Best Symphonic 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) #73 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #138 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #168
2	Dimmu Borgir 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997) #650 Stormblåst (1996) #1057 Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001) #1317
3	Emperor 1991, Norway Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	In the Nightside Eclipse (1994) #40 Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (1997) #399 Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise (2001) #1454
4	Summoning 1993, Austria Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Dol Guldur (1997) #244 Stronghold (1999) #351 Old Mornings Dawn (2013) #501
5	Anorexia Nervosa 1995, France Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Drudenhaus (2000) #109 Redemption Process (2004) #760 New Obscurantis Order (2001) #1093
6	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #386 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2011 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3245
7	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #427 Scourge of Malice (2001) #597 Engraved in Black (2003) #5017
8	閃靈 (Chthonic) 1995, Taiwan Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	高砂軍 (Takasago Army) (2011) #522 賽德克巴萊 (Seediq Bale) (2005) #2952 武德 (Bu-Tik) (2013) #4870
9	Illnath 2000, Denmark Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Cast Into Fields of Evil Pleasure (2003) #1379 Angelic Voices Calling (2001) [EP] #3423 Three Nights in the Sewers of Sodom (2009) [Demo]
10	Obtained Enslavement 1989, Norway Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Witchcraft (1997) #499 Soulblight (1998) #4299 The Shepherd and the Hounds of Hell (2000) #8312
11	Carach Angren 2003, Netherlands Symphonic Black Metal	Lammendam (2008) #3271 Death Came Through a Phantom Ship (2010) #5115 Ethereal Veiled Existance (2005) [EP]
12	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #226 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #668 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1143
13	Aquilus Australia Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Griseus (2011) #676 Bellum I (2021) #6346 Arbor (2007) [EP]
14	Covenant 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal	Nexus Polaris (1998) #698 In Times Before the Light (1996) #3598 From the Storm of Shadows (1994) [Demo]
15	Old Man's Child 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	Revelation 666: Curse of Damnation (2000) #2717 Vermin (2005) #5391 In Defiance of Existence (2003) #5867
16	Starkill 2012, United States Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Power Metal	Fires of Life (2013) #3641 Virus of the Mind (2014) #8117 Shadow Sleep (2016)
17	Dismal Euphony 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Autumn Leaves - The Rebellion of Tides (1997) #1076 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4110 Python Zero (2001)
18	The Bishop of Hexen 1994, Israel Symphonic Black Metal	The Nightmarish Compositions (2006) #2181 Ancient Hymns of Legends & Lore (1996) [Demo] Archives of an Enchanted Philosophy (1997) #6445
19	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3571 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5603 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6457
20	Limbonic Art 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	Volume I-IV (2001) [Compilation] In Abhorrence Dementia (1997) #5929 Ad Noctum - Dynasty of Death (1999) #6085
21	Samael 1987, Switzerland Black Metal, Industrial Metal, Electronic	Passage (1996) #1503 Ceremony of Opposites (1994) #1612 Solar Soul (2007) #2083
22	Shade Empire 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Anti-Life Saviour (2017) [Single] Omega Arcane (2013) #319 Poetry of the Ill-Minded (2017) #774
23	Die Apokalyptischen Reiter 1995, Germany Death Metal, Folk Metal, Heavy Metal	Soft and Stronger (1997) #6419 Have a Nice Trip (2003) #6739 All You Need Is Love (2000) #7339
24	Serenity in Murder 2009, Japan Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	The Highest of Dystopia (2015) #2174 The First Frisson of the World (2011) #2446 The Eclipse (2017) #2506
25	Alghazanth 1995, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	The Three-Faced Pilgrim (2013) Vinum Intus (2011) #2564 Wreath of Thevetat (2008) #3933
26	Deathcode Society 2009, France Symphonic Black Metal	Ite Missa Est (2009) [EP] #2650 Eschatonizer (2015) #3236 Unlightenment (2023)
27	Diabolical Masquerade Sweden Melodic Black Metal, Progressive Metal	Nightwork (1998) #1242 Ravendusk in My Heart (1996) #5630 Death's Design (2001) #7394
28	Stormlord 1991, Italy Symphonic Black Metal	Mare Nostrum (2008) Hesperia (2013) The Curse of Medusa (2002) [EP]
29	Enid 1997, Germany Symphonic Black Metal	Abschiedsreigen (2000) #874 Seelenspiegel (2002) Nachtgedanken (1999)
30	Obscurcis Romancia 1998, Canada Symphonic Black Metal	Theatre of Deception (2012) #2720 Le Règne Du Seigneur De Perdition (2001) [Demo] Obscurcis Romancia (2003) [EP]
31	Tvangeste Russia Symphonic Black Metal	Damnation of Regiomontum (2000) #4594 Firestorm (2004) #7885 Blood Dreams (1997) [Single]
32	Abigail Williams 2004, United States Melodic Black Metal, Deathcore, Atmospheric Black Metal	Walk Beyond the Dark (2019) #3321 In the Absence of Light (2010) #5855 In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns (2008) #6359
33	Hollenthon Austria Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Domus Mundi (1999) #7476 Opus Magnum (2008) #7608 With Vilest of Worms to Dwell (2001)
34	Elffor 1995, Spain Symphonic Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	The Black Sentinel (2023) Where the Damned Dwells (2022) #2373 Unblessed Woods (2006)
35	Bal-Sagoth 1989, United Kingdom Symphonic Metal, Epic Black Metal	Battle Magic (1998) Atlantis Ascendant (2001) #6891 The Chthonic Chronicles (2006)
36	Anthelion 2001, Taiwan Symphonic Black Metal	Bloodshed Rebefallen (2007) #3638 Manjusaka (2010) [EP] Bloodstained Anthelion (2004) [EP]
37	Agathodaimon 1995, Germany Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Phoenix (2009) Blacken the Angel (1998) #6008 Serpent's Embrace (2004)
38	Tyrant Japan Symphonic Black Metal	Under the Dark Mystic Sky (1997) Legend (2002) #4714 Grimoires (2005)
39	Meridies 2015, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Death Metal	건축무한육면각체 (Architectonic Infinite Cube) (2020) Frustatim (2016) [Split] On a Submerged Islet (2015) #5542
40	Nokturnal Mortum 1994, Ukraine Pagan Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Folk Metal	Голос Сталі (The Voice of Steel) (2009) #548 Істина (2017) #2356 Weltanschauung (2005)
41	Dragonlord 2000, United States Symphonic Black Metal	Black Wings of Destiny (2005) Dominion (2018) #6850 Rapture (2001)
42	Obsidian Gate Germany Symphonic Black Metal	The Nightspectral Voyage (1999) Colossal Christhunt (2001) #7525 The Vehemence (2002) [EP]
43	Rotting Christ 1987, Greece Melodic Black Metal, Grindcore, Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Their Greatest Spells (2018) [Compilation] Thy Mighty Contract (1993) #2043 Theogonia (2007) #2217
44	Gratzug 2011, Germany Black Metal	V: Meyster (2016) #4003 Mondtore (2012) #7701 Pestabtei (2011) [Demo]
45	Battlelore 1999, Finland Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal	Sword's Song (2003) #3894 Third Age of the Sun (2005) #4380 Evernight (2007) #5672
46	...And Oceans 1995, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Industrial Metal	The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts (1998) #6005 As in Gardens, So in Tombs (2023) #6670 Cosmic World Mother (2020) #7748
47	Abhor 1995, Italy Black Metal	Ab Luna Lucenti, Ab Noctua Protecti (2011) #3295 Occulta Religio (2018) Ritualia Stramonium (2015)
48	Astaroth Austria Atmospheric Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Violent Soundtrack Martyrium (1999) #6789 Sklavengott (1997) Annus Suprimus (2001)
49	Opera IX 1988, Italy Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Call of the Wood (1995) #5711 The Black Opera: Symphoniae Mysteriorum in Laudem Tenebrarum (2000) Maleventum (2002)
50	Ringarë 2004, United States Atmospheric Black Metal	Of Momentous Endless Night (2023) Thrall of Winter's Majesty (2021) Sorrow Befell (2020) [Demo]

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