Best Black Metal Bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Cradle of Filth 1991, United Kingdom Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Cruelty and the Beast (1998) #71 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #118 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #163
2	Darkthrone 1987, Norway Black Metal, Death Metal, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal	A Blaze in the Northern Sky (1992) #40 Transilvanian Hunger (1994) #150 Under a Funeral Moon (1993) #418
3	Mayhem 1984, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	De mysteriis dom Sathanas (1994) #23 De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas (2020) [Boxed set] Chimera (2004) #1448
4	Dimmu Borgir 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997) #540 Stormblåst (1996) #1089 Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001) #1351
5	Burzum 1991, Norway Black Metal, Ambient	Hvis lyset tar oss (1994) #97 Det som engang var (1993) #691 Filosofem (1996) #779
6	Emperor 1991, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	In the Nightside Eclipse (1994) #44 Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (1997) #378 IX Equilibrium (1999) #1406
7	Behemoth 1991, Poland Black Metal, Death Metal	The Satanist (2014) #136 Evangelion (2009) #257 Demigod (2004) #295
8	Immortal 1991, Norway Black Metal	At the Heart of Winter (1999) #243 Sons of Northern Darkness (2002) #262 Pure Holocaust (1993) #396
9	Summoning 1993, Austria Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Dol Guldur (1997) #247 Stronghold (1999) #388 Old Mornings Dawn (2013) #523
10	Ne Obliviscaris 2003, Australia Extreme Progressive Metal	Portal of I (2012) #52 Urn (2017) #530 Citadel (2014) #560
11	Anorexia Nervosa 1995, France Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Drudenhaus (2000) #119 Redemption Process (2004) #791 New Obscurantis Order (2001) #1122
12	Anaal Nathrakh 1999, United Kingdom Industrial Black Metal, Grindcore	The Whole of the Law (2016) #370 Vanitas (2012) #397 Hell Is Empty, And All the Devils Are Here (2007) #569
13	Dissection 1989, Sweden Melodic Black Metal, Death Metal	Storm of the Light's Bane (1995) #46 The Somberlain (1993) #1195 Live Legacy (2003) [Live]
14	Gorgoroth 1992, Norway Black Metal	Pentagram (1994) #92 Antichrist (1996) #191 Under the Sign of Hell (1997) #746
15	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #441 Scourge of Malice (2001) #621 Engraved in Black (2003) #5206
16	Deathspell Omega 1998, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Fas- Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (2007) #770 Paracletus (2010) #957 Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) #1343
17	Bathory 1983, Sweden Black Metal, Thrash Metal, Viking Metal	Under the Sign of the Black Mark (1987) #391 Blood Fire Death (1988) #488 Hammerheart (1990) #1215
18	Marduk 1990, Sweden Black Metal	Panzer Division Marduk (1999) #2068 Blood Puke Salvation (2006) [Video] Opus Nocturne (1994) #3753
19	Shining 1996, Sweden Depressive Black Metal, Black Metal	V - Halmstad (2007) #193 Within Deep Dark Chambers (2000) #438 X - Varg Utan Flock (2018) #2932
20	Inquisition 1988, Colombia Black Metal	Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm (2010) #127 Nefarious Dismal Orations (2007) #719 Black Mass for a Mass Grave (2020) #1024
21	Alcest 1999, France Shoegaze, Blackgaze, Post-Metal	Écailles de lune (2010) #68 Souvenirs d'un autre monde (2007) #204 Les voyages de l'âme (2012) #786
22	Sad Legend 1997, Korea Melodic Black Metal	Sad Legend (1998) #112 The Revenge of Soul (2009) #2950 Promo 1997 (1997) [Demo]
23	Cult of Fire 2010, Czech Republic Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	मृत्यु का तापसी अनुध्यान (2013) #189 Triumvirát (2012) #236 Čtvrtá symfonie ohně (2014) [EP] #679
24	Mgła 2000, Poland Black Metal	Exercises in Futility (2015) #328 Age of Excuse (2019) #1480 With Hearts Toward None (2012) #1618
25	Sigh 1990, Japan Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) #414 Scenes From Hell (2010) #1028 In Somniphobia (2012) #1474
26	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #400 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2037 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3362
27	Shade Empire 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Anti-Life Saviour (2017) [Single] Omega Arcane (2013) #327 Poetry of the Ill-Minded (2017) #807
28	Satyricon 1991, Norway Black Metal	Nemesis Divina (1996) #1183 Dark Medieval Times (1993) #1829 The Shadowthrone (1995) #4174
29	Enslaved 1991, Norway Black Metal, Viking Metal, Progressive Metal	Vikingligr veldi (1994) #435 Eld (1997) #1258 Ruun (2006)
30	Dark Funeral 1993, Sweden Black Metal	The Secrets of the Black Arts (1996) #1211 In the Sign... (2000) [EP] Vobiscum Satanas (1998) #1671
31	Drudkh 2002, Ukraine Atmospheric Black Metal	Autumn Aurora (2004) #688 Кров у наших криницях (Blood in Our Wells) (2006) #940 Всі належать ночі (All Belong to the Night) (2022)
32	Sabbat 1984, Japan Black Metal, Thrash Metal	The Dwelling (1996) #1029 Envenom (1991) #1072 Satanasword (2000) #1837
33	閃靈 (Chthonic) 1995, Taiwan Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	高砂軍 (Takasago Army) (2011) #541 賽德克巴萊 (Seediq Bale) (2005) #3042 武德 (Bu-Tik) (2013) #5043
34	Lifelover 2005, Sweden Black Metal, Depressive Rock	Konkurs (2008) #232 Pulver (2006) #1614 Erotik (2007) #3267
35	Mesarthim 2015, Australia Atmospheric Black Metal	The Great Filter (2016) [EP] #1262 Vacuum Solution (2021) [EP] Arrival (2023)
36	Blasphemy 1987, Canada War Metal, Black Metal	Gods of War (1993) #1027 Fallen Angel of Doom (1990) #1570 Desecration of São Paulo - Live in Brazilian Ritual Third Attack (2016) [Live] #2559
37	Archgoat 1989, Finland War Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal	The Light-Devouring Darkness (2009) #428 Black Mass XXX (2020) [Live] Whore of Bethlehem (2006) #1387
38	Rotting Christ 1987, Greece Melodic Black Metal, Grindcore, Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Their Greatest Spells (2018) [Compilation] Thy Mighty Contract (1993) #2077 Theogonia (2007) #2255
39	Lustre 2008, Sweden Atmospheric Black Metal, Ambient	The Ashes of Light (2020) #1193 Reverence (2023) [EP] A Thirst for Summer Rain (2022) #1822
40	Violet Cold 2013, Azerbaijan Blackgaze, Post-Rock	Noir Kid (2020) #699 Anomie (2017) #965 Desperate Dreams (2015) #1243
41	Bethlehem 1991, Germany Depressive Black Metal, Death Doom Metal	Dictius te necare (1996) #920 Bethlehem (2016) #2514 Dark Metal (1994) #3252
42	Mütiilation 1991, France Black Metal	Remains of a Ruined, Dead, Cursed Soul (1999) #1946 Vampires of Black Imperial Blood (1995) #2195 Rattenkönig (2005) #2414
43	Judas Iscariot 1992, United States Black Metal	Heaven in Flames (1999) #1647 To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding (2002) #2021 Thy Dying Light (1996) #3685
44	Profanatica 1990, United States Black Metal, Death Metal	Disgusting Blasphemies Against God (2010) #1461 Profanatitas De Domonatia (2007) #2210 The Enemy of Virtue (2006) [Compilation]
45	Ulver 1993, Norway Black Metal, Ambient, Electronica, New Wave	Bergtatt: Et eeventyr i 5 capitler (1995) #1928 Kveldssanger (1996) #2770 Nattens madrigal: Aatte hymne til ulven i manden (1997) #2970
46	Windir 1994, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Black Metal	Arntor (1999) #485 Valfar, ein Windir (2004) [Compilation] SognaMetal (2005) [Video]
47	Behexen 1996, Finland Black Metal	By the Blessing of Satan (2004) #301 Horna / Behexen (2004) [Split] The Poisonous Path (2016) #2728
48	Njiqahdda United States Atmospheric Black Metal, Psychedelic Rock	False Legends (2013) [EP] the Path of Liberation from Birth and Death (2012) Nji. Njiijn. Njiiijn. (2008)
49	Deafheaven 2010, United States Blackgaze, Atmospheric Black Metal	New Bermuda (2015) #452 Sunbather (2013) #857 Ordinary Corrupt Human Love (2018) #2453
50	Belphegor 1992, Austria Death Metal, Black Metal	Conjuring the Dead (2014) #1731 Necrodaemon Terrorsathan 2020 (2020) [Single] The Last Supper (1994) #4539

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