Carl's DEATH METAL of all time
Here is a somewhat comprehensive list of my favorite death metal bands and albums. Like, "pure" death metal or whatever. So no doom, tech, melodic, etc etc.
I got into the genre in earnest in the mid/late 2010s when bands like Outer Heaven and Tomb Mold were touring my area a bunch so a lot of what I listen to is more recent. I realize that I'm missing A LOT of classics (that is where you guys come in!!).
List is sorted by release year, oldest to newest. |
| 1 |  | Sacrilege (UK1)
Behind the Realms of Madness
1985
Not to be confused with the melodeath Sacrilege from Gothenburg (which rules btw). While more of a thrash/crust band, this album serves as the template for Bolt Thrower and countless other death metal bands so I’m giving them the pass. |
| 2 |  | Carnage
Dark Recollections
1990
Basically Dismember, this album features the classic buzzsaw HM2 riffage from Stockholm. An OG in the genre. |
| 3 |  | Entombed
Clandestine
1991
Will probably catch some flack for this one over Left Hand Path, but for whatever reason this one clicked with me more. Either way, cant go wrong with these two. More HM2 godliness for the people! |
| 4 |  | Atheist
Unquestionable Presence
1991
One of the coolest death metal albums of all time and a blueprint for one of my favorite modern DM bands (Horrendous). The mixture of jazz and death metal works really well. Crazy how early on in the genre’s history this came out too. |
| 5 |  | Pestilence
Testimony of the Ancients
1991
Always preferred this to Consuming Impulse. Both rule though. |
| 6 |  | Nocturnus
Thresholds
1992
The Key is great, but Thresholds is my personal favorite. Its got the better album art of the two anyways. Space death metal with spooky spacey synths and riffy riffs. Never got into Morbid Angel so I guess this is my substitute for them (looking to fix that!). |
| 7 |  | Cannibal Corpse
Tomb of the Mutilated
1992
Like many people, this band was my first exposure to death metal. However, instead of coming across them unintentionally via Ace Ventura, I found em at a swim meet when I was probably like 10. Some kid next to me was listening to Hammer Smashed Face on his first gen iPod nano full blast so that everyone around him could hear it. I remember asking him what in the world he was listening to cuz it was so…different. Wasn’t into the genre for another half decade but that song always stuck with me. |
| 8 |  | Seance
Fornever Laid to Rest
1992
A bit lesser known Swedeath that won’t disappoint but will break your neck. |
| 9 |  | Cemetary
An Evil Shade of Grey
1992
Cemetary are probably more known for their gothic metal albums, but their debut is a bit of a hidden gem of solid, pure death metal (not too dissimilar from Sentenced). |
| 10 |  | Monastery (HU)
Far From Christ
1992
A bit faster death metal release from Hungary that more people need to know about. According to their Metal Archives page, they went from this to making nu-metal but are now back making old school death metal again. Definitely keep an eye out on that. |
| 11 |  | Cenotaph (MX)
The Gloomy Reflection of Our Hidden Sorrows
1992
The best death metal to come out of Mexico, save for The Chasm but I kinda lump them together. They switched over to melodeath after this album (and then Daniel Corchado left) and made some staples in that genre as well. |
| 12 |  | Eructation
Demo #1 1992
1992
This band appeared, dropped this godly 3-track tape, then disappeared. |
| 13 |  | Comecon
Converging Conspiracies
1993
Comecon was L-G Petrov’s (of Emtombed fame, RIP) first band, though this album features Martin van Drunen (Asphyx, Pestilence, etc). Can definitely hear all three of those bands in this album. |
| 14 |  | Gorefest
False
1993
Some of the funkiest and chunkiest death metal I’ve ever heard. Its groovy baby. |
| 15 |  | God Macabre
The Winterlong
1993
Some more HM2 Swedeath goodness. |
| 16 |  | Uncanny
Splenium For Nyktophobia
1994
Death metal that leans into the melodeath of bands like Dismember, Edge of Sanity, and Desultory, but not too heavily so that it doesn’t lose its old school death metal edge. |
| 17 |  | Desultory
Bitterness
1994
Very similar to Uncanny, its like Dismember with shouty, Entombed-esque vocals. |
| 18 |  | Gorement
The Ending Quest
1994
One of the best death metal albums of all time. If you’re on the fence about the genre for whatever reason, just listen to this one. |
| 19 |  | Six Feet Under
Haunted
1995
Chris Barnes is a meme but this album most certainly is not. Riffs like Bolt Thrower and is simply a fun listen. HUMAN. TARGET. HUMAN. TARGEEEETTTTT. |
| 20 |  | Death
Symbolic
1995
Least controversial inclusion on the list. Could’ve been this or Sound of Perseverance. |
| 21 |  | Grotesque
In the Embrace of Evil
1996
Checked. |
| 22 |  | The Chasm
The Spell of Retribution
2004
One of the coolest and most unique death metal bands of all time in my opinion. Daniel Corchado is a god amongst men. Was between this, Farseeing the Paranormal Abysm, and Deathcult for Eternity. |
| 23 |  | Vomitory
Primal Massacre
2004
Still relatively new to this band, but got to see them open up for Dismember in August and instantly became fan. |
| 24 |  | Bolt Thrower
Those Once Loyal
2005
There is nothing quite like a Bolt Thrower riff. Iconic in every single way. One of the best death metal bands to ever do it. |
| 25 |  | Repugnant
Epitome of Darkness
2006
Solid and spooky death metal from Sweden featuring Papa Emeritus himself on vocals. Doesn’t sound like Ghost though. |
| 26 |  | Dismember
The God That Never Was
2006
Probably breaking my own rules here since this is very much a melodeath album but it’s fun to be divisive and not include Like An Ever Flowing Stream. Its basically HM2 Iron Maiden. |
| 27 |  | Obliteration
Nekropsalms
2009
One of the best modern death metal bands of all time. Excellent production and slow, neckcrushing riffs on top of nasty shrieks and gutterals—what more could you ask for? |
| 28 |  | Revolting
Dreadful Pleasures
2009
One of Rogga Johansson’s plethora of death metal projects and one of my favorites. Modern take on old school death metal, nothing too envelope-pushing. Just some really good riffs. |
| 29 |  | Turbid North
Orogeny
2011
Pvre Alaskan death metal. |
| 30 |  | Timeghoul
1992-1994 Discography
2012
Cult US death metal masters Timeghoul dropped two EPs on the world then disappeared forever. The amount of influence those two EPs have had on the greater death metal universe is biblical. |
| 31 |  | Vanhelgd
Relics of Sulphur Salvation
2014
Old school HM2 revival for fans of Entombed. Little bit of black metal thrown in but still mostly pure OSDM. |
| 32 |  | Cruciamentum
Charnel Passages
2015
Cleanly produced and bloody heavy British death metal. |
| 33 |  | Vredehammer
Violator
2016
Behemoth-sounding death metal. Not sure why but Behemoth never really stuck with me as much as this band. Feel like this bands leans a bit more into death metal to be included on this list, though. |
| 34 |  | Gatecreeper
Sonoran Depravation
2016
Fun, unpretentious Entombed/Dismember worship. |
| 35 |  | Artificial Brain
Infrared Horizon
2017
Scifi robot death metal from hell. |
| 36 |  | Witch Vomit
Poisoned Blood
2017
Their 2024 album Funeral Sanctum is probably my favorite but its basically a melodeath album so going with this solid death metal romp of an EP. |
| 37 |  | Necrot
Blood Offerings
2017
Was either this one or Lifeless Birth from this year. Both are great. Fun, no frills death metal. Another band that slays live. |
| 38 |  | Dyscarnate
With All Their Might
2017
Bouncy and groovy workout death metal. Incredibly fun album. Miss this band. |
| 39 |  | Undergang
Misantropologi
2017
These guys also opened up for Dismember last month so still relatively new to em but am enjoying em hard. The riff in Efter Obduktionen is one of the best I’ve ever heard. |
| 40 |  | Glacial Tomb
Glacial Tomb
2018
Tightknit modern death metal that might have flown a bit too low under some people’s radars. Worth checking out, especially with a new album out this year. |
| 41 |  | Creeping Death
Specter Of War
2018
Short lil EP that brings Pestilence vibes with a modern, almost hardcore-leaning edge. Perfect for moshing. |
| 42 |  | Tomb Mold
Manor of Infinite Forms
2018
Really digging their shift into the weird proggy melodic stuff on The Enduring Spirit from last year, but this one is some of their finest death metal-y death metal. One of the best modern DM bands for sure and an absolute treat to see live. |
| 43 |  | Wretched Fate
Fleshletting
2019
More modern HM2 old school throwback metal. Seems like there’s a trend here… |
| 44 |  | Vastum
Orificial Purge
2019
Nice alternative to Disma. |
| 45 |  | Paganizer
The Tower of the Morbid
2019
Another great Rogga Johansson band. Old school riffz for dayz. |
| 46 |  | Blood Incantation
Hidden History of the Human Race
2019
Solid modern death metal. Absolute sput darlings. One of the best death metal bands I’ve seen live. |
| 47 |  | Snorlax
II
2020
Australian pokemon death metal that more people need to hear. |
| 48 |  | Black Curse
Endless Wound
2020
Death metal supergroup that delivers some cavernous riffz of the old school variety. |
| 49 |  | Soulburn
Noa’s D'ark
2020
Originally the continuation of Asphyx, Soulburn is a lesser known death metal band that released one of the best death metal albums of 2020 with Noa’s D’ark. Still haven’t properly given Asphyx a chance so that’s on the to-do list. |
| 50 |  | Memoriam
To the End
2021
Featuring Karl Willetts and members of Sacrilege, Memoriam is basically a continuation of Bolt Thrower, albeit in a much more stripped down kinda way. Good for if you’re feeling nostalgic for either band and don’t want to listen to the originals for some reason. |
| 51 |  | Worm
Foreverglade
Worm bounce around genres but Foreverglade is mostly old school death with some doomy bits here and there. The inclusion of riff wizard Philippe Tougas on guitar makes this an absolute treat to listen to. |
| 52 |  | Wombbath
Agma
2021
OG Swedish death metallers that are still making really good Swedeath three decades later. |
| 53 |  | Maul
Seraphic Punishment
2022
One of my favorite modern death metal bands. Similar to other modern DMers like Tomb Mold or Outer Heaven. Solid production and really angry sounding drums. |
| 54 |  | Mortuous
Upon Desolation
2022
Straight forward, by the numbers death metal featuring members of Necrot and Vastum, among others. Fun lil fact: Mortuous’s bassist is married to Blood Incantation’s vocalist. |
| 55 |  | Casket Grinder
Sepulchral Trip
2022
Absolutely crushing death metal from Colombia. |
| 56 |  | Exhumed
To The Dead
2022
This was one of those bands I’d always see live but never really listened to on record (took a girl on a date to an Exhumed show before!). More of a fan of their death metal stuff than grind. |
| 57 |  | Immolation
Acts of God
2022
This band is still on the “to check” list but I did spin this one a few times when it came out and enjoyed it. Saw em last year which really inspired me to delve deeper into their discog, just haven’t done it yet for some reason. |
| 58 |  | Nothingness
Supraliminal
2023
Probably my favorite death metal band at the moment and one of my favorite death metal releases of all time. It’s funky, groovy, melodic, heavy, cavernous, slow, and fast. Something for everyone in here. |
| 59 |  | Defense Wound
Hymns of War
2023
Hardcore-influenced death metal that MOVES. |
| 60 |  | Ulthar
Anthronomicon
2023
What we really need is an Anthronomicon. A what? An anthronomicon! |
| 61 |  | Kommand (USA-CA)
Death Age
2023
Short and sweet Bolt Thrower worship EP. |
| 62 |  | VoidCeremony
Threads of Unknowing
2023
Another Philippe Tougas classic for fans of Death, Blood Incantation, and The Chasm. |
| 63 |  | Goetia (USA-DC)
Goetia
2023
Uncompromising death metal from the Nation’s Capital. |
| 64 |  | Frozen Soul
Glacial Domination
2023
One of my favorite newer death metal bands. Just really freakin good Bolt Thrower worship. |
| 65 |  | Outer Heaven
Infinite Psychic Depths
2023
Another of my favorite modern death metal bands. These guys just bring the riffs so consistently. |
| 66 |  | Dead and Dripping
Blackened Cerebral Rifts
2023
This band is straight to the point with their album name. Features toilet bowl/frog/whatever-the-fuck guttural vocals that sound incredibly nasty (it is a one-man project from the dude in Anal Exorcism, after all). |
| 67 |  | Horrendous
Ontological Mysterium
2023
Another modern favorite that leans more into the progressive and melodic side and especially the Death Symbolic side. So good. |
| 68 |  | Slimelord
Chytridiomycosis Relinquished
2024
Absolutely massive, cavernous, and disgusting death metal. One of the best DM releases of the year. Reminds me of Tomb Mold, same album artist and all. |
| 69 |  | Funeral Leech
The Illusion of Time
2024
Local (well not for much longer since I’m moving, yay) band from NYC that absolutely crushes. Riffs are low and slow. |
| 70 |  | Tombstoner
Rot Stink Rip
2024
Another NYC band that makes fun as hell death metal. Much faster and thrashier than Funeral Leech though. |
| 71 |  | Cavern Womb
Stages of Infinity
2024
Philly new kids on the block Cavern Womb dropped this EP this year and lemme tell ya, keep an eye out for these guys cuz this is something else. Cavernous as the name implies. |
| 72 |  | Acrid Tomb / Tomb of Annihilation
Hermetic Invocations (Split)
2024
First half is pvre death metal while second half is more melodeath but we’re including it to boost the homies. Really awesome EP and super excited to hear more from both bands. |
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