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) #70 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #107 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #166
2	Dimmu Borgir 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997) #523 Stormblåst (1996) #1110 Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001) #1415
3	Emperor 1991, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	In the Nightside Eclipse (1994) #42 Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (1997) #363 IX Equilibrium (1999) #1282
4	Summoning 1993, Austria Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Dol Guldur (1997) #289 Stronghold (1999) #402 Old Mornings Dawn (2013) #503
5	Anorexia Nervosa 1995, France Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Drudenhaus (2000) #144 Redemption Process (2004) #870 New Obscurantis Order (2001) #1108
6	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #377 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2113 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3517
7	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #430 Scourge of Malice (2001) #635 Engraved in Black (2003) #5557
8	Obtained Enslavement 1989, Norway Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Witchcraft (1997) #579 Soulblight (1998) #2661 The Shepherd and the Hounds of Hell (2000) #9566
9	Illnath 2000, Denmark Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Cast Into Fields of Evil Pleasure (2003) #1464 Angelic Voices Calling (2001) [EP] #3706 Three Nights in the Sewers of Sodom (2009) [Demo]
10	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #215 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #593 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1241
11	閃靈 (Chthonic) 1995, Taiwan Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	高砂軍 (Takasago Army) (2011) #558 百萬遍 (Endless Aeons) (2025) [Single] 賽德克巴萊 (Seediq Bale) (2005) #3174
12	Carach Angren 2003, Netherlands Symphonic Black Metal	Lammendam (2008) #2768 Ethereal Veiled Existance (2005) [EP] Death Came Through a Phantom Ship (2010) #6759
13	Covenant 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal	Nexus Polaris (1998) #636 In Times Before the Light (1996) #4441 From the Storm of Shadows (1994) [Demo]
14	Aquilus Australia Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Griseus (2011) #945 Bellum II (2024) Bellum I (2021) #7228
15	Old Man's Child 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	Revelation 666: Curse of Damnation (2000) #2789 In Defiance of Existence (2003) #6103 Vermin (2005) #6604
16	Limbonic Art 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	Moon in the Scorpio (1996) #6777 Volume I-IV (2001) [Compilation] Opus Daemoniacal (2024)
17	The Bishop of Hexen 1994, Israel Symphonic Black Metal	The Nightmarish Compositions (2006) #2410 Ancient Hymns of Legends & Lore (1996) [Demo] Archives of an Enchanted Philosophy (1997) #7705
18	Dismal Euphony 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Autumn Leaves - The Rebellion of Tides (1997) #1307 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4812 Python Zero (2001)
19	Starkill 2012, United States Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Power Metal	Fires of Life (2013) #3909 Virus of the Mind (2014) #9328 Shadow Sleep (2016)
20	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #5188 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #6606 My Guardian Anger (1999) #7359
21	Shade Empire 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Anti-Life Saviour (2017) [Single] Omega Arcane (2013) #373 Poetry of the Ill-Minded (2017) #640
22	Alghazanth 1995, Finland Symphonic Black Metal	The Three-Faced Pilgrim (2013) Vinum Intus (2011) #2720 Wreath of Thevetat (2008) #4294
23	Die Apokalyptischen Reiter 1995, Germany Death Metal, Folk Metal, Heavy Metal	Soft and Stronger (1997) #7504 Have a Nice Trip (2003) #7709 All You Need Is Love (2000) #8433
24	Samael 1987, Switzerland Black Metal, Industrial Metal, Electronic	Passage (1996) #1585 Ceremony of Opposites (1994) #1928 Solar Soul (2007) #2516
25	Deathcode Society 2009, France Symphonic Black Metal	Ite Missa Est (2009) [EP] #2839 Eschatonizer (2015) #3505 Unlightenment (2023)
26	Serenity in Murder 2009, Japan Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	The Highest of Dystopia (2015) #2293 The Eclipse (2017) #2644 The First Frisson of the World (2011) #2748
27	Diabolical Masquerade Sweden Melodic Black Metal, Progressive Metal	Nightwork (1998) #1042 Ravendusk in My Heart (1996) #5799 Death's Design (2001) #8495
28	Stormlord 1991, Italy Symphonic Black Metal	Mare Nostrum (2008) Hesperia (2013) The Curse of Medusa (2002) [EP]
29	Elffor 1995, Spain Symphonic Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	The Black Sentinel (2023) The Crescent Moon Palace (2024) Heriotz Sustraiak (2012) #2451
30	Enid 1997, Germany Symphonic Black Metal	Abschiedsreigen (2000) #1177 Seelenspiegel (2002) Nachtgedanken (1999)
31	Tvangeste Russia Symphonic Black Metal	Damnation of Regiomontum (2000) #5775 Firestorm (2004) #9066 Blood Dreams (1997) [Single]
32	Obscurcis Romancia 1998, Canada Symphonic Black Metal	Theatre of Deception (2012) #2928 Le Règne Du Seigneur De Perdition (2001) [Demo] Obscurcis Romancia (2003) [EP]
33	Agathodaimon 1995, Germany Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Serpent's Embrace (2004) Phoenix (2009) Blacken the Angel (1998) #6786
34	Bal-Sagoth 1989, United Kingdom Symphonic Metal, Epic Black Metal	Atlantis Ascendant (2001) #7689 The Power Cosmic (1999) #7417 Battle Magic (1998) #7721
35	Abigail Williams 2004, United States Melodic Black Metal, Deathcore, Atmospheric Black Metal	Walk Beyond the Dark (2019) #5931 In the Absence of Light (2010) #6633 In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns (2008) #6799
36	Dragonlord 2000, United States Symphonic Black Metal	Dominion (2018) #5919 Black Wings of Destiny (2005) #8179 Rapture (2001)
37	Hollenthon Austria Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Domus Mundi (1999) #8019 With Vilest of Worms to Dwell (2001) #8816 Opus Magnum (2008) #9013
38	Anthelion 2001, Taiwan Symphonic Black Metal	Bloodshed Rebefallen (2007) #3417 Manjusaka (2010) [EP] Bloodstained Anthelion (2004) [EP]
39	...And Oceans 1995, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Industrial Metal	The Regeneration Itinerary (2025) The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts (1998) #6369 As in Gardens, So in Tombs (2023) #7622
40	Tyrant Japan Symphonic Black Metal	Under the Dark Mystic Sky (1997) Legend (2002) #5232 Grimoires (2005)
41	Meridies 2015, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Death Metal	건축무한육면각체 (Architectonic Infinite Cube) (2020) Frustatim (2016) [Split] On a Submerged Islet (2015) #6223
42	Atritas Switzerland Symphonic Black Metal	Celestial Decay (2009) Where Witches Burnt (2004) #6943 Medium Antigod (2007)
43	Worm 2012, United States Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal	Foreverglade (2021) #1097 Necropalace (2026) Gloomlord (2020) #2485
44	Pestilent Hex 2017, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	The Ashen Abhorrence (2022) #5336 Sorceries of Sanguine & Shadow (2024) Through Mirrors Beyond (2024) [Single]
45	Obsidian Gate Germany Symphonic Black Metal	The Nightspectral Voyage (1999) Colossal Christhunt (2001) #8662 The Vehemence (2002) [EP]
46	Battlelore 1999, Finland Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal	Evernight (2007) #5862 Sword's Song (2003) #5998 Third Age of the Sun (2005) #6092
47	Rotting Christ 1987, Greece Melodic Black Metal, Grindcore, Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Their Greatest Spells (2018) [Compilation] Thy Mighty Contract (1993) #2232 Theogonia (2007) #2351
48	Mental Cruelty 2015, Germany Deathcore	A Hill to Die Upon (2021) King ov Fire (2021) [Single] Purgatorium (2018)
49	Gratzug 2011, Germany Black Metal	V: Meyster (2016) #4351 Mondtore (2012) #8856 Pestabtei (2011) [Demo]
50	Nokturnal Mortum 1994, Ukraine Symphonic Black Metal, Folk Metal	Голос Сталі (The Voice of Steel) (2009) #932 Істина (2017) Weltanschauung (2005)

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