This is a list of black metal (and blackened metal) albums based on their artwork (in reverse alphabetical order). It includes iconic cover art from classic albums as well as fascinating work from more recent releases.
There is a saying that "you should not judge a book by its cover", which is of course also true in the case of music albums. However, the artwork can complement the production and give a visual introduction to the musical theme and atmosphere. More than for any other kind of music, this may be true for metal.

(Updated 02.10.2023)

1.Zeal & Ardor - Zeal & Ardor

2.Yoth Iria - As The Flame Withers

3.Watain - Lawless Darkness

4.Vreid - Lifehunger

5.Venom - Black Metal

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1.Wilderun - Veil Of Imagination

2.Opeth - In Cauda Venenum

3.Borknagar - True North

4.Eternal Storm - Come The Tide

5.Soen - Lotus

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I feel like my overall favorites list is getting too long. I'm splitting it up by rating.

1.Ulcerate - Stare Into Death And Be Still

2.Madder Mortem - Eight Ways

3.Blind Guardian - Imaginations From The Other Side

4.Ayreon - 01011001

5.Igric - Svet Svetlom Stvorený

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This list is meant to be an extensive, but by no means exhaustive, collection of the greatest (modern) metal albums and eps. Running the gamut from avant-garde to trve norweigan black metal. *As someone who is young in age, my tastes tend to revolve around the period of the 80s to the present.* Although certain metal albums from before will certainly be featured, the period of the 60s-70s will be under-represented. I refer you to this excellent list to gain a better appreciation for some of the best metal from that period: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/freis/martin_popoffs_the_top_500_heavy_metal_albums_of_all_time/

1.Aara - En Ergô Einai

2.Aarni - Bathos

3.Aaskereia - Dort, Wo Das Alte Böse Ruht

4.Aastraal - Tuba mirum spargens sonum per sepulcra regionum, coget omnes ante thronum

5.AATHMA - Avesta

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All the albums released in 2019 that i have listened to, ranked from best to worst. This is of course my opinion. Recommendations are always welcome.

1.Abigail Williams - Walk Beyond The Dark

2.Misþyrming - Algleymi

3.Tool - Fear Inoculum

4.Alcest - Spiritual Instinct

5.Esoteric - A Pyrrhic Existence

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Well, 2020 is not the most enjoyable year, is it...

So I looked back at 2019 to do a little nostalgic ranking of when the world was only half crazy....

My top 50 (rate 8 & above)

Like always opinion my own and I am obviously right

Album count: 160
Average rating: 7

1.Cult Of Luna - A Dawn To Fear

2.Alcest - Spiritual Instinct

3.Blut Aus Nord - Hallucinogen

4.Borknagar - True North

5.Swallow The Sun - When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light

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Here is a list of all the bands who received at least one write-in vote during MSA 2019.

Following the annoucement of the results, this information is lost, I post it here so you can continue to explore your favorite genres !

I'm still working on fixing links, if you find errors, feel free to notify in the comments !

1.Babymetal - Metal Galaxy

2.Cave In - Final Transmission

3.Mother Of Millions - Artifacts

4.Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

5.Soen - Lotus

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1.Babymetal - Metal Galaxy

2.Cave In - Final Transmission

3.Mother Of Millions - Artifacts

4.Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

5.Soen - Lotus

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Favourite metal/rock LPs anno Domini 2019. Admittedly, this list is highly subjective. Still, it's better than yours. Or your mother's. Or Lucifer's. You get the point.
Albums in alphabetical order (top 12 first).

1.Abyssal - A Beacon In The Husk

2.Blood Incantation - Hidden History Of The Human Race

3.Blut Aus Nord - Hallucinogen

4.Haunter - Sacramental Death Qualia

5.Inter Arma - Sulphur English

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1.Waste Of Space Orchestra - Syntheosis

2.Stellar Master Elite - Hologram Temple

3.Mephorash - Shem Ha Mephorash

4.Nile - Vile Nilotic Rites

5.Strigoi - Abandon All Faith

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1.Cult Of Luna - A Dawn To Fear

2.The Great Old Ones - Cosmicism

3.Fleshgod Apocalypse - Veleno

4.Wilderun - Veil Of Imagination

5.Borknagar - True North

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I began this decade in my final year of high school, in the early phases of my metal journey (Mastodon, Machine Head, Dream Theater, Pantera and Avenged Sevenfold were still recent discoveries). One Masters degree and one PhD later, I'm now a tax-paying Londonian, and have ploughed through what must be comfortably over 2000 new releases during the previous ten years. To commemorate the end of a turbulent decade, I've put together a list of the albums that have stuck with me throughout this decade - I wouldn't consider this to be a 'best albums' list, as there have been some truly ingenious works released in more avant-garde territories, but ultimately these are the albums that have ended up dominating my listening habits, or otherwise making a sufficient impression to make this list.

1.Sylosis - Monolith

2.Sylosis - Edge Of The Earth

3.Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud

4.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

5.Cult Of Luna - Vertikal

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1.Avatarium - The Fire I Long For

2.Abigail Williams - Walk Beyond The Dark

3.

4.

5.

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1.Misþyrming - Algleymi

2.Cult Of Luna - A Dawn To Fear

3.Sinmara - Hvísl Stjarnanna

4.Fleshgod Apocalypse - Veleno

5.Insomnium - Heart Like A Grave

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1.Soen - Lotus

2.Ningen Isu - 新青年

3.Candlemass - The Door To Doom

4.Fleshgod Apocalypse - Veleno

5.Russian Circles - Blood Year

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