Best Death Metal Bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Dark Tranquillity 1991, Sweden Melodic Death Metal	Damage Done (2002) #23 Fiction (2007) #44 Atoma (2016) #184
2	Arch Enemy 1995, Sweden Melodic Death Metal	Burning Bridges (1999) #53 Rise of the Tyrant (2007) #118 Wages of Sin (2001) #327
3	Death 1984, United States Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Progressive Metal	Symbolic (1995) #20 Human (1991) #39 Leprosy (1988) #59
4	In Flames 1990, Sweden Melodic Death Metal, Alternative Metal	Colony (1999) #171 The Jester Race (1996) #187 Whoracle (1997) #285
5	Children of Bodom 1997, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal	Follow the Reaper (2000) #92 Hate Crew Deathroll (2003) #104 Hatebreeder (1999) #258
6	Opeth 1990, Sweden Progressive Death Metal, Progressive Rock	Blackwater Park (2001) #9 Ghost Reveries (2005) #72 Damnation (2003) #82
7	Cannibal Corpse 1988, United States Death Metal	Torture (2012) #429 Kill (2006) #961 A Skeletal Domain (2014) #1164
8	Omnium Gatherum 1996, Finland Melodic Death Metal	New World Shadows (2011) #27 Beyond (2013) #148 Grey Heavens (2016) #719
9	Insomnium 1997, Finland Melodic Death Metal	Winter's Gate (2016) #33 Heart Like a Grave (2019) #205 Anno 1696 (2023) #218
10	Deicide 1989, United States Death Metal	Legion (1992) #86 Deicide (1990) #117 Once upon the Cross (1995) #469
11	Kalmah 1998, Finland Melodic Death Metal	12 Gauge (2010) #101 The Black Waltz (2006) #417 They Will Return (2002) #519
12	Behemoth 1991, Poland Black Metal, Death Metal	The Satanist (2014) #128 Evangelion (2009) #279 Demigod (2004) #311
13	Carcass 1986, United Kingdom Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Death 'n' Roll	Heartwork (1993) #98 Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious (1991) #274 Surgical Steel (2013) #300
14	Soilwork 1996, Sweden Melodic Death Metal, Alternative Metal, Metalcore	Övergivenheten (2022) #546 The Ride Majestic (2015) #811 The Living Infinite (2013) #864
15	Cryptopsy 1992, Canada Brutal Death Metal, Technical Death Metal	None So Vile (1996) #34 Blasphemy Made Flesh (1994) #277 Cryptopsy (2012) #762
16	Fleshgod Apocalypse 2007, Italy Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal, Symphonic Metal	King (2016) #139 Oracles (2009) #567 Agony (2011) #568
17	Sepultura 1984, Brazil Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Groove Metal, Nu Metal	Beneath the Remains (1989) #26 Arise (1991) #119 Schizophrenia (1987) #228
18	Eternal Tears of Sorrow 1994, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal	A Virgin and a Whore (2001) #234 Chaotic Beauty (2000) #386 Before the Bleeding Sun (2006) #925
19	Obituary 1988, United States Death Metal	Cause of Death (1990) #64 Slowly We Rot (1989) #474 The End Complete (1992) #1596
20	Morbid Angel 1983, United States Death Metal	Altars of Madness (1989) #51 Covenant (1993) #500 Blessed Are the Sick (1991) #1322
21	Amon Amarth 1992, Sweden Melodic Death Metal	Twilight of the Thunder God (2008) #399 Once Sent from the Golden Hall (1998) #1150 With Oden on Our Side (2006) #1452
22	Persefone 2001, Andorra Progressive Metal, Melodic Death Metal	Aathma (2017) #150 Spiritual Migration (2013) #271 Shin-Ken (2009) #470
23	Amorphis 1990, Finland Progressive Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Rock	Live at Helsinki Ice Hall (2021) [Live] #475 Halo (2022) #393 Queen of Time (2018) #427
24	Septicflesh 1990, Greece Death Metal, Symphonic Metal	Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX (2020) [Live] #435 Codex Omega (2017) #521 Communion (2008) #578
25	Nile 1993, United States Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal	Annihilation of the Wicked (2005) #297 In Their Darkened Shrines (2002) #362 Those Whom the Gods Detest (2009) #802
26	Vader 1983, Poland Death Metal, Thrash Metal	De Profundis (1995) #651 Litany (2000) #857 Welcome to the Morbid Reich (2011) #900
27	Suffocation 1989, United States Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal	Pierced From Within (1995) #147 Effigy of the Forgotten (1991) #203 Hymns from the Apocrypha (2023) #1352
28	Scar Symmetry 2004, Sweden Melodic Death Metal, Groove Metal	Holographic Universe (2008) #926 The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph) (2023) #1149 Morphogenesis (2008) [Single]
29	Bolt Thrower 1986, United Kingdom Death Metal	...For Victory (1994) #390 Those Once Loyal (2005) #432 The IVth Crusade (1992) #501
30	At the Gates 1990, Sweden Melodic Death Metal	Slaughter of the Soul (1995) #200 At War with Reality (2014) #1543 Terminal Spirit Disease (1994) #2532
31	Mors Principium Est 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal	...And Death Said Live (2012) #454 The Unborn (2005) #1009 Dawn of the 5th Era (2014) #1134
32	Krisiun 1990, Brazil Death Metal	Southern Storm (2008) #309 Black Force Domain (1995) #428 Conquerors of Armageddon (2000) #1148
33	Immolation 1988, United States Death Metal	Dawn of Possession (1991) #458 Close to a World Below (2000) #739 Here in After (1996) #897
34	Heaven Shall Burn 1997, Germany Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore	Invictus (2010) #525 Iconoclast (2008) #1998 Veto (2013) #2166
35	Mercenary 1991, Denmark Melodic Death Metal	Architect of Lies (2008) #749 The Hours That Remain (2006) #881 Soundtrack for the End Times (2023) #944
36	Be'lakor 2004, Australia Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Gothic Metal	Stone's Reach (2009) #314 Vessels (2016) #414 Of Breath and Bone (2012) #453
37	Dying Fetus 1991, United States Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal	Descend into Depravity (2009) #337 Killing on Adrenaline (1998) #767 War of Attrition (2007) #1280
38	Hypocrisy 1991, Sweden Melodic Death Metal, Death Metal	A Taste of Extreme Divinity (2009) #1126 Virus (2005) #1345 Hell over Sofia - 20 Years of Chaos and Confusion (2011) [Video]
39	Disarmonia Mundi 1999, Italy Melodic Death Metal	Fragments of D-Generation (2004) #363 Mind Tricks (2006) #586 Nebularium + the Restless Memoirs EP (2009) [Compilation]
40	Edge of Sanity 1989, Sweden Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal	Crimson (1996) #260 Unorthodox (1992) #1975 Purgatory Afterglow (1994) #2865
41	Obscura 2002, Germany Technical Death Metal, Progressive Metal	Akróasis (2016) #226 Cosmogenesis (2009) #959 Omnivium (2011) #1060
42	In Mourning 2000, Sweden Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal	The Weight of Oceans (2012) #286 Monolith (2010) #484 Shrouded Divine (2008) #653
43	Wintersun 2003, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal	Time I (2012) #126 Time II (2024) #263 Wintersun (2004) #764
44	Autopsy 1987, United States Death Metal	Mental Funeral (1991) #328 Severed Survival (1989) #591 Macabre Eternal (2011) #2761
45	The Black Dahlia Murder 2001, United States Melodic Death Metal	Nocturnal (2007) #917 Everblack (2013) #979 Ritual (2011) #1223
46	Norther 1996, Finland Melodic Death Metal	Death Unlimited (2004) #853 Mirror of Madness (2003) #1618 Dreams of Endless War (2002) #1932
47	Aborted 1995, Belgium Brutal Death Metal	Goremageddon: The Saw and the Carnage Done (2003) #245 Retrogore (2016) #1342 Global Flatline (2012) #3715
48	The Chasm 1992, Mexico Death Metal	Farseeing the Paranormal Abysm (2009) #494 The Spell of Retribution (2004) #1474 Deathcult for Eternity: the Triumph (1998) #1886
49	Bloodbath 1998, Sweden Death Metal	Nightmares Made Flesh (2004) #1237 The Wacken Carnage (2008) [Live] #1399 Breeding Death (2000) [EP] #1235
50	Gojira 2001, France Progressive Metal, Death Metal, Groove Metal	Fortitude (2021) #287 Magma (2016) #619 From Mars to Sirius (2005) #652

Best Alternative Metal Bands	Best Atmospheric Black Metal Bands	Best Atmospheric Sludge Metal Bands
Best Avant-garde Metal Bands	Best Black Metal Bands	Best Brutal Death Metal Bands
Best Crossover Thrash Bands	Best Death Doom Metal Bands	▶ Best Death Metal Bands
Best Deathcore Bands	Best Deathgrind Bands	Best Depressive Black Metal Bands
Best Djent Bands	Best Doom Metal Bands	Best Drone Metal Bands
Best Folk Metal Bands	Best Funeral Doom Metal Bands	Best Glam Metal Bands
Best Goregrind Bands	Best Gothic Metal Bands	Best Grindcore Bands
Best Groove Metal Bands	Best Hard Rock Bands	Best Heavy Metal Bands
Best Industrial Metal Bands	Best Mathcore Bands	Best Melodic Black Metal Bands
Best Melodic Death Metal Bands	Best Melodic Metalcore Bands	Best Metalcore Bands
Best Neoclassical Metal Bands	Best Nu Metal Bands	Best Power Metal Bands
Best Progressive Metal Bands	Best Sludge Metal Bands	Best Speed Metal Bands
Best Stoner Metal Bands	Best Symphonic Black Metal Bands	Best Symphonic Metal Bands
Best Technical Death Metal Bands	Best Technical Thrash Metal Bands	Best Thrash Metal Bands
Best Trance Metal Bands	Best Trancecore Bands	Best Viking Metal Bands
Best War Metal Bands