Top 10 Best Scream-Style Vocalists

When it comes to vocalists who bring raw, intense emotion and sheer power to their music, the world of scream-style vocals has some of the most unforgettable voices in modern music.

These artists pour their energy and soul into their screams, growls, and harsh vocals, pushing their voices to the limit and giving fans something that's as thrilling as it is intense. For many listeners, these vocalists don't just perform. They unleash something visceral that speaks to listeners on a whole different level.

1. Alex Koehler (Chelsea Grin)

   

   Alex Koehler is the original lead vocalist for the American deathcore band Chelsea Grin. He was active with the group from its formation in 2007 until his departure in early 2018.

   Following his exit, Koehler announced a new solo project called Grudges, which leaned more toward a black metal and... read more

   No disrespect to Mitch Lucker, but it's just sad how he's placed on top just because he's dead. It's another Tupac phenomenon where he's not truly the best but is made out to be because of his death. Alex has some of the most blood-curdling screams I've ever heard and has that same thickness in his voice live.

   I've heard both bands live, and although Mitch is also good, the depth of his voice doesn't carry over to live shows. I noticed that he never exhaled in a manner to conserve air and would always run short of breath on deep growls easily.

   So that triple scream he does at the beginning of "Sonnet of the Wretched" is beyond anything my ears have ever been graced with. I would kill to learn how to do it!

   Does anybody have any idea what that kind of scream is called?

2. Mitch Lucker (Suicide Silence)

   

   Mitchell Adam "Mitch" Lucker was an American musician and the lead vocalist for the deathcore band Suicide Silence. He was known for his intense vocal style and energetic stage presence. Lucker died in a motorcycle accident on November 1, 2012.

   Mitch was probably the best deathcore vocalist who has ever lived and probably will be for a long time, maybe even forever. His style of screaming influenced so many, as did he as a person. RIP Mitch Adam Lucker, you will forever be in my heart.

   Mitch Lucker is definitely close to the top of the list of extreme metal vocalists. His quick alternations between high screams and low growls, as well as his overall brutal sound, definitely deserve him a spot at the top. R.I.P. Mitch.

   He was a truly amazing vocalist. Although Avenged Sevenfold is my favorite band, Mitch Lucker tops everyone (including M. Shadows) on this list because of his powerful voice. R.I.P. Mitch.

3. Phil Bozeman (Whitechapel)

   

   Phil Bozeman is the lead vocalist of the deathcore band Whitechapel, which was formed in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 2006. He is known for his powerful vocal delivery and emotionally intense lyrics. As of 2025, Whitechapel has released nine studio albums, including Hymns in Dissonance, which came out in... read more

   Phil Bozeman has an extremely high amount of vocal range. He can do deep gutturals and even high screams like the ones he did at the Mitch Lucker Memorial Show.

   Saw them live recently. Best band I've ever seen live with the best screams. Jesus, I want to see them again.

   Brutal growls and brutal vocalist. Phil and Danny Worsnop are the best I've heard.

4. Chester Bennington (Linkin Park)

   

   Chester Charles Bennington (March 20, 1976 to July 20, 2017) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the lead vocalist of Linkin Park.

   Before he became known for his work with Linkin Park, Bennington was the lead singer of the post-grunge band Grey Daze, which was... read more

   I can't even fathom how Chester Bennington is not in first place right now. He is easily the greatest screamer ever, and not only that, but he can sing brilliantly on top of it. People are saying how good screamers can hold their scream for long. Well, in "Given Up," Chester Bennington does a 17-second scream, which goes unrivaled in my honest opinion.

   What? Chester is way better than M. Shadows and Danny Worsnop. He has the ability to change into different kinds of voices and screams. Plus, he is more aggressive than any other screamer. Linkin Park influenced a lot of rock bands nowadays, so if you dare to say who's the best screamer ever, Chester Bennington is the answer! Deal with IT!

5. M. Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold)

   

   Matthew Charles Sanders, better known by his stage name M. Shadows, is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and founding member of the American metalcore/alternative metal band Avenged Sevenfold. He is recognized for his versatile vocal range and for helping to shape the... read more

   Real men will choose Shadows' voice. It's not your brutal scream that shows how masculine you are. Shadows doesn't only scream, he sings excellently, and he is also able to combine both scream and clean vocals, which is called an occasional scream or clean vocal that fades to a scream gradually. And it sounds ROCK! Real men sound more rock, less metal. Boys only scream.

   Best singer by far on here. No one can sing like him and still scream like a maniac too. Guys like Mitch Lucker and Alex Koehler are talented, but they do not sing, only scream. If you like screams where you can understand the words easily, then listen to this guy. So much talent. And Sevenfold is the best band on here too.

6. Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandria)

   

   Danny Robert Worsnop is an English musician, singer, and songwriter, prominently known as the lead vocalist of rock bands Asking Alexandria and We Are Harlot. He has also pursued a solo career that blends rock, blues, and country influences. Worsnop rejoined Asking Alexandria in 2016 after a brief hiatus... read more

   From his high screams to low growls to clean vocals, nobody has a better overall range with their voice than Danny. He should be number one on this list for sure. No disrespect to anyone above him on this list. I'm a fan of all of them. But if I had to choose one vocalist to lead a band, I'd choose Danny over everyone else.

   His lows are the coolest thing I've heard. I feel he has the best lows of anyone. Watch the video where he sings with Suicide Silence. His lows go much deeper than I thought he could go. And his highs are out of this world. I think my lows match his, other than his really deep ones.

7. Oli Sykes (Bring Me the Horizon)

   

   Oliver Scott "Oli" Sykes is a British musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Bring Me the Horizon. He also founded the alternative clothing brand Drop Dead Clothing. Sykes is recognized for his role in transitioning the band's style from metalcore to a more eclectic mix of electronic... read more

   Oli Sykes' scream is so rich and varied, from demonic growls and screams to his purposefully depressed "yells" (not quite sure what to call them, from their new album) that really stress the emotion of the song. That, and it's just awesome.

   He should DEFINITELY be higher on the list, at least top 3! I think he's better than M. Shadows and Danny! Oli can scream in a lot of different ways. Just compare the "Count Your Blessings" album with "There Is a Hell..." or "Sempiternal."

   You can't deny the fact that this guy has given us songs such as Pray for Plagues and is a lyrical mastermind. Always someone you love to hear. An icon.

8. Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour)

   

   Corey Todd Taylor was born on December 8, 1973. He is an American musician, author, and actor best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the nu-metal band Slipknot and the hard rock/alternative metal band Stone Sour. Taylor has also published books and appeared in films and on television.... read more

   Why isn't Corey higher on this list!? He's one of the most powerful and diverse rock/metal singers out there. Although, I guess he's more of a growler than a screamer.

   Asfghjkl why is he not higher? I figured he'd be near the top, if not first! He's probably the greatest vocalist I've ever heard live. The things he can do with his voice amaze me.

   What is he doing at number 9? He should be in the top 5.

9. Ronnie Radke (Falling in Reverse)

   

   Ronald Joseph Radke is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, musician, and record producer from Las Vegas, Nevada. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Falling in Reverse.

   Before forming Falling in Reverse, he was the original lead singer of Escape the Fate. He recorded one... read more

   His voice is nearly orgasmic. I love him so much. I'm not going to walk up to him, rip open my shirt, and scream, "Take my virginity!" But he's amazing.

   Amazing voice and very sexy at that. Ronnie needs to be at the top of this list.

   Ronnie is definitely the best. I'd put him at 1. Not only because I love him, but because his voice is amazing!

10. Claudio Ravinale (Disarmonia Mundi)

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave)

    

    Christopher John "Chris" Cornell (July 20, 1964 to May 18, 2017) was an American rock musician and singer-songwriter. He was best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and as the frontman of Audioslave. Renowned for his powerful voice, he possessed a wide... read more

    Is there any question that Chris Cornell was the best screamer in music history? What a voice and what a range. RIP.

12. ?

    Ian Gillan (Deep Purple)

    

    Ian Gillan is an English singer and songwriter. He first gained fame as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple, contributing to iconic songs such as Smoke on the Water. Gillan also performed the role of Jesus in the original 1970 rock‑opera concept album Jesus Christ Superstar, composed by Andrew... read more

    High-pitched, mind-blowing screams. AAA. Better than most growling or low-pitched screamers.

The Contenders

13. Richard Sjunnesson (The Unguided)

14. Tim Lambesis (As I Lay Dying)

    

    Timothy Peter Lambesis (born November 21, 1980) is an American extreme metal musician and record producer. He is best known as the founding member and lead vocalist of the American metalcore band As I Lay Dying.

    Lambesis has also been involved in other musical projects, including Austrian Death... read more

    He is the best. Period. Just listen to The Blinding of False Light at around 2:35 into the song. It's amazing. He is also an amazing songwriter and producer. As I Lay Dying is the greatest metalcore band ever, with great passion and meaning in all their songs.

    This dude is a beast. Perfect for any genre of metal.

    Perfect for death metal and metalcore. Has some brutal highs and deep guttural lows live.

15. Andrew Velasquez (Crown the Empire)

16. Anders Fridén (In Flames)

    

    Anders Fridén is the vocalist and lyricist of the Swedish metal band In Flames. He was also the lead vocalist of the side project Passenger. Fridén joined In Flames in 1995 and has played a key role in shaping the band's melodic death metal sound.

    Doesn't scream anymore, but in his heyday, his scream was the main reason I started listening to death metal. It gave me goosebumps. Reroute to Remain is probably the best album when it comes to Anders's vocals and screams.

    He got me into screaming vocals, which I at first despised. Best screaming vocals for me, with no question.

17. Mike Hranica (The Devil Wears Prada)

    

    The Devil Wears Prada has been my favorite band since I started listening to "heavy music." Alex Koehler is my favorite scream vocalist, but Mike definitely deserves number 2 for his unique style.

    Mike Hranica's voice has changed a lot throughout their records but still retains a lot of emotion, and that makes his screams sound beautiful.

    I don't think he's the best, but he has had some really kickass moments. In my personal opinion, he sounds the best in the Zombie EP with brutal lows and chilling highs.

18. Niilo Sevänen (Insomnium)

19. Phil Labonte (All That Remains)

    

20. Shawn Cameron (Carnifex)

21. Matti Way (Abominable Putridity)

    

    Matti Way is an American death metal vocalist best known for his work with the brutal/slam death metal bands Abominable Putridity and Pathology. He is recognized for his guttural vocal style and has also contributed to other extreme metal bands such as Disgorge and Liturgy A.D. Way is considered an influential... read more

22. Krysta Cameron (Iwrestledabearonce)

    Not a huge fan of their recordings, but live she is amazing.

23. Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity)

    

    Bengt Mikael Stanne (born July 20, 1974) is the lead vocalist and one of the primary lyricists for the Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity. He joined the band in its early years and has contributed to its evolution into one of the genre's most respected acts. Stanne was also the original... read more

24. Chris Fronzak (Attila)

    Not the best, but definitely awesome.

25. Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder)

    

    Trevor Strnad was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of the melodic death metal band The Black Dahlia Murder. He co-founded the band in 2001 and contributed to all nine of their studio albums. Strnad was widely respected in the metal community for his vocal style... read more

    Trevor should be in the top 5. One of the few vocalists who has truly mastered the art of screaming. Live, he sounds just like in the studio, and he's never caught out of breath. A sign of a good vocalist is clear diction, and Trevor has this.

    Trevor's highs are awesome, and the lows are brutal! It sends shivers down my spine.

    Not a huge Black Dahlia fan, but Trevor deserves his flowers.

26. Dennis Lee (Alesana)

27. Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (Dissection)