Top 10 Most Influential Extreme Metal Bands

Extreme Metal isn't just loud. It's chaotic, confrontational, and utterly unapologetic. It's the side of Metal that throws itself headfirst into the darkest, fastest, and most brutal sounds possible. And within that chaos, some bands didn't just survive. They redefined what Metal could be.

Thrash, Death, Black, Grindcore. Each one has its own flavor of sonic punishment, but they all live under the snarling umbrella of Extreme Metal. Some groups didn't just push boundaries. They kicked them down, rewrote the playbook, and handed it to the next generation covered in blood and feedback. These are the innovators who either created entire subgenres or warped existing ones into something far more savage.

So now it's on you. Vote for the bands that rewrote the rules. The ones that forced everyone else to evolve or get left behind. The ones that didn't just play faster or heavier but shifted the entire conversation in Metal.

1. Death

   

   Death was an American death metal band formed in 1983 by Chuck Schuldiner. The band is widely considered one of the most influential in heavy metal and a pioneer of the death metal genre. Their debut album, Scream Bloody Gore, is regarded as the first true death metal record. Death released seven studio... read more

   Death created this new form of Metal in Florida. Within a few years, some of Death Metal's biggest names came from Florida. Deicide, Morbid Angel, Obituary, and Atheist emerged, and Cannibal Corpse from New York came to Florida to record.

   Every Death Metal band owes a debt to Chuck Schuldiner and Death.

2. Venom

   

   Venom are an English extreme metal band formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. They rose to prominence during the late stages of the new wave of British heavy metal. Their first two albums, Welcome to Hell (1981) and Black Metal (1982), are considered foundational in the development of thrash metal and... read more

   Welcome to Hell was the first true extreme album. Their first two albums alone created the fast, abrasive style of thrash, coined the term 'black metal', and started the satanic image and lyrical theme of most black metal.

   They also had a prototypical guttural vocal style. Venom directly created thrash and part of black metal.

3. Mayhem

   

   Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo. They're regarded as one of the pioneers of the Norwegian black metal scene. The band is notorious for the violent and tragic events associated with its early history, including the 1991 suicide of vocalist Per Dead Ohlin and the 1993 murder... read more

   Mayhem spawned the most notorious scene in Metal history: Norwegian Black Metal. After Mayhem started, bands like Satyricon, Darkthrone, Burzum, Emperor, Immortal, and Gorgoroth emerged.

   They were so controversial, along with some other bands, that they became internationally known and helped spawn black metal as we know it.

4. Celtic Frost

   

   Celtic Frost was a Swiss extreme metal band from Zürich, known for their influential role in shaping the genres of black, death, and doom metal. They were formed in 1981 under the name Hellhammer, then rebranded as Celtic Frost in 1984. The band was active until 1993, with a brief reformation from 2001... read more

   Celtic Frost was formed after the members' original band, Hellhammer, was not well received. Like Venom, they pioneered Extreme Metal with elements of thrash, death, and black metal, which influenced bands forever.

5. Slayer

   

   Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. They rose to fame with their 1986 album Reign in Blood and are considered one of the Big Four of thrash metal, along with Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax.... read more

6. Bathory

   

   Bathory was a Swedish black and Viking metal band formed in 1983 by Quorthon and Jonas Åkerlund. Their first four albums are credited with laying the groundwork for Scandinavian black metal. Quorthon is often cited as a pioneer of the genre's signature shrieking vocal style.... read more

   The influential Swedish First Wave Black Metal band, Bathory, saw Quorthon take Cronos' vocals and ramp them up. He created the guttural, shrieking black metal vocals that were used in Norway years later. Of all First Wave Black Metal bands, Bathory sounds the most like a Norwegian band.

   Their fifth album, Hammerheart, created Viking Metal, a popular Folk Metal subgenre. They heavily influenced two subgenres, Black and Viking Metal.

7. Napalm Death

   

   Napalm Death is a British grindcore and death metal band formed in Meriden, West Midlands, England, in 1981. Although none of the founding members are still in the band, the lineup of Mark "Barney" Greenway, Shane Embury, Mitch Harris, and Danny Herrera has been stable for most of the band's career.... read more

   Napalm Death created the early British Grindcore scene. Although Grindcore is likely the most hated subgenre, Napalm Death was well received, placing in the charts above bands like Sonic Youth and The Pixies.

   Napalm Death not only spawned Grindcore, but they also brought us the blast beat, a drumming technique used in all forms of extreme metal.

8. Cannibal Corpse

   

   Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band from Buffalo, New York, formed in 1988. They're known for their graphic album covers, violent lyrics, and controversial song titles, such as "I Cum Blood." They gained mainstream exposure with their appearance performing "Hammer Smashed Face" in the 1994... read more

   Cannibal Corpse is the band that spread Death Metal everywhere. They became the most popular and notorious band in the genre. Politicians brought them attention in order to shame them, which spread Death Metal further, making it more popular.

   The band even gained Jim Carrey's attention, and they were featured in Ace Ventura, which spread Death Metal everywhere.

9. Darkthrone

   

   Darkthrone is a Norwegian black metal band. It was formed in 1986 as a death metal band under the name Black Death. In 1991, the band adopted a black metal style influenced by Bathory and Celtic Frost, becoming one of the leading bands in the Norwegian black metal scene... read more

10. Metallica

    

    Metallica is an American heavy and thrash metal band formed in 1981. The original lineup included James Hetfield (vocals and rhythm guitar), Dave Mustaine (lead guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), and Ron McGovney (bass). They first gained mainstream fame with their 1991 self-titled album (The Black Album... read more

    Although Thrash Metal was around thanks to Venom, Queen, and Overkill, Metallica, along with Exodus, started the Bay Area Thrash Metal scene. As Metallica gained popularity, bands like Megadeth, Slayer, and Testament emerged, along with East Coast Thrash bands like Anthrax and Nuclear Assault.

    Although they have since abandoned their thrash roots, they have undoubtedly changed Metal forever.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Children of Bodom

    

    Children of Bodom was a melodic death metal band from Espoo, Finland. Formed in 1993, the final lineup consisted of Alexi Laiho, Janne Wirman, Henkka Seppälä, Jaska Raatikainen, and Daniel Freyberg. The band was known for its blend of melodic elements with extreme metal, and disbanded in 2019 following... read more

12. ?

    Burzum

    

    Burzum is a Norwegian black metal and dark ambient music project founded by musician and author Varg Vikernes in 1991. The project became a staple of the early Norwegian black metal scene and is considered one of the genre's most influential acts... read more

The Contenders

13. Cradle of Filth

    

    Cradle of Filth are a British extreme metal band that formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style initially stemmed from black metal but later evolved into a more polished blend of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal subgenres. Over the years, they've become one of the... read more

14. Dimmu Borgir

    

    Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese, and Old Norse. The band is known for incorporating... read more

15. Meshuggah

    

    Meshuggah is a Swedish progressive metal band from Umeå, formed in 1987. They are often considered pioneers of the djent subgenre due to their use of downtuned, polymetric guitar riffs and complex rhythms. They are also known for their song "Bleed," which is notable for its intricate instrumentation... read more

    Meshuggah was the first really heavy Progressive Metal band. Prog Metal was usually associated with clean vocals, like Queensrÿche, Dream Theater, and Fates Warning. They were extremely heavy while maintaining great prog musicianship.

    Their guitar style involved downtuned, palm-muted playing, a style dubbed 'Djent'. Bands like Animals as Leaders and Periphery owe a debt to Meshuggah.

16. Possessed

    

    Possessed is an American thrash and death metal band originally formed in 1982 in the San Francisco Bay Area. They are noted for their fast, aggressive playing style and Jeff Becerra's guttural vocals. The band is widely recognized as one of the earliest pioneers of death metal and is often credited... read more

    Possessed had the first ghastly voice and the first death metal record in history. Even today, Becerra's vision is making a real influence. Put this band in their right place in the top 5! Becerra should be recognized as number one as a non-stop person and musician.

17. Morbid Angel

    

    Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida, formed in 1983 by guitarist Trey Azagthoth. They are recognized as pioneers in the genre for their technical compositions, blast beat drumming, and occult-themed lyrics. UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked their 1989 debut album Altars... read more

18. Carcass

    

    Carcass is a British extreme metal band from Liverpool, formed in 1985. The band initially disbanded in 1995 but reunited in 2007. Drummer Ken Owen did not rejoin due to health issues, though the band has continued to release new music since reforming.

    They started off by releasing two very aggressive albums, Reek of Putrefaction and Symphonies of Sickness. These albums helped pioneer the Grindcore genre along with Napalm Death. The gory lyrics and grotesque covers from these albums helped spawn a microgenre known as Goregrind.

    They later switched to a pure Death Metal sound and eventually released Heartwork. Heartwork is an early Melodic Death Metal album and was very influential to future Melodeath bands everywhere. Since then, Carcass has been playing Melodeath and established themselves as one of the most influential bands in Grindcore and Death Metal.

19. At the Gates

    

    At the Gates is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg and a major progenitor of the Gothenburg sound. They gained prominence with their influential 1995 album Slaughter of the Soul, which is considered a landmark in the genre. The band has undergone several breakups and reunions over the... read more

    At The Gates were part of the Swedish Death Metal movement in the 90s. Their last album, Slaughter of the Soul, added elements of Traditional Heavy Metal, which spawned the very popular Melodic Death Metal genre.

    Bands like Children of Bodom, Amon Amarth, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, Arch Enemy, and Insomnium owe their existence to At The Gates, who started this new style. They are easily one of the most underappreciated bands.

20. Mercyful Fate

    

    Mercyful Fate was a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen, formed in 1981 by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann. The band was influential in the development of black metal and known for its occult-themed lyrics and theatrical stage presence. They released several acclaimed albums, including... read more

21. Dissection

    

    Dissection was a Swedish extreme metal band formed in 1989 by Jon Nödtveidt. The band disbanded in 2006 following Nödtveidt's suicide. Their music is typically described as "melodic blackened death metal," blending elements of black metal and melodic death metal.

22. Paradise Lost

    

    Paradise Lost is a gothic metal band formed in 1988 in Halifax, England. The group is considered a pioneer of the death-doom genre and has also played a key role in the development of gothic metal. Its influential early albums, such as Gothic and Icon, helped define the genres with which the band is... read more

23. Katatonia

    

    Katatonia is a Swedish metal band formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström. The band has released nine studio albums spanning the course of three decades, and their tenth studio album, The Fall of Hearts, was released on May 20, 2016. Katatonia's sound has evolved from death-doom... read more

24. Fear Factory

    

    Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band formed in 1989. Over the course of their career, they have released ten full-length studio albums, exploring a range of styles including industrial metal, death metal, groove metal, and thrash metal. They are recognized for pioneering a fusion of extreme... read more

25. Dark Tranquillity

    

    Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1989. They are one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene. Their music features a blend of melodic guitar riffs and growled vocals, and they are considered pioneers of the genre.

26. Opeth

    

    Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990 by David Isberg, who invited Mikael Åkerfeldt into the band as a bassist. Isberg ended up leaving the band, which led to Åkerfeldt becoming the band's vocalist, guitarist, principal songwriter, and driving force... read more