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Top 27 Death Metal Albums


I struggled to get into “pure” death metal when I first got into metal around 2005. Gradually over time I started listening to melodic death metal (Dark Tranquillity and In Flames) and progressive death metal (Opeth and Edge of Sanity) which helped me appreciate the harsher side of music. Since then, I've discovered tons of fantastic death metal bands through MS including Bloodbath, Dismember and Pestilence.

So here are my favourites of the genre with my rating, its sub-genre and release year:

(Score is an average of each album's song ratings, full list located here)

If you discovered any new albums or like the same sort of death metal, be sure to give this list a thumbs-up and leave a comment so more people can find these amazing bands!

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)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)

Created by: nonZero | 18.09.2024



1. Bloodbath - Nightmares Made Flesh
9.50/10 · Death Metal · 2004
2. Dismember - Like An Ever Flowing Stream
9.19/10 · Death Metal · 1991
3. Pestilence - Consuming Impulse
9.11/10 · Death Metal · 1989
4. Vomitory - Blood Rapture
9.11/10 · Death Metal · 2002
5. Lykathea Aflame - Elvenefris
8.95/10 · Brutal Death Metal · 2000
6. Entombed - Left Hand Path
8.95/10 · Death Metal · 1990
7. Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal
8.94/10 · Death Metal · 2005
8. Necrophobic - The Nocturnal Silence
8.94/10 · Death Metal · 1993
9. Cryptopsy - None So Vile
8.94/10 · Brutal Death Metal · 1996
10. Bloodbath - The Fathomless Mastery
8.91/10 · Death Metal · 2008
11. Miseration - Tragedy Has Spoken
8.90/10 · Death Metal · 2012
12. Cattle Decapitation - Monolith Of Inhumanity
8.90/10 · Death Metal · 2012
13. Gloria Morti - Eryx
8.89/10 · Death Metal · 2008
14. Obituary - Cause Of Death
8.89/10 · Death Metal · 1990
15. Bolt Thrower - ...For Victory
8.83/10 · Death Metal · 1994
16. Necrophobic - Hrimthursum
8.82/10 · Death Metal · 2006
17. Vital Remains - Dechristianize
8.81/10 · Death Metal · 2003
18. Deicide - Deicide
8.80/10 · Death Metal · 1990
19. Morbid Angel - Covenant
8.78/10 · Death Metal · 1993
20. Nile - Annihilation Of The Wicked
8.75/10 · Brutal Death Metal · 2005
21. Death - Leprosy
8.75/10 · Death Metal · 1988
22. Dying Fetus - Reign Supreme
8.72/10 · Brutal Death Metal · 2012
23. Cannibal Corpse - The Bleeding
8.70/10 · Death Metal · 1994
24. Sepultura - Beneath The Remains
8.69/10 · Death Metal · 1989
25. Morbid Angel - Domination
8.67/10 · Death Metal · 1995
26. Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest
8.67/10 · Brutal Death Metal · 2009
27. Decapitated - Winds Of Creation
8.57/10 · Brutal Death Metal · 2000



Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
[ More lists by nonZero ]



Comments

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Comments: 8   Visited by: 17 users
18.09.2024 - 18:23
nonZero
Are there any must-listens I'm missing here?

I've listened to Altars of Madness by Morbid Angel, Necroticism by Carcass and Close to a World Below by Immolation - all fantastic albums but I didn't enjoy them quite enough to make this list.

I’ve not included bands that cross over genres here (e.g. Progressive Death Metal).
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Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)
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18.09.2024 - 18:47
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Great list, you have most of my favorites here but I might suggest some of these:

Autopsy - Severed Survival
Carnage - Dark Recollections
Death - Leprosy
Entombed - Clandestine
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18.09.2024 - 18:47
Redel
Moderator
Ratings on the second digit, wow! And I thought I was crazy.
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18.09.2024 - 20:12
A Real Mönkey
Ever listen to God Macabre?
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18.09.2024 - 22:57
Guib
Thrash Talker
Nice list mate! Lykathea and Cryptopsy being so highly praised makes me happy.
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- Headbanging with mostly clogged arteries to that stuff -
Guib's List Of Essential Albums
- Also Thrash Paradise
Thrash Here
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18.09.2024 - 23:32
nonZero
Written by AndyMetalFreak on 18.09.2024 at 18:47

Great list, you have most of my favorites here but I might suggest some of these:

Autopsy - Severed Survival
Carnage - Dark Recollections
Death - Leprosy
Entombed - Clandestine

Thanks! I have actually listened to all of these albums and they are fantastic. I didn’t quite enjoy them quite enough to make this list however, but I think some relistens are in order!

Written by Redel on 18.09.2024 at 18:47

Ratings on the second digit, wow! And I thought I was crazy.

Haha, these are pulled from my Top 500 Albums list which uses second digit as there are so many between 8.5-10! Even with two digits there are so many that have the same rating which makes for some tough decisions.

Written by A Real Mönkey on 18.09.2024 at 20:12

Ever listen to God Macabre?

I listened to their album ‘The Winterlong’ a few years back but wasn’t overly amazed by it. I might have to give it a relisten as it’s been a while!

Written by Guib on 18.09.2024 at 22:57

Nice list mate! Lykathea and Cryptopsy being so highly praised makes me happy.

Thanks! And they are both great bands. Shame Lykathea never released anything else
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Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)
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19.09.2024 - 01:37
Cynic Metalhead
Ambrish Saxena
Written by nonZero on 18.09.2024 at 23:32

Written by AndyMetalFreak on 18.09.2024 at 18:47

Great list, you have most of my favorites here but I might suggest some of these:

Autopsy - Severed Survival
Carnage - Dark Recollections
Death - Leprosy
Entombed - Clandestine

I didn’t quite enjoy them quite enough to make this list however, but I think some relistens are in order!

You ought to have to listen this time with giving 100% attention to the most awesome recommendations. Those 4 albums you will find in anyone's top 25 death metal albums of all time.
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19.09.2024 - 12:17
nonZero
Written by Cynic Metalhead on 19.09.2024 at 01:37

You ought to have to listen this time with giving 100% attention to the most awesome recommendations. Those 4 albums you will find in anyone's top 25 death metal albums of all time.

Will do. Looking forward to hearing them again!
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Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)
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