Top 10 Darkest Bands of All Time

This list is about darkness in music, not about the musicians. Many musicians did horrible things in their lives but did not produce "dark music."

The Top Ten

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

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.
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

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!
Gorgoroth

Gorgoroth is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. It was formed in 1992 by guitarist Infernus and is named after a plateau of darkness in Mordor, a fictional land in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Gorgoroth is known for its raw sound and controversial live performances.

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.
Sunn O)))

They have the creepiest stuff I've ever heard.

They trapped their claustrophobic friend in a coffin and recorded vocals.
Slayer

Slayer was 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

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

Joy Division was an English post‑punk band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. They originally used the name Warsaw. The quartet comprised Ian Curtis (vocals), Bernard Sumner (guitar. Keyboards), Peter Hook (bass), and Stephen Morris (drums). The band became influential despite their brief... read more

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.
Stalaggh
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

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.
King Diamond

Kim Bendix Petersen, better known by his stage name King Diamond, is a Danish heavy metal musician. He is known for his extensive vocal range, usually sung in falsetto. King Diamond was originally known as the vocalist for Mercyful Fate but has become renowned for his horror-themed concept albums released... read more
Evanescence

Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1994 by singer and keyboardist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. The group rose to prominence in the early 2000s with their debut studio album Fallen (2003), which included the hit singles Bring Me to Life and My Immortal.... read more

I love this group very much and I'm listening to their "Going Under" right now!

Not an evil band, but very dark.

The Newcomers

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Acid Bath

Acid Bath was a seminal American sludge metal band from Houma, Louisiana, active from 1991 to 1997. The band fused doom metal roots with influences from black metal, death metal, gothic rock, blues, folk, and country. Their unique blend of styles earned them a cult following despite their short career... read more

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

If not for the existence of Venom, there would be no black metal. The first time I heard "In League With Satan" when I was 12, it changed my life.

The Contenders

Nurse With Wound

Industrial music on the opposite side of Rammstein.
Emperor

Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They're regarded as highly influential within the black metal genre, both by critics and emerging bands. Their early albums, including In the Nightside Eclipse (1994), helped shape the symphonic black metal subgenre.

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.
Silencer

Silencer was a Swedish black metal band based in Stockholm. The group formed in 1995 and disbanded in 2001. They released only one full-length album, Death - Pierce Me in 2001, following a demo of the same name in 1998.

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

Korn is an American nu-metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band's current lineup includes founding members Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Brian "Head" Welch, and Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, along with Ray Luzier, who replaced original drummer David Silveria in 2007. Korn... read more

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.
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

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.
Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath were a heavy metal band formed in Birmingham, England, in 1968 by guitarist and songwriter Tony Iommi, singer John "Ozzy" Osbourne, bassist and main lyricist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward. Their self-titled debut album received mixed reviews, but they quickly gained a strong following... read more

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

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

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.
Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock band founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. They have released eleven studio albums.
The band is known for its dark, moody lyricism and aggressive vocal delivery. Their biggest hits include "Closer," "Hurt," "Wish," "We're in This Together... read more

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?
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

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...
Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains is an American grunge/alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The band's most notable hits include "Man in the Box," "Down in a Hole," "Heaven Beside You," "No Excuses," "What the... read more

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.
Deicide

Deicide is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed in 1987 by guitarist brothers Eric and Brian Hoffman and drummer Steve Asheim. Vocalist and bassist Glen Benton joined shortly after, and the band officially adopted the name Deicide in 1989. Known for their blasphemous and anti-Christian... read more

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.
Slipknot

Slipknot is an American metal band that formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1996. They're recognized as a key force in the New Wave of American Alternative Metal from the late 1990s through the 2000s. The band is also known for their black and red jumpsuits and horror-inspired masks.... read more

The reason this is not at number 1 is because nobody knows a song called "The Virus of Life."
Behemoth

Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They have been instrumental in establishing and popularizing the Polish extreme metal underground scene.

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

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.
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

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