An Introduction to Melodic Death Metal
Let’s Explore This Timeless Genre
Melodic death metal was one of the first sub-sub-genres of metal that started me on my long, endless path of discovering music. Although I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite, it played an extremely important role in shaping my taste into what it is today. I still cherish many of the artists listed here and would like to introduce them.
This genre emerged in the early ’90s in Gothenburg, Sweden. It incorporated more melodic harmonies, occasional keyboards, acoustic guitars, and some clean vocals into death metal’s blast beats, death growls, and vulgar lyrics. It’s amazing how 11 of the 12 artists here are either from Sweden or Finland, but that’s how influential the genre has been in that part of the world.
This isn’t supposed to be a be-all, end-all list of the greatest artists in this genre. There are several great artists here that I simply never got into (Carcass and Arch Enemy, to name a few). This is more of a personal retrospective of artists that shaped my taste and that I continue to enjoy from this genre.
