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.

- - - - - - - - - -

Last Updated: April 8th, 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 ››

1.Enslaved - Isa

2.Finntroll - Nattfödd

3.Behemoth - Demigod

4.Wintersun - Wintersun

5.Insomnium - Since The Day It All Came Down

      View entire list ››

1.Kalmah - The Black Waltz

2.Insomnium - Above The Weeping World

3.Kalmah - They Will Return

4.Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side

5.Insomnium - Since The Day It All Came Down

      View entire list ››

Let's celebrate the most

amusing
interesting
moving
innovative*
controversial
enthusiastic
courageous
extraordinary
hilarious

reviews in the history of Metal Storm!

Suggestions for particularly entertaining reviews are more than welcome.
And please note that occasionally, the comment section may be the most enjoyable part of a review...

1.Opeth - Blackwater Park

2.Fear Factory - Archetype

3.Hypocrisy - The Arrival

4.Stovokor - Metal Of Honor

5.Visions Of Atlantis - Cast Away

      View entire list ››

No particular order

1.Graveworm - As The Angels Reach The Beauty

2.Graveworm - Scourge Of Malice

3.Dimmu Borgir - For All Tid

4.Dimmu Borgir - Stormblåst

5.Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant

      View entire list ››

Stuff that got me hooked in the course of the years, from my very first blurred memories as a toddler to the present day.
Lots of catchy tunes, some cheese, very few flowers.
Songs that had a big impact on me and influenced my taste in music.
Stuff to let it all hang out, songs for campfire sing-alongs and soundtracks to slit your wrists to.
Love at first sight listen.

This is part II of II, covering the years since 2001.

Despite of the list's personal character, suggestions are very welcome.
After all I'm old and I may just have forgotten lots of stuff that did make my day.



Great albums that didn't make it on the list as they can only be enjoyed in their entirety, rather than by picking individual songs:

Thirdmoon - Sworn Enemy: Heaven (Death, 2004)
Defleshed - Reclaim The Beat (Death/Thrash, 2005)
Tyranny - Tides Of Awakening (Funeral Doom, 2005)
Mourning Beloveth - A Murderous Circus (Doom/Death, 2005)
Rotting Christ - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy (Black, 2013)

1.Alastis - Unity

2.Diablerie - Seraphyde

3.Dimmu Borgir - Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia

4.Emperor - Prometheus: The Discipline Of Fire & Demise

5.Hollenthon - With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell

      View entire list ››

1.Afgrund - Vid Helvetets Grindar

2.After Forever - After Forever

3.Agalloch - The Mantle

4.Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain

5.Alcest - Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde

      View entire list ››

Wanna know what I headbang to on the regular? The releases that have seen countless re-spins... Well, this is a very simple list and something you've probably seen a lot of other MS users do in the past. Basically, I'm just going to list what are essential metal albums for me, my all time gems & masterpieces (very subjective and some are also in there due to nostalgia and sentimental value).

There's no particular ''Genre'' that I'll be covering and I will also try to limit myself to two albums per band and a few of my favorite tracks or highlights per album. Of course everything in this list is just my opinion, meaning that I'm not saying these albums are all masterpieces or whatnot, it's just my personal favorites. I hope most of you will agree with me and those few who don't, well... it's okay to be wrong, the next step is acceptance

🇨🇦 = From Canada, My Country!

Last Updated: April 15th, 2024

1.Absu - The Third Storm Of Cythrául

2.AC/DC - High Voltage

3.Alestorm - Black Sails At Midnight

4.Alien Weaponry - Tū

5.Amon Amarth - Fate Of Norns

      View entire list ››

The title pretty much says it all. Feel free to tell me your poor taste in albums, and I will add them as well.

1.Behemoth - The Satanist

2.Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With The Stars

3.Children Of Bodom - Are You Dead Yet?

4.Chthonic - Seediq Bale

5.Cradle Of Filth - Nymphetamine

      View entire list ››

I do my best to feel confident about my top 10, After that 11-100 are just alphabetical.

1.Ayreon - The Theory Of Everything

2.Iron Maiden - Brave New World

3.Evergrey - The Inner Circle

4.Obscure Sphinx - Void Mother

5.Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor

      View entire list ››

1.Bloodbath - Nightmares Made Flesh

2.Ayreon - The Human Equation

3.Iced Earth - The Glorious Burden

4.Exodus - Tempo Of The Damned

5.God Forbid - Gone Forever

      View entire list ››

1.Persefone - Truth Inside The Shades

2.Slumber - Fallout

3.Ayreon - The Human Equation

4.My Dying Bride - Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light

5.Haggard - Eppur Si Muove

      View entire list ››

1.Death - Symbolic

2.Edge Of Sanity - Crimson

3.Desultory - Bitterness

4.Morgoth - Cursed

5.Death - Human

      View entire list ››

***Currently working through suggestions and adding some spacey non-metal things when they cross my mind***
As a lover of all things sci-fi I find metal to be the most accommodating of genres when it comes to themes of space/aliens. This is a list of those albums which use this theme and/or evoke an overall 'spacey' atmosphere and which I find particularly intriguing and enjoyable. No order for now and a work in progress (recommendations most welcome) Last Updated: 9th April 2014

1.Atoma - Skylight

2.Ayreon - The Universal Migrator Part I: The Dream Sequencer

3.Dol Ammad - Star Tales

4.Star One - Space Metal

5.Pagan's Mind - Enigmatic : Calling

      View entire list ››

These are 36 of the my favorite Melodeath albums in no particular order. This will hopefully serve as a starting point for someone new to the style. If one of your favorites isn't on here, it's because this is my favorites list, not yours. Feel free to make recommendations, however.

1.Dark Tranquillity - Fiction

2.The Absence - Riders Of The Plague

3.Darkane - Expanding Senses

4.Insomnium - Since The Day It All Came Down

5.Luna Mortis - The Absence

      View entire list ››