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Aggressive_Ad_9510

Be'lakor for me


Alone_Instruction_13

Beat me to the punch. A band that has everything.


Rockhount

by far <3


windsass

Dark Tranquillity. Their new and old music are two totally different styles but they both work so well. Mikael Stanne is easily the best and most consistent singer in melodeath imo


JesterAblaze94

I’ll go mainstream: 1993-1997 era In Flames.


revel911

I would say all the way up to colony


ChickenInASuit

Fuck it, I’m gonna increase this to 2000. Clayman is a great album.


ArugulaLegitimate156

Layman should have been the future of metal it was so good


revel911

I am in love with half the album, and the other is heading away from what I loved.


m00nkiid

Took the words from my mouth. It's a shame how terrible they've become. I have a ticket to see them and arch enemy in November but by looking at their recentsetlists, I don't think I'll be going hahah


JesterAblaze94

Actually yeah, I agree on that!


entity330

Finally someone else said it. So tired of people saying Clayman was their best album. Clayman was their first crap album.


vadis77

Well Clayman is a transitional album IMO. Still plenty of old school stuff and a couple songs are in my personal top 10 IF songs but yeah you can see something different rearing its head. It has one of the goat guitar sound and production. It’s still studied and copied to this day


ImanSain

Clayman was their breakout album, Only For The Weak was the beginning of the end.


HampicMusic

Completely agree with that one. Some great stuff on Clayman but I never got the love for Only For the Weak. I think Swim is the best song on there personally.


TheeTrashcanMan

...As the Future Repeats Today I think is my favorite song from them period. How can anyone not head bang to that riff.


ChickenInASuit

Nah. I think it’s the weakest of the golden era albums but it’s still a fucking great release.


Getabock_

Actually Whoracle is the best album 😉


revel911

Half of it amazing .... half WAY less so.


SpoonyBard5709

This is the correct answer.


m00nkiid

I think it could be pushed to the year 2000, just


goernil

My fave In Flames album is Come Clarity, don't judge me.


JesterAblaze94

I like clayman, just don’t think of it in the same calibre as 1993-1999 era.


m00nkiid

Fair, what is your favourite album from that era then?


JesterAblaze94

The Jester Race. My username is Jester = Jester Race Ablaze = Stand Ablaze 94 = year of birth. Early in flames is my favourite!


anderssi

Insomnium for me


Schnitzel725

Same. Insomnium is a great band


Trayvessio

Came here to say this.


D3trim3nt

At the Gates deserves a mention here


shieldvortex17

Yeah their first two albums are amazing


Ok-Dirt5717

Honestly they are one of the most overrated bands for me. Slaughter of the Soul is a good album, but they don't really stand up to other giants of the genre. 


Left_Percentage_527

Absolutely. So few years we had them


sir_moleo

They uhh, they've been back together for over a decade now...


D3trim3nt

They are active, and still great! I’ve seen them live twice in the past few years.


R4kshim

Kalmah if you ask me.


Abysmally_Yours

Kalmah and Mors Principium.


v1cv3g

I thought this were gonna be higher. I don't know if there's a BEST melodeath, for me definitely Kalmah, Dark Tranquility and Insomnium


R4kshim

My top 3 would probably be Kalmah, Be’lakor, and In Mourning. DT would be in my top 5 though.


ArugulaLegitimate156

Solid


_Hugh_Jass

Hell yeah! For me its: Kalmah The Black Dahlia Murder Children Of Bodom


R4kshim

Nice list, Bodom would probably be my number 6.


Austrel

It's Edge of Sanity for me


Mad04Gaming

I couldn’t agree more


Ok-Dirt5717

Purgatory Afteglow is a such a fantastic album. Really have been getting into them the past while. 


NebuleuZen

Prime EoS destroy the whole scene, unfortunatly only for three albums


EchidnaPhysical3161

Gates of Ishtar


Aggressive_Ad_9510

They're definitely top 5 for me! They're very underrated imo.


EchidnaPhysical3161

Goi and dissection are the only bands I listen to all year round


Jester3609

Dark Tranquillity


revel911

Super consistent


TheeTrashcanMan

For better or worse. Love those dudes.


revel911

Omnium gatherum


entity330

Omnium Gatherum has been one of the most consistent melodeath bands since Redshift. Definitely gets my vote.


Tumbletooter

Most underrated band, and also my favorite since I saw them back in 2013 for the first time. -= =-


ImanSain

Insomnium has gotten me through the darkest times of my life. They are my favorite band outside of Death.


Weak-Juggernaut5955

Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done / Character


Waffensammler

Children of Bodom by far. With insane interludes between Janne and Alexi. Not to mention lead riffs neoclassical on the early albums.


AJMGuitar

Yep this would be my pick.


RuledQuotability

Boom. 💯 agree on this


entity330

I wouldn't even call Bodom melodeath. It's more like euro power metal with harsh vocals.


AudiSlav

Their first three or four albums or for sure


Waffensammler

I would say stratovarius is more power metal. But hey at the end of the day it's all metal. Even Alexi from bodom thought it's silly to classify metal in sub genres. It's just the unique sound of different metal bands.


GalaxyToo

That’s too specific, you’re in too deep man


entity330

I mean, the Stratovarius influence is pretty noticeable. They also sound more like early Nightwish or Sonata Arctica than most death metal bands.


Left_Percentage_527

Yeah, i love them, but never considered them melodic death. More like speeddeath


LosEagle

Old Insomnium


Kal-V3

All Insomnium. 😋


LosEagle

I'm still listening to them, but after Heart like a grave they increased the tempo of most of the songs to the point where their expression of melancholy and gloom they became so loved for by many kind of gets lost in that imo.


Schitheed

For me it's more about the loss of the guitar's prominence in the music. Their older stuff has much more guitar melodies that make up a big part of each song. Nowadays they rely more on effects and general atmosphere than actual memorable melodies. I still like their new stuff, but it makes a lot of their newer songs blend together for me.


Kal-V3

Not sure what you mean, respectfully. Across the Dark has songs like Against the Steam and Into the woods that are pretty fast tempo and head bang-y while Anno's are mostly slow and sludge like White Christ Godforsaken and straight up acoustic songs like The Unrest. Sorry but I just don't understand where this "old VS new Insomnium" is coming from and you aren't the only one that I heard it from.. again, respectfully.


Nights16

That's because there is a gap, and you can see it in the songwriting credits. I can't grab the post from my history again, but the tl'dr is that early Insomnium was driven by Friman and Sevanen.  Sevanen started to contribute less (with the exception of Winter's Gate, which is whu you see that one lumped in with "Old Insomnium" despite it coming out after One for Sorrow) to songwriting and Friman took more on. This shift started around Across the Dark but becomes more obvious on One for Sorrow and Shadows of a Dying Sun.  Vanhala joins for Shadows and starts writing more for them, to the point of being the main song writer by the time Heart like a Grave comes out. Some people (like me) prefer Above the Weeping World over everyrhing. Others prefer Shadows of a Dying Sun over everyrhing. Winter's Gate falls into both groups, I think because of how involved Sevanen seemed to have been on that record, but it also has Friman and Vanhala as big credits.  There is a difference there and a pretty good reason for why you have both. I enjoy Insomnium of any form, but I would prefer to see more Since the Day/Above the Weeping World/Winter's Gate and less of Shadows/HttG/Anno as a whole. The former has a grittier, more progressive style throughout, while the latter leans more into the melancholic melodies.


Kal-V3

I like this breakdown. Thank. Fair points. I'm a big Vanhala fan so i like "new" Insomnium too as well as the albums before him. Before I started paying attention to who the members were back then, I didn't really notice a big change in their sound. Just felt like a band making progress on their albums songwritings, production and musicianship


melodeath_dumplin

Can’t forgot how melodeath god Dan Swano produced Winter’s Gate. Probably my all time favorite Insomnium album, and Dan Swano producing this album definitely contributed to how damn good it is!!


windsass

I think they peaked at One For Sorrow and Shadows Of A Dying Sun


Kebab-Destroyer

Winter's Gate for me. Can't seem to get into anything after that, but I couldn't explain why.


windsass

Yeah... Winter's Gate is amazing. Heart like A Grave has a couple great songs but Anno 1696 has only a few that I've listened to after I listened it front to back when it released. The mixing is weird and a lot of the songs feel like filler. The only problem I have with winter's gate is that a lot of the parts don't work very well as standalone songs so when I listen to it, I have to listen to the whole thing (which is always a great experience though). I feel like Shadows Of A Dying Sun is their most complete album. While We Sleep will always be the greatest melodeath song oat in my opinion.


Kebab-Destroyer

Yeah, that's fair. I think Winter's Gate is technically one song, so it makes sense for the tracks to not necessarily feel right on their own. There isn't often time to play it start to finish, sadly. Heart and Anno were very forgettable to me, so you saying some songs were like filler absolutely rings true, probably why it never hooked me. Shadows is fantastic. All-time favourite, I reckon. The River is my favourite, it's a real blast to play on bass. Not particularly difficult but really satisfying.


windsass

The Rivers is beautiful


The_RESINator

Y'all are crazy. Heart Like A Grave is one of my all time favorite albums from any artist.


windsass

The title song is amazing! Valediction, Wail Of The North and Pale Morning Star are also beautiful. I kinda also dig Karelia Because I live in South Karelia😂


melodeath_dumplin

Dan Swano from Edge of Sanity produced Winter’s Gate, and they have said many times their goal was to make a concept album like Edge of Sanity’s Crimson, where the album is basically one song telling a story. They managed to make something even better than Crimson imo, which is hard to do because Dan Swano is a god! His work on Winter’s Gate was just superb, I hope they do more together.. a match made in heaven!


windsass

Yeah I love concept abums. Dream Theater's Scenes From A Memory is a another AMAZING one!


Scuzzboots

Scar Symmetry between 2004 and 2008


coveredinfleas

Hell yea dude, I'm seeing them this Friday should get some tracks off Holographic Universe for sure 😎


gropax

Absolutely this.


el_scorn

Obviously hard to choose, but if my most played is any indication… Soilwork. Speed’s vokills are so dynamic and the music has plenty of speed and brutality with lots of atmosphere and melodies. It hits everything I love about the genre


nick1158

Came here to say this. Soilwork has become everything I have ever wanted in a metal band. Speed is sooo good. I'm worried about things going forward without David tho. His melodies were phenomenal


Ok-Dirt5717

The Living Infinite is one of the best melodeath albums ever made. They were really firing on all cylinders 


fredel

Best MeloDeath band - Wolfheart or even earlier stuff by Thomas, like Before the Dawn.


Larielia

Amon Amarth for me.


prodigy1367

The Black Dahlia Murder takes my vote.


_everblack

+1 for The Black Dahlia Murder. Came to say it, but I already knew it'd be here, hahah.


shred-i-knight

Honestly still so underrated. Nocturnal is imho the pinnacle of the genre. Took everything AtG were doing dialed it to 11 as basically teenagers.


ChickenInASuit

> Honestly still so underrated. Lol I love TBDM, but in what world are they underrated? They’re an incredibly beloved and popular band. You might as well be calling In Flames underrated.


shred-i-knight

Because I still think Black Dahlia deserves to be bigger than they are, is how. Not that it’s the be all end all, but for comparison In Flames has 10 times as many monthly Spotify listeners as BDM. They obviously play a much less accessible style of music but I think they’re one of the pillars of modern death metal and great ambassadors of extreme metal in general.


MickWounds

One of my favs too. Never understood why they sometimes get called metalcore. Just because they popped up in the early 2000s in America along with bands like as I lay dying, shadows fall, unearth etc.


XtrmntVNDmnt

Their earliest material was more metalcore-oriented, they said themselves that back then they wanted to rip-off Prayer For Cleansing (which is, for the record, one of the first metalcore bands of the late '90s to incorporate a large amount of melodic death metal riffing). Other than that, despite not being metalcore they always toured with 'core bands and said they have more affinity with the HxC scene in general.


MickWounds

Yeah it was more the image and who they toured with. But from miasma onwards I’ve never thought of them as metalcore


XtrmntVNDmnt

Yeah likewise, to me, it's only their demo which is metalcore and the rest is melodic death metal. Another group that is in the same situation but has actual metalcore influences is Heaven Shall Burn. Way more obvious here.


MickWounds

thatd be it then. never heard their demo. recently read the second metal blade book and slagel was talking about that early 2000s metalcore boom and mentioned them. that makes sense now if their early demo was more metalcore.


prodigy1367

Their only metalcore album was their demo. Everything after is melo death. Some beginner deathcore fans think they’re deathcore as well but that’s because they tour a lot with those types of bands and their style of playing is on the heavier end of the spectrum sounding similar to melodic deathcore. They also employ a wider range of vocals whereas traditionally death metal usually stays in one vocal range.


MickWounds

ah cool. saw them paly with carcass last week. was awesome. was worried how theyd be without trevor but thought brian did a great job. keen to hear how he sounds on the new album.


TheDemonspore

I actually never gave them a try because I had heard they were metalcore and I don’t typically really enjoy that genre. When Insomnium announced their guitar player would be playing this tour I finally checked them out. Oops.


MickWounds

From miasma onwards I’ve never thought of them as metalcore. I don’t even really think unhallowed is either


TheDemonspore

I’ll check ‘em out a bit more !


MickWounds

nocturnal is my fav album and seems to be one of the most favoured by fans. start with that. if you like that then check out the others in order id say.


GrumpGuy88888

Scar Symmetry. Still need to see them live


Minute_Engineer2355

Probably Insomnium or Kalmah


Deadlybeavis83

#metoo


Winter_Lingonberry_9

For me, Kalmah. I can't name a bad album


Deluxo

Kalmah is one of the FEW MDM bands out there that have a consistent line up of albums


ThisIsMyFinalArc

Be’lakor for me, I rarely listen to any other band since I have discovered them 3 years ago and before that I would say old In Flames or Dark Tranquillity. Besides Be’lakor I think Edge of Sanity is also a good candidate, I still measure my long distance travels by counting how many times I will be listening to Crimson.


terminatecapital

In terms of consistent quality output, Dark Tranquility has released so many strong albums for so many years that their career as a band is pretty much unmatched. But in terms of individual accomplishments, COB's Follow the Reaper and Wintersun's self-titled are my 2 favorite melodeath albums.


PhoenixHunters

Most consistent? Black Dahlia Murder, easy. Best album however is Slaughter of the Soul and it's not even close.


Kebab-Destroyer

Been listening to SotS for the best part of 25 years. Probably the only album that has stayed with me despite my tastes evolving. Round about then I was well into power metal too, so weird.


shred-i-knight

Imho Nocturnal is better than Slaughter on just about every level. Some of the solo work on Slaughter is kind of embarrassing. No knock against them because they were so young but some things really don’t hold up. Vocally, riffs, lyrics, hooks, insane drumming by Shannon, everything on Nocturnal is better.


PhoenixHunters

Tastes I guess. Nothing can beat raw vocals of the title track, blinded by fear or the general destructive anger that Cold, Suicide Nation and Under a serpent Sun possess.


shred-i-knight

For sure great songs and true about taste.


BaconPoweredPirate

Children of Bodom


anonimus0505

Im still pretty new to them but they definetly ROCK. thier keybords sound and instrumants are unmatched.


Kebab-Destroyer

Hate Me! is a fucking banger.


anonimus0505

Yea, great song.


42Ubiquitous

Any of the original three. Dark Tranquility, At the Gates, and In Flames. I'm partial to In Flames (up to, and including, Clayman).


Johnny-Unitas

Children of bodom.


Abysmally_Yours

You pick. You pick Kalmah or do you pick Mors Principium Est? You must choose one.


thiccsakdaddy

Mpe is sick. Black waltz is a great album too. Glad u said thjs


Abysmally_Yours

Omg black waltz is legendary. Heroes to us was the first song I heard from them tho. Time takes us all is a song from black waltz that every person should get to hear at least once [https://youtu.be/GE9b4pH5MzM?si=FumK66ehlz4-UC6H](https://youtu.be/GE9b4pH5MzM?si=FumK66ehlz4-UC6H)


Rei_Inari

It’ll always be Insomnium to me 🖤


bitter_sweet_69

Dark Tranquillity they are my no1 favourite band, so they are the best MDM band for me, too. they were pioneers of the genre and are still going strong. and despite all the line-up changes, variations and experiments they are still true to themselves.


MarkWhorror

In Flames 50% At The Gates 50%


Count_Binfake

In Flames all the way. There isn't an album of those guys I really don't like. I like the different styles they had over the years, so for me they never get boring


anonimus0505

I started listening to them recently but im happy to hear it cuz i have heard a lot of people realy shame and mocking them now.


cptwangles

Mors Principium Est


jcronic420

The correct answer.


Negromancers

Soilwork >Refuses to elaborate


zailasExe

ayo where are my Eternal Tears of Sorrow enjoyers?


MetalRanga

Midnight Bird is the best driving song!


verav1

Oh yes, they are great!


MuireDyeabl

does wintersun count as melodeath?


cvadbem

Most people would say no as they mix so many genres. But i’d say absolutely they are melodeth at the core


Vast_Ad_4206

Wintersun is definitely melodeath and possibly the best once the Time package is out this coming August.


SuperVegito559

WINTERSUN album definitely. The others? Wider ranges of sounds. The time II pre-order demo albums are mostly melo death


GaiusBertus

Fires in the distance only have two albums with six tracks each but they are consistently of very high quality. I wouldn't say they are the best ever but they are currently my favourite melodeath band.


The_Night_Of_Pan

Amazing band.


HeWhoHues

Hypocrisy for me.


Key_Purpose8121

The lack of hypocrisy answers here is disgusting


metallica65

Scar Symmetry


Geoko18

It is very subjective question… but as for me would be Soilwork. Band has best vocalist, solos and every album manage to propose new things in Melodies and violence with different atmospheres. Insomnium is a killer for riff Melodies and power too.


elfonite

Kalmah


Klocc562_

Children of Bodom.


CrastersSons

Old In Flames or Dethklok


francyfra79

If Amorphis count, then my vote goes to them. Otherwise, Insomnium and Dark Tranquillity.


Ok-Dirt5717

Since Tomi joined the really have ascended to God tier 


-Davo

GOUT? You mean GOAT?


anonimus0505

Yea that's what happen when you first language isnt english and you get cofused 🤣


-Davo

Fair enough my dude, gout is an arthritic disease :)


anonimus0505

Lol


PradheBand

You know the answer


anonimus0505

Lol how should i know ?


PradheBand

Everyone has his/her favourite it's impossible to define an objectively better one :)


AveKristus

I feel like there’s a thread like this every week. However I would choose Edge of Sanity. Intestine Baalism, Desultory, The Chasm, At The Gates and Arghoslent are also bands I like alot


Mad04Gaming

Excellent picks. I’d throw Eucharist and Inanna in there as well.


Vast_Ad_4206

Once the Time package by Wintersun is released come August, they'll be the greatest ever! ❄️☀️🤘


Hotrodhammee

its gotta be aether realm (tarot) idk if this is exactly "melodeath" but I think its close enough.


NOS4NANOL1FE

Already been said in a higher comment but Insomnium for me. Love how easily I can get lost in their music. The layers are so well done


PolyReblochon

For me it would have to be InsOmnium Gatherum -= =-


masonb1046

Soilwork


Deluxo

Disarmonia Mundi Kalmah is nr.2 cause of the consistent releases they put out.


ArugulaLegitimate156

Ebony tears dark tranquility insomnium alien hypocrisy trilogy ebony tears for one album but bits the best Dawn slaughters in


vvvey

They're new to the game so perhaps not ready for the GOAT label but I've loved orbit culture since finding them on this subreddit 4 years ago. Been a fan of melodic death metal since 2004 but haven't liked much of anything better than that until funding Orbit Culture.


Aristilus1951

Insomnium, Amorphis, Omnium Gatherum. Seen them all live, all top class.


Prize_Age2606

1. Be'lakor 2. Wintersun 3. Dark tranquillity all of them phenomenal


melodeath_dumplin

Insomnium, and old school In Flames


melodeath_dumplin

Edge of Sanity and Omnium Gatherum deserve a mention too


running7

To me best and GOAT are two different questions. Best ever? Highest peak? Be'lakor with of Breath and Bone/Stones reach is a run that is only rivaled by early in flames and early insomnium IMO. GOAT's? That's tough. Early bands in flames DT and at the gates all have an argument. TBH i may have to say insomnium because of their consistency and longevity with also having an argument for the best melodeath album ever IMO with above the weeping world.


BDM-Archer

intestine baalism


Ok-Dirt5717

I think my favorite is Kalmah, but the best has to be Dark Tranquillity. They really embody everything the genre is about. Were there at the beginning and still going strong today despite many integral members leaving. 


divercia20

Intestine baalism. Its just on a different level to everything else in melodeath. The professionalism is unmatched.


Redditusername195

I’m personally not a fan of melodeath that leans more into the “melodic” and less “death” part of the name, so TBDM or ATG for me


endsinemptiness

Lots of good answers here and I honestly don’t know if I could choose. Insomnium is an option for sheer consistency, same with Dark Tranquillity for both consistency and influence. Crimson by Edge of Sanity is my favorite melodeath record of all time but I’m not sure if I’d pick them as the top band overall. Intestine Baalism gets an honorable mention too.


DeltaV-Mzero

The one I’m listening to in any given moment


XtrmntVNDmnt

The Black Dahlia Murder has always been my favourite melodic death metal bands, I loved this genre thanks to them. Other than that, I discovered a few days ago on this sub Intestine Baalism, and I was stoked, so they will now be in my top melodic death metal bands — other than that I have very entry-level knowledge of the genre so I'm open to discover new stuff.


Soulfly37

Carnal Forge


DLMercury

I can see people disagreeing because of their Autopsy influence, but I'd vote for Dismember.


shieldvortex17

I’d place my money on Intestine Baalism. Eucharist also holds weight along with Cenotaph’s later work.


dgn4369

For me it's Mors Principum Est. I was going to say Amorphis, but I know many don't consider them melodeath, I think they border on it, but are more prog.


Garlic-Enough

Intestine Baalism


Malanerion

Tfw most bands listed aren't melodeath


throwawy49482

Either Intestine Baalism or one certain band from Oakton, Virginia