Bands listed alphabetically, One album per band (With the exception of Carcass and Napalm Death who appear in the Grind and Death Metal sections). Some bands may not be pure old school (Death / Thrash, Doom Death / Death Doom and early Brutal / Technical Death Included) I have also Included some of the more extreme Thrash releases that pre-dated the genre but undoubtedly help pave the way for things to come, I included these as I wish to give a general summary of the way Death Metal began and evolved throughout the 80's and 90's.

1.

2.Abhorrence - Abhorrence [EP]

3.Acrostichon - Engraved In Black

4.Adramelech - PsychoStasia

5.Afflicted - Prodigal Sun

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A list of bands who have released just one album. Feel free to recommend!

Edit: If the band released their debut album between 2014-present and they haven't split, they are not viable.

1.ABACABB - Survivalist

2.Abstrakt Algebra - Abstrakt Algebra

3.Abydos - The Little Boy's Heavy Mental Shadow Opera About The Inhabitants Of His Diary

4.Abyssmal Sorrow - Lament

5.Age Of Silence - Acceleration

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11 defining death metal albums that are a must-listen.

5/01/2012 (or 1/5/2012 for you Amerifags): I present, the almighty sequel!

1.Suffocation - Effigy Of The Forgotten

2.Vital Remains - Forever Underground

3.Resurrection - Embalmed Existence

4.Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness

5.Carnage - Dark Recollections

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*** MAX 3 ALBUMS PER ARTIST!!! (Except Death) Also... While extra weight will be given to classic death metal albums, this list will also include exceptional examples of melodic death, death-grind, technical/progressive death, death-thrash, and blackened death. LPs ONLY. *** /\ UNDER CONSTRUCTION /\

1.Cryptopsy - None So Vile

2.Death - Symbolic

3.Suffocation - Effigy Of The Forgotten

4.Carcass - Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious

5.Death - Human

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1.Adramelech - PsychoStasia

2.Armageddon - Crossing The Rubicon

3.Asphyx - Last One On Earth

4.At The Gates - Terminal Spirit Disease

5.Atheist - Piece Of Time

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1.Carcass - Heartwork

2.Entombed - Clandestine

3.Napalm Death - Harmony Corruption

4.Pestilence - Testimony Of The Ancients

5.Gorefest - False

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In no particular order... all of them are great!!

1.Baphomet - The Dead Shall Inherit

2.Brutality - When The Sky Turns Black

3.Convulse - World Without God

4.Demilich - Nespithe

5.Demigod - Slumber Of Sullen Eyes

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Some of the best metal albums ever released have been by bands that only had one full length release.
List is (and probably always will be) a constant work-in-progress.
If you know of a "one-and-done" metal band/album that isn't on my list, feel free to recommend

1.Weakling - Dead As Dreams

2.Caladan Brood - Echoes Of Battle

3.Lykathea Aflame - Elvenefris

4.Timeghoul - 1992-1994 Discography

5.Thorns - Thorns

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Note: Tool intentionally ommitted because they don't consider themselves metal. Otherwise you'd see their first 4 albums in top 25.

Last updated: 27 March 2024.

1.Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja

2.Agalloch - The Mantle

3.Opeth - Blackwater Park

4.Edge Of Sanity - Crimson

5.Lost Horizon - A Flame To The Ground Beneath

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My favorite old school death metal bands highlighted with my favorite album. All classic lineup with few exceptions of newer bands.

1.Autopsy - Mental Funeral

2.Impetigo - Horror Of The Zombies

3.Death - Leprosy

4.Obituary - Cause Of Death

5.Possessed - Seven Churches

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Here's a little list displaying my personal favorite death metal albums, based on the same idea as my heavy metal list, thus stressing the raw and the genuine. For me death metal has to be crushing, then coloured with atmosphere. Some of my choices may seem exotic, considering the list overall, but it's what broadens it. Rules : one album per band, the order isn't strict (still bottom albums are weaker than their predecessors). Many good tbdm bands are lacking, mostly because of their unfitting sound. If you think some kick-ass piece are missing, don't hesitate to suggest them. Enjoy.

1.Carcass - Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious

2.Suffocation - Pierced From Within

3.Cynic - Focus

4.Septicflesh - Εσοπτρον

5.Death - Symbolic

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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

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The best death metal albums pre 2000, in alphabetical order.
Work in progress.

1.Amorphis - The Karelian Isthmus

2.Amorphis - Privilege Of Evil

3.Asphyx - The Rack

4.Asphyx - Last One On Earth

5.Asphyx - Embrace The Death

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My favorite death metal albums.

1.Death - Human

2.Suffocation - Effigy Of The Forgotten

3.Edge Of Sanity - Crimson

4.Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness

5.Demigod - Slumber Of Sullen Eyes

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I know some of the albums are more thrash than death, but I added them anyway, because I guess they could appeal to death metal fans too. Many of the albums are not so well-known, but I prefer them over the classics. If you have any other suggestions of underground albums you think I could enjoy based on my choices, you can suggest me.

1.In Flames - Clayman

2.The Crown - Eternal Death

3.Sororicide - The Entity

4.Pestilence - Malleus Maleficarum

5.Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness

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