Top Ten Darkest Bands of All Time

I know this list has nothing to do with the acts some of these musicians did in their lives, but the way Dead killed himself and Euronymous took a photo of his dead body and placed it as the front cover of their album Dawn of the Black Hearts is one of the darkest things I have ever heard. How do you people not find that unsettling?

I love their music, no doubt, but it has a much, much darker sound than anything I've ever heard. The guitar sounds like it is electrocuting someone, and the vocals are, no pun intended, dead. Just look at the band's history, and you'll see just why they are number one on this list.

Literally, like four of these bands are actually dark. Darkthrone, Mayhem, and Death are the only ones here even resembling anything heavy. No Gnaw Their Tongues? No Sunn O))) or Portal? Impetuous Ritual?

I don't mind Mayhem, but Darkthrone is WAY darker. The name literally says it!

Probably the darkest band of all time because of how truly satanic they are. They might be one of the only known metal bands who do worship and glorify Satan.

Gorgoroth should be first. These guys are actual Satanists, and some of the members are part of the Church of Satan. Attending a Gorgoroth concert is like attending a real Satanic Black Mass. They've got sheep heads on stakes, crucifixions, and other sorts of similar imagery going on.

Mayhem were mainly doing it for shock value, and the same with Darkthrone. But this band...they're the real deal.

By far the darkest band on the list. Joy Division put forth a personal darkness that is more real than any Satanist metal band. This band gives you the chills when you actually read the lyrics. The songs "In a Lonely Place," "Decades," and "The Eternal" are masterpieces that portray a personal darkness that is almost too close to home.

Nobody understands what darkness is in music. It's not how heavy it is, or how often they say "Satan" in a song. Darkness lies in gloom, lyrics, etcetera, which is what Joy Division was.

Very anti-Christian band. Anti-Christian-themed songs include Raining Blood, Disciple, and Jihad.

Boy, are they dark. They have a dark logo, dark album covers, dark song meanings. This is one dark band.

Scream Bloody Gore is one of the most brutal and darkest Metal albums of all time. The Denial Of Life track is terrifying. Leprosy is even darker.

Criminally underrated band.

Why is it the darkest band? Their songs speak for themselves.

Look up the backstory behind this band's obscurity. It's chilling.

How is Korn above Emperor?! Are you nuts? The drummer stabbed a guy 38 times in the back. He then went and burned down a church with Varg Vikernes and Euronymous.

Their first album shows a girl on a swing looking up at a man whose shadow looks unsettling. Their last song of their first album, Daddy, talks about how lead singer Jonathan Davis was molested as a child. They also have other albums such as Life is Peachy, Issues, and Follow the Leader, which are also pretty dark. Dark nu-metal band and I like it!

Their self-titled debut album deals with themes of child abuse, drug abuse, and bullying. Plus, it even has a creepy cover of a little girl on a swing staring back at a creepy shadow.

Also, listen to Daddy, the final track on the album, and you'll truly see why they deserve a really high spot on this list.

The Monotheist was a doom, gothic, hyper-heavy, and dark album.

Their first stuff was kind of dark, but man, The Monotheist was just darkness surrounding. But that's why I love it.

The creators of heavy metal music. Not as dark as Curtis, Reznor, or Smith.

Come on, inventors of Doom Metal, 25 is too low.

Easily one of the darkest bands out there. The atmosphere is purely evil, and I'm not too sure why Cannibal Corpse is above. Yeah, Cannibal Corpse has deranged album covers, but death metal often doesn't truly create that dark, sinister mood. A band doesn't need to have intense blast beats to be "dark."

To people who haven't listened, Burzum isn't just on here because of the murder. Songs like Det Som Engang Var have a dark, hypnotic energy that feels evil, in a way music justifies a lot better than words do.

Needs to be higher. Why? The guy who runs this group, Varg Vikernes, literally killed his bandmate and burned down a church. Definitely a Top 5.

Some of the bands that were put before this are ridiculous! Has anyone actually ever taken the time to read the lyrics versus these other bands' lyrics? Cradle of Filth needs more appreciation than they are credited for!

"Her Ghost in the Fog." Absolute horror song...

Glen Benton is an evil genius. The first three albums and Stench of Redemption are a must for death metal fans.

Glenn Benton is filled with pure hatred for Christianity.

Listen to Lights In the Sky/Corona Radiata, and you'll know why they are up here.

Have you even seen the music video for Closer?

Has anyone heard The Satanist album? Dark as all hell in every way possible.

A really anti-Christian band. But they're surprisingly not devil worshipers.

The fact that Evanescence was picked well before this is abysmal. Cannibal Corpse is a dark and gritty band with brutal album covers, song titles, and lyrics. This should be top 3.

Have you seen their album art? It's enough to make you puke your guts out.

So gory and violent, they make Carcass look like a children's band.

Try to listen to Nutshell or Down in a Hole without crying.

These guys expressed their true pain in their music.

Probably the most depressing band of all time.