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 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.X Japan - Blue Blood

2.Xandria - Neverworld's End

3.Xanthochroid - Of Erthe And Axen: Act II

4.Xasthur - To Violate The Oblivious

5.Xeno - Sojourn

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2012 Has marked off another great year for metal and these albums are a testament to that.

1.Katatonia - Dead End Kings

2.Anaal Nathrakh - Vanitas

3.Naglfar - Téras

4.Mors Principium Est - ...And Death Said Live

5.Aborted - Global Flatline

      View entire list ››

A really good year, full of surprises. Never been much of a Sabaton fan and especially not a fan of Lamb of God. Both bands released kick ass albums. Avatar keep on getting better and better. Rush released their best album in 25 years. Kreator gave me one of the best thrash albums I've ever heard.

1.Dråpsnatt - Skelepht

2.Kreator - Phantom Antichrist

3.Wintersun - Time I

4.An Autumn For Crippled Children - Only The Ocean Knows

5.Anaal Nathrakh - Vanitas

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1.Devin Townsend - Epicloud

2.3 Inches Of Blood - Long Live Heavy Metal

3.Testament - Dark Roots Of Earth

4.Threshold - March Of Progress

5.Barren Earth - The Devil's Resolve

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1.Vision Divine - Destination Set To Nowhere

2.Weeping Silence - For The Unsung

3.Paradox - Tales Of The Weird

4.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

5.Luca Turilli's Rhapsody - Ascending To Infinity

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I haven't been able to listen to all of this years top albums (As voted on by MS Users ) but, I tried dammit. This year was a bit disappointing as other years have had many more 9's and so on. Still a lot of great to really good releases either way.

1.Seven Kingdoms - The Fire Is Mine

2.Overkill - The Electric Age

3.Agua De Annique - Everything Is Changing

4.Sabaton - Carolus Rex

5.Arjen Anthony Lucassen - Lost In The New Real

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My top 10 albums of the year 2012.

1.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

2.Zonaria - Arrival Of The Red Sun

3.Wintersun - Time I

4.Words Of Farewell - Immersion

5.Pain Confessor - Incarcerated

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this is my list and i update it when i should

1.Enslaved - RIITIIR

2.Kråke - Conquering Death

3.Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I

4.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

5.Vision Divine - Destination Set To Nowhere

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1.Testament - The Dark Roots Of Earth

2.Zonaria - Arrival Of The Red Sun

3.Qafas - Larghetto Laments

4.Sun Devoured Earth - Sounds Of Desolation

5.In The Silence - A Fair Dream Gone Mad

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It is time to make a list of the albums released in 2012 that managed to move my heart or at least made me enjoy myself. Let's go!

1.Enslaved - RIITIIR

2.My Dying Bride - A Map Of All Our Failures

3.Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion

4.Moonspell - Alpha Noir / Omega White

5.Sigh - In Somniphobia

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1.Alcest - Les Voyages De L'âme

2.Eluveitie - Helvetios

3.Swallow The Sun - Emerald Forest And The Blackbird

4.The 11th Hour - Lacrima Mortis

5.Anaal Nathrakh - Vanitas

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1.Wintersun - Time I

2.Sybreed - God Is An Automaton

3.Atoma - Skylight

4.The Omega Experiment - The Omega Experiment

5.Circus Maximus - Nine

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1.Katatonia - Dead End Kings

2.Wintersun - Time I

3.Saturnus - Saturn In Ascension

4.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

5.Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol

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