreamless

3.Moonsorrow - Jumalten Aika

4.Death Grips - The Bottomless Pit

5.Iamthemorning - Lighthouse

      View entire list ››

One of source of entertainment in the couple of months since I've joined MS has been watching albums careen up and down the 2015 top 20. I thought it might be interesting to compile a list of every album that shows up on the 2016 top 20 list at any point during the year (modulo how often I'm actually able to observe the list) along with some statistics. Ranking on this list is ordered by peak rank, then last date at that rank, then end of year rank.

1.Insomnium - Winter's Gate

2.Trees Of Eternity - Hour Of The Nightingale

3.Aenaon - Hypnosophy

4.Dark Tranquillity - Atoma

5.Anaal Nathrakh - The Whole Of The Law

      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 ››

**DISCLAIMER: This list is based on my own opinion and musical taste, and should not be taken otherwise.
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In compliance to 2015's list, I've decided to orginize this year's list a bit differantly, as well as taking off 2016 releases from 2015's list.

Self-explainatory list that's used mostly for personal reminders of upcoming releases.

1.Neal Morse - The Similitude Of A Dream

2.Oddland - Origin

3.Iamthemorning - Lighthouse

4.Riverside - Eye Of The Soundscape

5.Ihsahn - Arktis.

      View entire list ››

https://fullblackreviews.blogspot.com
My blog if you want to read some reviews.

1.Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep Of Reason

2.Schammasch - Triangle

3.Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä

4.Bethlehem - Bethlehem

5.Ulcerate - Shrines Of Paralysis

      View entire list ››

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

      View entire list ››

My favorite to least favorite from 2016. I will be adding and moving albums as the year goes on.

1.Epica - The Holographic Principle

2.Testament - Brotherhood Of The Snake

3.Avantasia - Ghostlights

4.Allegaeon - Proponent For Sentience

5.Brymir - Slayer Of Gods

      View entire list ››

1.Vektor - Terminal Redux

2.Plini - Handmade Cities

3.Alcest - Kodama

4.The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation

5.Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail

      View entire list ››

My personal favorite studio albums of 2016

1.Devin Townsend - Transcendence

2.Trees Of Eternity - Hour Of The Nightingale

3.Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage

4.Metallica - Hardwired...To Self-Destruct

5.Epica - The Holographic Principle

      View entire list ››

1.Amon Amarth - Jomsviking

2.Dark Tranquillity - Atoma

3.Omnium Gatherum - Grey Heavens

4.Equilibrium - Armageddon

5.Be'lakor - Vessels

      View entire list ››

1.Myrath - Legacy

2.Moonsorrow - Jumalten Aika

3.Mute The Saint - Mute the Saint

4.Whispered - Metsutan - Songs Of The Void

5.First Fragment - Dasein

      View entire list ››