melodic death metal
what it is
Melodic death metal, also known as melodeath, is a subgenre of death metal characterised by the incorporation of melodic guitar riffs and solos, often influenced by traditional heavy metal, alongside low-pitched growls or aggressive screams and the heavily distorted guitars associated with death metal. The style is commonly traced to the English band Carcass, particularly their 1993 album "Heartwork", which marked a shift towards a more melodic form of extreme metal. It was subsequently developed and popularised in the mid-1990s by Swedish bands such as At the Gates, Dark Tranquillity, and In Flames.
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big names with a sharper edge
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cult favorites and indie darlings
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art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
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questions
What is melodic death metal?
Melodic death metal, also known as melodeath, is a subgenre of death metal characterised by the incorporation of melodic guitar riffs and solos, often influenced by traditional heavy metal, alongside low-pitched growls or aggressive screams and the heavily distorted guitars associated with death metal. The style is commonly traced to the English band Carcass, particularly their 1993 album "Heartwork", which marked a shift towards a more melodic form of extreme metal. It was subsequently developed and popularised in the mid-1990s by Swedish bands such as At the Gates, Dark Tranquillity, and In Flames.
What are good melodic death metal albums to start with?
Try Hate Crew Deathroll by Children of Bodom, Reinkaos by Dissection, Come Clarity by In Flames, and Wintersun by Wintersun.
Who are some women making melodic death metal?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/melodic-death-metal/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making melodic death metal, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20