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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1.Fires In The Distance - Air Not Meant For Us

2.Insomnium - Anno 1696

3.Fen - Monuments To Absence

4.Godflesh - Purge

5.Incantation - Unholy Deification

      View entire list ››

Hello there. Below lie my favorite death metal records of 2023 listed alphabetically by band name, with subgenres included if by chance anyone cares. The list will be updated periodically when I get through the ungodly amount of great music the year has produced. As always I welcome recommendations in the comments. That being said, let the blood spill and enjoy the following carnage

1.Absolutism - Asynchronous

2.Afterbirth - In But Not Of

3.Ahab - The Coral Tombs

4.Alkaloid - Numen

5.Altarage - Worst Case Scenario

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1.Shylmagoghnar - Convergence

2.Sacred Outcry - Towers Of Gold

3.Fires In The Distance - Air Not Meant For Us

4.Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite

5.Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord Of The Thorned Castle

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1.Fires In The Distance - Air Not Meant For Us

2.Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit

3.Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite

4.Church Of Misery - Born Under A Mad Sign

5.Kalmah - Kalmah

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Chronological order

1.Grá - Lycaon

2.Leiþa - Reue

3.Azgaroth - Kohti Unholaa

4.Nothingness - Supraliminal

5.Katatonia - Sky Void Of Stars

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I did not include 3 Bonfire albums, since they were re recorded from 90's (if it would be 1 maybe, but 3 I don't consider those as this years=

1.Cultus Sanguine - Dust Once Alive

2.Primordial - How It Ends

3.WarWolf - The Apocalyptic Waltz

4.Waldgeflüster - Unter Bronzenen Kronen

5.KK's Priest - The Sinner Rides Again

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1.Moonlight Sorcery - Horned Lord Of The Thorned Castle

2.Night Verses - Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of Night: Part 1

3.Fossilization - Leprous Daylight

4.Wolves In The Throne Room - Crypt Of Ancestral Knowledge

5.Silent Skies - Dormant

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My very subjective ranking of all heard metal and metal-adjacent albums 2023.

1.Fleshvessel - Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed

2.Liturgy - 93696

3.Dead Times - Dead Times

4.Vvon Dogma I - The Kvlt Of Glitch

5.Agriculture - Agriculture

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1.Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis

2.Gravenchalice - Messiah

3.Blackbraid - Blackbraid II

4.Fleshvessel - Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed

5.Hasard - Malivore

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1.Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current

2.Aeternus - Philosopher

3.Marianas Rest - Auer

4.Primordial - How It Ends

5.Slow Fall - Obsidian Waves

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Another year begins. This time I'm adding Country of origin next to the rating and genre.

1.Blackbraid - Blackbraid II

2.Wayfarer - American Gothic

3.Varathron - The Crimson Temple

4.Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags

5.Shylmagoghnar - Convergence

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