Most depressive metal albums
Some of the most depressing albums in metal. List will lack some Dsbm which I don't find truly depressing or sad.
No particular order aside the top 5. |
| 1 |  | Saturnus
Veronika Decides to Die
This is the one I recall to be the most depressing ever. A bleak depiction of loneliness and depression, the low growls and the clean spoken parts fits perfectly the dark mood of the album. The beautiful piano work is smartly balanced with the guitar melodies and the slow burning drums. |
| 2 |  | Alice in Chains
Dirt
Even more depressing if you know the story behind Staley's depression. A masterpiece full of self-loathing about addiction, death and self despise. |
| 3 |  | Warning
Watching from a Distance
Passionate, sombre bittersweet doom with some of the most melancholic lyrics ever |
| 4 |  | Blindead
Affliction XXIX II MCMXCVI
A concept about a neglected autistic girl isolating into her own world. Don't listen to this if you have parent issues |
| 5 |  | Forgotten Tomb
Songs to Leave
There's something about the tortured vocals, the repetitive sections and the bleak melodies that makes this the most hopeless album in dsbm |
| 6 |  | Coldworld
Melancholie
This one can make you feel physically cold. |
| 7 |  | Type O Negative
World Coming Down
Recorded during Peter's peak of depression due to drug abuse and several losses, wcd lacks the black humor of the other album focusing only on negativity. |
| 8 |  | Pain of Salvation
In the Passing Light of Day
Gildenlow's auto biographical album about sickness and dealing with the possibility of leaving your loved ones |
| 9 |  | Agalloch
The Mantle
Soundtrack to desolation |
| 10 |  | Nine Inch Nails
The Downward Spiral
Hurt may be the most depressing song ever recorded, an accurate depiction of self destruction |
| 11 |  | Gris
Il Était Une Forêt...
Check out the translations of the lyrics, messed up stuff |
| 12 |  | Anathema
Alternative 4
Delusive, ethereal and hopeless |
| 13 |  | My Dying Bride
Turn Loose the Swans
A cryptic, ominous masterpiece of doom death genre. |
| 14 |  | Nevermore
Dreaming Neon Black
A concept about Dave's ex girlfriend disappearance after joining a cult and about depression due to the death of her by the hand of a serial killer |
| 15 |  | Funeral
From These Wounds
Heavy, ethereal... Perfect album to listen for a rainy day |
| 16 |  | Shining (SWE)
V - Halmstad
Always pushing the boundaries of suicidal thoughts |
| 17 |  | Katatonia
Brave Murder Day
Majestic death doom |
| 18 |  | SubRosa (US)
More Constant Than The Gods
This one can makes you feel comatose with those monotone vocals, distorted arks and witch hunt atmospheres |
| 19 |  | Cult of Luna
Somewhere Along the Highway
Ethereal and abstract concept about loneliness |
| 20 |  | Empyrium
Songs of Moors and Misty Fields
The album title sums what you will find |
| 21 |  | Porcupine Tree
In Absentia
Sometimes the simplest things can make you feel even more melancholic |
| 22 |  | Lurker Of Chalice
Lurker Of Chalice
One of the most negative and misanthropic albums in black metal |
| 23 |  | Ghost Brigade
Isolation Songs
Gloomy atmospheres and passionate lyrics about loss, grief and loneliness |
| 24 |  | Bell Witch
Longing
Maybe the best funeral doom ever |
| 25 |  | Candlemass
Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Please let me die in solitude |
| 26 |  | Paradise Lost
Draconian Times
The godfather of Gothic metal. The lyrics are pure sombre poetry |
| 27 |  | Solitude Aeturnus
Into the Depths of Sorrow
A more accessible doom with great vocal performance and emotionally struggling lyrics |
| 28 |  | Swallow the Sun
The Morning Never Came
Hold this woe. |
| 29 |  | Celtic Frost
Monotheist
More dark than depressive but the impending doom vibes and the struggling duets makes monotheist an hopeless Apocalyptic masterpiece |
| 30 |  | Dark Lunacy
Forget Me Not
A cold dark fable-like melodeath work with some decadent circus atmospheres |
| 31 |  | The Angelic Process
Weighing Souls With Sand
You don't need lyrics to deliver anxiety with a masterful wall of sound |
| 32 |  | Dirge (FR)
And Shall The Sky Descend
Truly heavy atmospheric sludge with funereal atmospheres and melancholic lullabies |
| 33 |  | Counterparts
The Difference Between Hell and Home
A great depiction of wasted youth and teen anger |
| 34 | | Mournful Congregation
Monad
Poetic and existential funeral doom |
| 35 |  | Weakling
Dead as Dreams
A tortures work that manage to be both unsettling and sad |
| 36 |  | Draconian
Arcane Rain Fell
Death come near me is monumental |
| 37 |  | Make a Change...Kill Yourself
Make a Change...Kill Yourself
Title speak for itself |
| 38 |  | Dark tranquillity
Projector
Different from the previous works, projector focuses more on the emotional side of melodeath |
| 39 |  | Opeth
Blackwater Park
A grey depiction of a dried dead world |
| 40 |  | Savatage
Dead Winter Dead
A concept about war in sarajevo, savatage always wins regarding sad ballads |
| 41 |  | Loss
Despond
Intense musicianship and hopeless lyrics. I can't take that vocals seriously though |
| 42 | | Solstafir
Kold
A post/black album with Type o negative elements |
| 43 |  | Lacrimas Profundere
Burning: A Wish
One of the most underrated Gothic albums ever |
| 44 |  | Cough
Still They Pray
Heavy, sludge and nihilistic. The title track is delightful |
| 45 |  | Oceans of sadness
The Arrogance Of Ignorance
A weird avant-garde work with melancholic vibes |
| 46 |  | Neurosis
A Sun That Never Sets
Less heavy and way more disillusioned |
| 47 |  | Cathedral
Forest of Equilibrium
While not being among the saddest bands in doom they really gone sombre with this one |
| 48 |  | The Old Dead Tree
The Nameless Disease
A concept about the suicide of 21 years old former drummer of the band |
| 49 |  | Mudvayne
L.D. 50
Nu metal is sure not famous for being depressive but the superb songwriting depicts some controversial themes like suicide (severed), cancer (death blooms), failure (-1), child neglection (cradle) and drug addiction (pharmaecopia) in a perfect way. |
| 50 |  | Dog Fashion Disco
Ad Nauseam
Depressive in a weird way, most of the songs are happy sounding but with some truly messed up lyrics about suicide, domestic abuse, self loathing and depression (check Starving artist) |
| 51 |  | Austere
To Lay Like Old Ashes
Dsbm at it's bleakest |
| 52 |  | Depressive age
Lying in Wait
Depressive thrash with disturbing lyrics and dark atmospheres |
| 53 |  | Korn
Issues
A collection of tracks about, well, issues. Such as domestica abuse, rape, psychosis and depression |
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