Top 51 Melodic Death Metal Albums

Top 51 Melodic Death Metal Albums

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A list by
nonZero
Created
February 26, 2024
Entries
51
Endorsements
5
I've always been a fan of melodic death metal, having listened to bands such as In Flames, Dark Tranquillity and At The Gates in my first few years of getting into metal around 2005-2008. Now, thanks to MS, I've gotten into many more amazing bands such as Wintersun, Insomnium and Scar Symmetry and it has become one of my favourite subgenres.

So here are my favourites of the subgenre with my rating 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 melodic 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)
51.
1.
Wintersun - Wintersun
9.63/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2004
51.
2.
Wintersun - Time I
9.50/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2012
51.
3.
Insomnium - Winter's Gate
9.50/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2016
51.
4.
At The Gates - Slaughter Of The Soul
9.28/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 1995
51.
5.
The Haunted - The Haunted Made Me Do It
9.25/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2000
51.
6.
Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising
9.25/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2011
51.
7.
Scar Symmetry - Pitch Black Progress
9.23/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2006
51.
8.
In Flames - The Jester Race
9.20/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 1996
51.
9.
Dark Tranquillity - The Gallery
9.18/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 1995
51.
10.
Mors Principium Est - The Unborn
9.17/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2005
51.
11.
Dark Tranquillity - Fiction
9.15/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2007
51.
12.
Wintersun - Time II
9.10/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2024
51.
13.
Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God
9.10/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2008
51.
14.
Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done
9.08/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2002
51.
15.
Amon Amarth - Versus The World
9.06/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2002
51.
16.
Children Of Bodom - Hatebreeder
9.06/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 1999
51.
17.
Dominia - Divine Revolution
9.06/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2006
51.
18.
Mercenary - The Hours That Remain
9.05/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2006
51.
19.
Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone
9.00/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2012
51.
20.
Mors Principium Est - Dawn Of The 5th Era
8.95/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2014
51.
21.
Dan Swanö - Moontower
8.94/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 1999
51.
22.
Insomnium - Above The Weeping World
8.94/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2006
51.
23.
Garden Of Shadows - Oracle Moon
8.92/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2000
51.
24.
Insomnium - Shadows Of The Dying Sun
8.90/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2014
51.
25.
In Flames - Whoracle
8.90/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 1997
51.
26.
Insomnium - One For Sorrow
8.89/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2011
51.
27.
Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe
8.88/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2008
51.
28.
Eternal Tears Of Sorrow - A Virgin And A Whore
8.88/10 (excluding track 7) · Melodic Death Metal · 2001
51.
29.
Carcass - Heartwork
8.85/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 1993
51.
30.
Shylmagoghnar - Convergence
8.85/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2023
51.
31.
Insomnium - Across The Dark
8.83/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2009
51.
32.
Dark Tranquillity - Character
8.82/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2005
51.
33.
Rapture - Futile
8.81/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 1999
51.
34.
Æther Realm - Tarot
8.77/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2017
51.
35.
The Black Dahlia Murder - Nocturnal
8.75/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2007
51.
36.
Shylmagoghnar - Emergence
8.75/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2014
51.
37.
Scar Symmetry - The Singularity (Phase I - Neohumanity)
8.75/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2014
51.
38.
Hypocrisy - Virus
8.75/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2005
51.
39.
Atavistia - One Within The Sun
8.75/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2017
51.
40.
Persefone - Spiritual Migration
8.73/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2013
51.
41.
Soilwork - The Living Infinite
8.73/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2013
51.
42.
Kalmah - Swampsong
8.72/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2003
51.
43.
Be'lakor - Vessels
8.69/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2016
51.
44.
Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows
8.67/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2011
51.
45.
Children Of Bodom - Follow The Reaper
8.67/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2000
51.
46.
Mercenary - 11 Dreams
8.65/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2004
51.
47.
Kalmah - Swamplord
8.63/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2000
51.
48.
Dark Tranquillity - Atoma
8.63/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2016
51.
49.
Kartikeya - Mahayuga
8.60/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2011
51.
50.
Insomnium - Since The Day It All Came Down
8.56/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 2004
51.
51.
Hypocrisy - Hypocrisy
8.50/10 · Melodic Death Metal · 1999
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: 13 Visited by 66 users

Posts: 1376


Permalink
26.02.2024 - 09:02

Posts: 1376


Are there any must-listens I'm missing here?

I've listened to Stone's Reach by Be'lakor, Tales From The Thousand Lakes by Amorphis and With Oden On Our Side by Amon Amarth - all fantastic albums but I didn't enjoy them quite enough to be in my top 50.
----
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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AndyMetalFreak
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26.02.2024 - 09:23
AndyMetalFreak
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Posts: 6611


There are a lot of great albums here I must say. I was going to suggest Tales From The Thousand Lakes by Amorphis and With Oden On Our Side by Amon Amarth but then noticed you placed them in your overrated list so never bothered to suggest them
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Posts: 1376


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+1
26.02.2024 - 09:36

Posts: 1376


Written by AndyMetalFreak on 26.02.2024 at 09:23

There are a lot of great albums here I must say. I was going to suggest Tales From The Thousand Lakes by Amorphis and With Oden On Our Side by Amon Amarth but then noticed you placed them in your overrated list so never bothered to suggest them

They are difficult to rate as I would probably give them like 8.4ish/10 if I did a detailed breakdown, so they are some of the least overrated albums that meet the criteria of that list, but not quite high enough to meet this one. Still enjoy giving them a spin every now and then!
----
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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Roman Doez
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26.02.2024 - 15:11
Roman Doez
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Posts: 1258


I'm surprised there's no Edge of Sanity in your list, do you perhaps not consider them melodeath?
Other than that, I'd recommend you listen to Intestine Baalism, they're really good
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Posts: 1376


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26.02.2024 - 15:14

Posts: 1376


Written by Roman Doez on 26.02.2024 at 15:11

I'm surprised there's no Edge of Sanity in your list, do you perhaps not consider them melodeath?
Other than that, I'd recommend you listen to Intestine Baalism, they're really good

Thanks, I'll check them out! And Crimson 1/2 are #2/#5 on my Progressive Death Metal list which I'll upload in a few weeks
----
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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Guib
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Posts: 3528


Permalink
27.02.2024 - 03:53
Guib
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Posts: 3528


The lack of Kalmah is hurting my feelings, especially their early albums. But despite this ungodly and blasphemous transgression, pretty good list.

Seriously though... go give some respect to Kalmah's Swamplord, They Will Return and Swampsong. They're fucking classics.

Songs like Swamphell, Hades, Heroes To Us, Kill The Idealist, Dance Of Water, Principle Hero, Withering Away, Cloned Insanity, Evil In You ...etc are literally what made me a Melo-death fan.

....oh and

Also, I would recommend Paladin - Ascension. It's a joy ride and Whispered - Thousand Swords, original and kinda wacky in the best possible way (though this last one has symphonic vibes).

And then.. Some people (myself included) would consider Quo Vadis as being close to melo-death even though they're in the technical spectrum. I suggest you try those 2 releases from them: Day Into Night and Defiant Imagination. If you haven't already, pretty sure you'd love them. EDIT: After seeing your overrated list, maybe you won't like Defiant Imagination that much
----
- Headbanging with mostly clogged arteries to that stuff -
Guib's List Of Essential Albums
- Also Thrash Paradise
Thrash Here
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Posts: 1376


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+1
27.02.2024 - 19:12

Posts: 1376


Written by Guib on 27.02.2024 at 03:53

The lack of Kalmah is hurting my feelings, especially their early albums. But despite this ungodly and blasphemous transgression, pretty good list.

Seriously though... go give some respect to Kalmah's Swamplord, They Will Return and Swampsong. They're fucking classics.

Songs like Swamphell, Hades, Heroes To Us, Kill The Idealist, Dance Of Water, Principle Hero, Withering Away, Cloned Insanity, Evil In You ...etc are literally what made me a Melo-death fan.

....oh and

Also, I would recommend Paladin - Ascension. It's a joy ride and Whispered - Thousand Swords, original and kinda wacky in the best possible way (though this last one has symphonic vibes).

And then.. Some people (myself included) would consider Quo Vadis as being close to melo-death even though they're in the technical spectrum. I suggest you try those 2 releases from them: Day Into Night and Defiant Imagination. If you haven't already, pretty sure you'd love them. EDIT: After seeing your overrated list, maybe you won't like Defiant Imagination that much

Thanks for the recommendations! Kalmah is on my to-rate list so there may be a couple of their albums coming to this list soon!

Day Into Night I have as Technical Death Metal, so it will be on that genre list if I make it at some point. Defiant Imagination I didn't enjoy as much but still a great album.
----
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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24emd
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+1
24.08.2024 - 16:46
24emd
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Your top 3 is the same as mine, so thumbs up for you.
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Guib
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24.08.2024 - 17:17
Guib
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Written by 24emd on 24.08.2024 at 16:46
Your top 3 is the same as mine, so thumbs up for you.

Baha it's too much Wintersun for a Top 3.
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Guib's List Of Essential Albums
- Also Thrash Paradise
Thrash Here
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24emd
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25.08.2024 - 01:40
24emd
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Written by Guib on 24.08.2024 at 17:17

Written by 24emd on 24.08.2024 at 16:46
Your top 3 is the same as mine, so thumbs up for you.

Baha it's too much Wintersun for a Top 3.

Take that back! Jari will hunt you down.

Really not a fan though?
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Guib
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25.08.2024 - 01:46
Guib
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Written by 24emd on 25.08.2024 at 01:40

Written by Guib on 24.08.2024 at 17:17

Written by 24emd on 24.08.2024 at 16:46
Your top 3 is the same as mine, so thumbs up for you.

Baha it's too much Wintersun for a Top 3.

Take that back! Jari will hunt you down.

Really not a fan though?

Oh no I love Wintersun, especially their first album but I wouldn't put 2 of theirs in a Top 3 for Melodic Death Metal knowing the variety existing in this genre. An excellent band for sure, I just see tons of albums I prefer before.
----
- Headbanging with mostly clogged arteries to that stuff -
Guib's List Of Essential Albums
- Also Thrash Paradise
Thrash Here
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24emd
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Posts: 1252


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25.08.2024 - 01:59
24emd
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Written by Guib on 25.08.2024 at 01:46

Oh no I love Wintersun, especially their first album but I wouldn't put 2 of theirs in a Top 3 for Melodic Death Metal knowing the variety existing in this genre. An excellent band for sure, I just see tons of albums I prefer before.

Ah I see. I love both the self titled and Time I so much that if they are classified as melodeath than they'd be in my top 3 or at least top 5 if the genre borders are more loose. But I guess they aren't the best representatives of the genre compared to Insomnium for example, the former leans more to power metal than traditional melodeath.
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Posts: 13


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03.07.2025 - 07:58

Posts: 13


Try this "Ebony Tears - Tortura Insomniae " if you like melodic death
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