Best Little Known Melodic Death Metal Bands

This is a list about the best rather unkown Melodic Death Metal Bands.

What means rather unknown? - Well... maybe "over 75% of Melodic Death Metal fans, you know, don't know this band" would be a good measure.

This list is about sharing and learning about new bands and listening to new material, so please don't submit bands like Amon Amarth, DT, IF, ATG, Insomnium, CoB, Kalmah, AE, Dethklok, Wintersun etc everyone knows! Thank you! :)
The Top Ten
1 Serpent Serpent is a Melodic Death Metal Band from Kobe, Japan. They formed in 1993 as Awaken and changed their name in 1994 to Serpent. They split up in 2000, but reformed in 2002 and are still active. Their sound is often described as classic Melodic Death Metal in the vein of Gothenburg, but with Neo-Classical Metal, Symphonic/Power Metal and also Black Metal influences. They only put out 2 full-length albums so far, but both are considered hidden gems of the underground scene.

Serpent is a Japanese Melodic Death Metal with some symphonic/neo-classical influences. It's one of those bands, who rarely bring out a new album, but when they make one it's incredibly awesome!

Great album to start with: "xGODx"

2 In Mourning In Mourning is a progressive melodic death metal band from Falun, Sweden. They are currently signed to Agonia Records.

Its well executed progressive Melodic Death Metal from Sweden. Very awesome music with much diversity!

Great album to start with: "Shrouded Divine"

3 Unanimated Unanimated are a Swedish blackened melodic death metal band. They were founded in 1989 in Stockholm and dissolved in 1996, later reuniting in 2007. They have 7 current complete members.

Great Melodic Black/Death Metal from Sweden reminding of Dissection.

Great album to start with: "Ancient God of Evil"

4 Persefone Persefone is an Andorran progressive melodic death metal band formed in October 2001. The band's name is derived from Persephone, a figure in Greek Mythology.

Persefone is a unique Progressive Melodic Death Metal band hailing from Andorra. They adapted also buddhistic influences in their last releases ("Spiritual Migration" and "Shin-Ken").

Great album to start with: "Core"

5 Imperial Circus Dead Decadence Imperial Circus Dead Decadence (ICDD) is a Japanese metal band with a lot of different influences. The band was formed in 2007 in Fukuoka. They have released 2 EPs and 2 full-length albums so far, which are received well among fans of Japanese extreme metal, especially their second full-length "Kuruoshiku...". Their style is often described as melodic death metal with many symphonic metal, power metal and black metal influences or simply "symphonic extreme metal". The current members are: Hull: Guitars, Bass, Keyboards Programming Rib:y(uhki): Vocals, Choirs, Narration, Guitars, Bass Kim: Guitars Kimiko: Vocals
6 Dominia Dominia is a Russian melodic death metal band formed in Saint Petersburg in 1999. The band released their first full-length album in 2006.

This MDM band from Russia uses many symphonic and classical influences.
Some songs even sound like epic symphonic ballads.

Great album to start with: "Divine Revolution"

7 Intestine Baalism Intestine Baalism is a death metal band hailing from Tokyo/Kanto, Japan. The band was formed in 1991 as "Euthanasia" and changed 1992 their name to "Intestine Baalism", which is a term for the Sumerian god of the harvest.

Their sound is often described as "brutal melodic death metal", since they implement melodic patterns into their old-school death metal sound, while not being a melodic death metal band in the Gothenburg-Style. ...read more.

Intestine Baalism hailing from Japan are one of my favorite bands overall. Their very unique sound is rather rooted in the Death Metal section (with some little Black Metal influences).
They do a very interesting mix of Old-School Death Metal with parts of euphonious melodies, which fade extremely well into eachother.

However, one of their albums is more actual Melodic Death Metal than "Death Metal with some melody" in my opinion. Check out (start with the 2nd song, if you aren't a fan of pure DM):
"Banquet in the Darkness"

8 Dark Lunacy Dark Lunacy is an Italian melodic death metal band, often using a string quartet and Red Army choirs.

This is a band from Italy, mixing Melodic Death with classical Instruments and even choirs!
Unfortunately they got very boring after their 3rd album, but the first 3 are all recommended!

Great album to start with: "The Diarist"

9 Be'lakor Be'lakor is an Australian melodic death metal band from Melbourne, Victoria. The band's name originates from the character Be'lakor the Dark Master, in the Warhammer Fantasy game setting.
10 Meadows End
The Contenders
11 Wolfheart Wolfheart is a Finnish melodic death metal band from Lahti. Formed in 2013 by Tuomas Saukkonen, it began as a solo project after Saukkonen disbanded all of his other bands.
12 Serenity in Murder Serenity in Murder is a Japanese symphonic melodic death metal band with black metal influences, formed 2009 in Tokyo. ...read more.
13 Burial Vault
14 Gates of Ishtar Gates of Ishtar is a melodic death metal band from Sweden. The band has released three studio albums so far, the last one being released in the year 1998.

Gates of Ishtar is a Melodeath band from Sweden, sounding like a more Gothenburg-styled Unanimated. If you like At The Gates and old In Flames, you'll probably like this also!

Great album to start with: "At Dusk And Forever"

15 Inferi Inferi is an American melodic death metal band forged from the bowels of Nashville, Tennessee. The band formed in 2006 and strived to merge the classic melodic metal sound with a taste of crushing technicality.
16 Swallow the Sun Swallow the Sun is a Finnish melodic death/doom metal band. They have a melodic, atmospheric doom metal sound.
17 Acephalus Formed in Poland, Acephalus offers a blend of black and death metal, emphasizing complex melodic structures. The band's lyrical content delves into existential themes, which have earned them a dedicated fanbase. Acephalus has gained recognition in the European metal community for their innovation and artistic integrity.
18 Thousand Leaves A Thousand Leaves is the 10th studio album by the American experimental rock band Sonic Youth, released on May 12, 1998, by DGC Records.
19 Parasite Inc. Parasite Inc. is a melodic death metal band from Aalen, Germany. Formed in 2007 the band currently consists of Kai Bigler, Dominik Sorg, Stefan Krämer and Benjamin Stelzer.
20 Bloodshot Dawn Bloodshot Dawn is a melodic death metal band hailing from Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. In 2007 Bloodshot Dawn recorded and released their first effort in the form of Coalition of Terror.
21 Noumena
22 Quo Vadis Quo Vadis was a technical melodic death metal band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, formed in 1992 by Bart Frydrychowicz, Yanic Bercier, and Arie Itman, named after the novel by Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz.

The best Technical Melodic Death Metal in my opinion. Not many bands manage to make the combination of incredible technicity and great melody work well.

Great album to start with: "Defiant Imagination"

23 Adastreia
24 December Flower December Flower is a British single drama first broadcast at Christmas 1984. It featured the first acting appearance for 17 years by Bryan Forbes.

MDM band from Germany playing in the vein of old In Flames (and even named after one of their songs). They don't contribute anything really new, but their music is very well executed MDM.

Great album to start with: "When All Life Ends..."

25 Arghoslent Arghoslent is an American death metal band formed in the summer of 1990. The band's lyrics have been the source of much controversy for advocating racism, particularly promoting white supremacist views of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and The Holocaust.
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