I know this is a pretty generic post, and has probably been done before, but what are your top 10 DM albums of all time? This can include brutal and blackened death metal. This is my top 10:

10) Incantation - Onward To Golgotha
9) Cannibal Corpse - Butchered At Birth
8) Vile - Stench of The Deceased
7) Deicide - S/T
6) Autopsy - Severed Survival
5) Suffocation - Effigy of The Forgotten
4) Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
3) Cryptopsy - None So Vile
2) Death - Symbolic
1) Bolt Thrower - Realm of Chaos

I'll include only one album per band to keep it varied (otherwise, Death and Morbid Angel would each have two spots here):

1) Death - Leprosy
2) Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten
3) Entombed - Left Hand Path
4) Morbid Angel - Blessed Are the Sick
5) Possessed - Seven Churches
6) Massacra - Final Holocaust
7) Pestilence - Consuming Impulse
8) Bolt Thrower - Realm of Chaos
9) Cryptopsy - None So Vile
10) Repulsion - Horrified

I made a video on this years ago but my list is probably a fair bit different now as I discover more bands and albums. This also isn't really set in stone as I'm kind of just doing it off the cuff quickly. I'm also going to limit it to one album per band.

1) Edge of Sanity - Crimson
2) Unanimated - Ancient God of Evil (I see some say this is black and others say it's death so who knows)
3) Fear Factory - Soul of a New Machine (again I see some say this is industrial or grindcore and others say it's death metal so I'm not sure)
4) Dismember - Like an Ever Flowing Stream
5) Napalm Death - Harmony Corruption
6) Entombed - Left Hand Path
7) Death - Symbolic
8) Sadist - Above the Light
9) Gotsu Totsu Kotsu - Retributive Justice
10) Nocturnus - The Key

I'll give it a shot:

10) Cannibal Corpse - Tomb of a Mutulated
9) Nile - Among The Catacombs Of Nephren-Ka
8) Malevolent Creation - Retribution
7) Death - Spiritual Healing
6) Deicide - Legion
5) Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade
4) Suffocation - Pierced From Within
3) Entombed - Clandestine
2) Immolation - Unholy Cult
1) Morbid Angel - Covenant

Couple of honorable mentions: None So Vile (Cryptopsy) and Slumber Of Sullen Eyes (Demigod)

Who said 90s sucked? lol

Death - Leprosy
Autopsy - Severed Survival
Obituary - Slowly We Rot
Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness
Pestilence - Consuming Impulse
Carcass - Symphonies Of Sickness
Entombed - Left Hand Path
Grave - Into The Grave
Incantation - Onward To Golgotha
Cannibal Corpse - Tomb Of The Mutilated

Death - Human
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Cryptopsy - None So Vile
Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked
Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race
Cannibal Corpse - Tombs of the Mutilated
Deicide - Deicide
Edge of Sanity - Crimson
Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten

Kind of weird to just single out those subgenres. What about technical death metal? Deathgrind? Death/doom? Deathrash? Could argue for progressive and/or melodic death metal too, though those are even more of their own categories, especially here. So a first stab, without the hours it would normally take me to even begin to tackle something like this, but trying to keep somewhat closer to normal DM.

*Behemoth - Demigod
*Bloodbath - Resurrection Through Carnage
*Death - Symbolic
*Dismember - Like An Ever Flowing Stream
*Entombed - Left Hand Path
*Entrails - Obliteration
*Hour of Penance - The Vile Conception
*Morbid Angel - Covenant
*Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked
*Sulphur Aeon - The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos

If Symbolic is too progressive/melodic, maybe Human could be substituted, gotta have something from them. Lots of stuff that I like even better, but is even iffier, like Demiurg's Slakthus Gamleby, Amorphis' The Karelian Isthmus, Cynic's Focus, Edge of Sanity's Crimson, Katatonia's Brave Murder Day, etc. Tons of stuff I'm probably forgetting by not thinking more deeply about it than I am.

It would be funny if we wind up doing death metal as the mid-year poll, and then I'll have to spend the entire month of June pulling my hair out trying to decide what's "death metal enough". If the rules were something like "if "death" is anywhere in the genre description it's fair game", then you're gonna get a list full of melodeath, and you're gonna like it.

1) Cryptopsy None So Vile
2) Disciples of Mockery - Prelude to Apocalypse
3) Funebrarum - Sleep of Morbid Dreams
4) Incantation - Mortal Throne of Nazarene
5) Immolation - Here In After
6) Dead Congregation - Graves of the Archangels
7) Incantation - Onwards to Golgotha
8) Suffocation - Pierced From Within
9) Ulcerate - Everything is Fire
10) Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked

Not exactly obscure stuff but I guess my distaste for Florideath keeps it a little different from the lists so far.

Can't bring myself to rank 'em because it's hard enough as it is. Also mostly just off the top of my head:

*Cryptopsy - None So Vile
*Amorphis - Privilege of Evil
*Demilich - Nespithe
*Cannibal Corpse - Butchered at Birth
*Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
*Coffins - Mortuary in Darkness
*Entombed - Left Hand Path
*Kruelty - A Dying Truth
*Bolt Thrower - Realm of Chaos
*Behemoth - Demigod

Obviously so many more to include but there ya go.

1) Entombed - Left Hand Path
2) Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
3) Asphyx - The Rack
4) Incantation - Onward to Golgotha
5) Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten
6) Immolation - Here in After
7) Dismember - Like an Everflowing Stream
8) Cryptopsy - None So Vile
9) Kataklysm - Sorcery
10) Death - Leprosy

Honestly I hate picking. This list could easily be different but mostly the bands that live in the top ten don’t change.

My shot at it - the order does not really matter:

1) Entombed - Left Hand Path
2) Demigod - Slumber of Sullen Eyes
3) Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
4) Immolation - Dawn of Possession
5) Death - Leprosy
6) Bolt Thrower - Realm of Chaos
7) Demilich - Nesphite
8) Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten
9) Nocturnus - The Key
10) Autopsy - Severed Survival

Granted I might make maaaany of those types of lists - I really hate picking but I though I would give it a shot.

1. Death - Leprosy
- Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness
- Obituary - Cause Of Death
- Entombed - Left Hand Path
- Deicide - Deicide
- Suffocation - Effigy Of The Forgotten
- Pestilence - Testimony Of The Ancients
- Carcass - Necrotism
- Bolt Thrower - Warmaster
- Autopsy - Mental Funeral

Number 1 will always be number 1, the others can shuffle around into any position at any time.
Timeless albums that are often immitated but never beaten.

01. Death – Human
02. Autopsy – Mental Funeral
03. Cannibal Corpse – The Bleeding
04. Immolation – Here in After
05. Nile – Black Seeds of Vengeance
06. Obituary – Cause of Death
07. Atheist – Unquestionable Presence
08. Incantation – Diabolical Conquest
09. Cattle Decapitation – Monolith of Inhumanity
10. Blood Incantation - Starspawn

This list might change a bit in terms of 1-2 albums but most of these have been pretty constant since I've been listening to DM. Albums 1-4 are definitively my top tier, while the next three and the last three are each in their own tier, respectively.

10-Children Of Bodom-Hate Crew Deathroll
9-Unaussprechlichen Kulten-Keziah Lilith Medea
8-Morbid Angel-Blessed Are The Sick
7-Bolt Thrower-...For Victory
6-Death Karma-The History Of Death & Burial Rituals Part I
5-Possessed-Seven Churches
4-Massacre-From Beyond
3-Disenwowelment-Trascendence Into The Peripheal
2-Vital Remains-Forever Underground
1-Carcass-Necroticism,Descanting The Insalubrious

Took some time compiling this list, but here it is:

1: Cannibal Corpse - Butchered at Birth
2: Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
3: Entombed - Left Hand Path
4: Deicide - Self-titled
5: Bolt Thrower - Realm of Chaos/The IVth Crusade (Tied)
6: Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race
7: Immolation - Dawn of Possession
8: Angelcorpse - Exterminate
9: Gorement - The Ending Quest
10: Blaspherian - Infernal Warriors of Death

Honorable Mentions:
Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten
Sentenced - Shadows of the Past
Pissgrave - Posthumous Humiliation
Dismember - Like and Everflowing Stream
Incantation - Onward to Golgotha

1 Cryptopsy- None So Vile, this album got me hooked on death metal. There are a lot of guitar hooks and solos that got lodged in my brain even after the first listen. Lord Worm does sound like a barking dog almost as someone said in another post, and I frequently sing along by growling Scooby Doo, Scooby Dooby Doo.

2. Suffocation- Pierced From Within this is the album to me where Suffocation put everything together and got some of their best production. Breeding the Spawn has excellent songs but sounds weaker and Effigy is an excellent beginning but I find Frank to be weaker so Pierced comes out on top.

3. Entombed- Clandestine it's a little slower than Left Hand Path but I find it more varied and the songwriting more consistent. And fuck is it ever heavy, I heard this before Left Hand Path so this is where I fell in love with the HM-2 sound.

4.Death- Human this album is a little short but has some of the best playing in all of metal, Chuck could craft really good songs this is the pinnacle of Death's death metal evolution after this they were still great in my opinion but added influences outside the death metal realm.

5. Morbid Angel- Covenant this album is the first death metal album I heard and even though I like the song Angel of Disease it sounds out of place to me and hence lowers it out of my top 4. But Rapture, Blood on My hands and Sworn To Black have all had a huge impact on me as a guitar player, actually Angel of disease too.

6. Morbid Angel- Altars of Madness fuck having one pick per band this album is a beast that follows in the vein of Reign in Blood by going full tilt for the entire duration, that slight monotony keeps it lower than Covenant for me.

7. Dismember- Like an Everflowing Stream more HM-2 love this is a well crafted expansion on the Left Hand Path sound with more melodies thrown in.

8. Cannibal Corpse- The Bleeding tons of catchy material here but I find it gets a little weaker at the end compared to to the first four tracks which are like death metal pop songs.

9. Immolation- Unholy Cult those dissonant riffs are just perfected on this album plus Ross sounds his most pissed off here.

10. Entombed- Left Hand Path the birth of the HM-2 sound, that title track that is just one slab of vicious metal into an awesome outro. Plus Drowned, Revel in Flesh, Supposed to Rot and But Life Goes on just continue the fun. It does get a little samey after the title track though. I Think this only beats out Effigy because I love the HM-2 sound.

I could have a top twenty with more Suffocation, Nile, Autopsy, Bolt Thrower, More Morbid Angel, Deicide, Decapitated as well as Dead Congration to name a few.

Oh man my list changes all the time. Currently in no particular order:

Death - Human. Short, sharp and sweet. Catchy, technical and superbly done.
Carcass - Heartwork. The guitar tone and vocals get me every time.
Bathory - Blood, Fire, Death. IDGAF if others say it's not DM. It was and still is for me.
Bolt Thrower - IVth Crusade. My first and still favourite Bolt Thrower album. Hard to not like it.
Abramelin - S/T. Underrated Aussie DM (yes I'm biased). Catchy brutal songs that stand up to any of their peers' output. Misfortune is killer live.
Decapitated - The Negation. Regardless of what they're doing now, this album of theirs is flawless IMO.
Opeth - Blackwater Park. Don't need to say anything about this.
Hypocrisy - Abducted/The Final Chapter (tied). Can't split these two. Love them.
Dyscarnate - With all their Might. Modern DM done brilliantly.
Cannibal Corpse - The Bleeding/Torture/Violence Unimagined. Can't separate them. Thought their latest was fantastic.
Manticore - Integrating the Extreme. Aussie DeathGrind. Gotta listen to it.

11 I know but fuck it.

Honourables:
Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked
Suffocation - Pierced from Within
Killengod - Into the Ancient Moon
Morbid Angel - Covenant/Domination
Misery Index - The Killing Gods
Psycroptic - S/T/As the Kingdom Drowns
Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology
Fallujah - The Flesh Prevails
Immolation - Unholy Cult/Kingdom of Conspiracy/Acts of God

Ah, hell. These are always tough and I reserve the right to have any of the albums be able to switch with another

1. Cryptopsy- None so Vile
2. Immolation- Close to a World Below
3. Suffocation- Pierced From Within
4. Misery Index- Heirs to Thievery
5. Cattle Decapitation- Monolith of Inhumanity
6. Cannibal Corpse- Kill
7. Ulcerate- Everything is Fire
8. Dying Fetus- Destroy the Opposition
9. Nile- In Their Darkened Shrines
10. Bolt Thrower- The IVth Crusade

I definitely can't do a ranked list, because my preference changes all the time. But likely it would be something like below. I'll stick to one per band, otherwise it would just be Bolt Thrower's discography sprinkled with some Cannibal Corpse.

Bolt Thrower - Realm of Chaos (1989)
This is the most crushing death metal album ever released, and I will die on this hill.

Entombed - Left Hand Path (1990)
Kinda surprised to see that this one is on pretty much everyone's list - It's for good reason, obviously, I would've just thought that Clandestine or other swedeath classics would've gotten more love.

War Master - Pyramid of the Necropolis (2011)
Bolt Thrower-worship done right, and even more crushing than the originators. Fans of Slugathor should also be happy.

Trenchrot - Necronomic Warfare (2014)
Gruesome are the kings of Death-worship, but Trenchrot's only album is absolutely phenomenal. I prefer it to most of Death's own albums tbh.

Bloodbath - Resurrection Through Carnage (2002)
Yeah, Nightmares Made Flesh is great and all, but RTC is just a churning riff-fest.

Cannibal Corpse - The Bleeding (1994)
The best CC album, fight me about it. Every song is a fucking classic.

Death - Scream Bloody Gore (1987)
Could also have been Leprosy, but I really appreciate the straightforward thrashy take on early death metal on SBG.

Bombs of Hades - The Serpent's Redemption (2012)
I know, I know, why pick newer HM2-swedeath and leave out Like an Everflowing Stream and Into the Grave? I don't know, I just find this album to be chock full of crushing riffs and super memorable hooks.

Carcass - Necroticism (1991)
Could just as easily have been Symphonies, but Necroticism I feel has some stronger songwriting all in all.

Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness (1989)
The only MA album that I truly love.

in no particular order, and subject to change on an hourly basis:

lykathea aflame - elvenefris
demigod - slumber of sullen eyes
dead congregation - graves of the archangels
venenum - trance of death
atheist - unquestionable presence
bolt thrower - those once loyal (you could easily swap in realms of chaos, warmaster, or for victory)
suffocation - pierced from within / effigy
immolation - close to a world below
cryptopsy - none so vile
morbid angel - altars of madness

i'm a bit surprised not to see a single mention of vader as of yet

Not sure I could give 10 off the top of my head, but the below would almost definitely be included

Dismember - Like an Ever Flowing Stream
Dismember - The God That Never Was
Morbid Angel - Covenant
Fear Factory - Soul of a New Machine
Hypocrisy - Virus
Decapitated - Winds of Creation
Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked

There'd probably be something from Cannibal Corpse, Blood Red Throne, Deicide, Sulphur Aeon, Immolation, Death, Bolt Thrower in the running for other spots, but I'd have revisit their stuff to whittle it down.

Hey, I wasn't expecting someone else to put Soul of a New Machine on their list!

They are consistent as fuck but none of the albums really have that jackpot top 10 all time status. De Profundis and Litany come close though

Before my list, I have included Symphonies of Sickness, it's right on the edge of whether it's more grind or death metal album but I love it so I let it stay. The list itself is tough as fuck since I'd like to include a few newer articles as well, all OSDM is a tad boring.

This is what I got by eliminating from about 25 favorites, alphabetical order:

Carcass - Symphonies of Sickness
Dead Congregation - Promulgation of the Fall
Demigod - Slumber of Sullen Eyes
Entombed - Left Hand Path
Funebrarum - The Sleep of Morbid Dreams
Infester - To the Depths, in Degradation
StarGazer - The Scream That Tore the Sky
Morbid Angel - Covenant
Pestilence - Consuming Impulse
Possessed - Seven Churches

No particular order:
Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked
Atheist - Unquestionable Presence
Morbid Angel - Covenant; Altars of Madness
Behemoth - Demigod
Deicide - s/t; Legion
Cattle Decapitation - Monolith of Inhumanity
Entombed - Left Hand Path

That's 9. Death should be on the list, but I haven't listened to a full album by them in years, so I don't know which (ones) to put down. Time for a discography run-through!

Morbid angel altars of madness
Deicide debut
Massacre from beyond
Death human
Autopsy mental funeral
nocturnus the key
Monstrosity imperiel doom
Ripping corpse dreaming with the dead
Napalm death harmony coruption
Terrorizer World downfall

And : entombed clandestine, dismember like a... , Carcass symphonies.., Suffocation effigi ...

Then you can post about it in the discography run-through thread!

Will do

Just talking about pure, unadulterated death metal (and only accepting one album by each band)

Death - Leprosy
Deicide - Legion
Morbid Angel - Blessed are the Sick
Obituary - Cause of Death
Autopsy - Severed Survival
Brutality - Screams of Anguish
Entombed - Left Hand Path
Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade
Carcass - Symphonies of Sickness
Dismember - Like an Everflowing Stream

And "a couple" ( ) honorable mentions:

Fear Factory is a hard one. That's really the only album of theirs that probably counts. Demanufacture is by far my favorite of theirs, but from that one forward the industrial and groove facets of their sound dominated the death metal influence, though it never completely left.



Yeah, this is the sort of album that internally gives me a conniption. There's definitely death metal elements all throughout it, but is death metal really the primary genre? Probably not, but if it counts it'll easily top my own list.



Albums like these make things even more difficult. Harder than normal melodic death metal, but still maybe not quite really true death metal, ugh. Great selections though.



It's virtually a tie between LHP and Clandestine for me. It's just little touches like the Phantasm theme appearance in the title track and the glorious opening of "Drowned" that put it over the top.



Technically it's on Nihilist's Only Shreds Remain demo that Leif Cuzner first debuted that tone. LHP is the better-recorded, more iconic version of it though as the knowledge about that sound filtered through the scene.

1 - Cannibal Corpse - The Wretched Spawn
2 - Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness
3 - Krisiun - Conquerors of Armageddon
4 - Death - Symbolic
5 - Incantation - The Infernal Storm
6 - Vital Remains - Dechristianize
7 - Immolation - The Unholy Cult
8 - Behemoth - Demigod
9 - Vader - Litany
10 - Cannibal Corpse - The Bleeding

These kinds of lists are always tough for me because my brain takes "Top 10 Death Metal Albums" as something that should be quintessential and definitive of the genre. For instance I'm huge into a lot of death/thrash, melodic death metal and other outliers but it feels weird including that sort of stuff in a list like this. Anyway, this is what I've got off the top of my head, fringe stuff included, one album per band.

In no particular order:
Morbid Angel- Blessed Are The Sick
The Crown- Deathrace King
Behemoth- Demigod
Death- Human
Dismember- Like An Everflowing Stream
Cryptopsy- None So Vile
At The Gates- The Red In The Sky Is Ours
Vader- Litany
Deicide- Deicide
Obituary- Cause Of Death

Morbid Angel - Blessed Are The Sick (interchangeable with Covenant)
Death - Human
Unleashed - Across The Open Sea
Bolt Thrower - The 4th Crusade
Ripping Corpse - Dreaming With The Dead
Brutality - When The Sky Turns Black
Deicide - Legion
At The Gates - The Red In The Sky Is Ours
Disincarnate - Dreams Of The Carrion Kind
Human Remains - Using Sickness As A Hero technically an EP. like a cross between Ripping Corpse and Nuclear Death

So...I am the only one who picked Spiritual Healing over all others excellent Death albums...its better not end up in Rando corner whenever we do an official DM poll or else..., lol. But jokes aside, Death will suffer the most from votes splitting imo

True, although the clear majority among this thread seem to favour Leprosy and Human. I've got to say, the last two Death albums are my favourite, but they're all very close.

In no order as well, and most have covered my top 10 any way,

Entombed - left Hand Path
Bolt Thrower - All of them
Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
Cannibal Corpse - All of them
Napalm Death - Harmony Corruption
Obituary - Cause of Death
Nile - Amongst the Catacombs
Carcass - Symphonies of Sickness
Bloodbath - All of them
Vader - All of them

Bruce

Hmm, I'm gonna have to include a lot of albums that aren't pure death metal. Just cause I tend to enjoy those more.

1. Cryptopsy - None So Vile | Enough said. You know this one.
2. Revocation - The Outer Ones | I don't know if everyone considers this death metal, but I do. And fucking hell, it's so good.
3. Gojira - The Way of All Flesh | Yes I know, "mallcore progressive tech-groove" or whatever. I'm gonna include this one because it has plenty of death metal elements, and it's what got me into death metal in the first place.
4. Archspire - Relentless Mutation | There's a lot of tech-death that sounds pretentious and unappealing to me, but Archspire manage to amp up the speed and technicality without being abrasive at all. This album's concept is also really fun, I love cosmic horror in metal.
5. Analepsy - Atrocities From Beyond | Easily the best slam album ever, that's a hill I'll die on. No bullshit, just riffs and grooves.
6. Cattle Decapitation - Death Atlas | Beautiful and disgusting at the same time.
7. Katalepsy - Autopsychosis | Really good brutal death album, not much else to say.
8. Bloodbath - The Fathomless Mastery | This is probably Mikael's worst vocal performance, and parts of the album are a little dull, but I find these songs a lot more memorable than the ones in Nightmares Made Flesh.
9. Cannibal Corpse - Tomb of the Mutilated | Had to put at least one Cannibal Corpse album here to avoid legal repercussions. I've only listened to two of their albums, once each, so it was between this and Kill.
10. TBD. I don't have any other death metal albums I'd consider a favorite.

1. Entombed - Left Hand Path
- Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
- Possessed - Seven Churches
- Atheist - Unquestionable Presence
- Pestilence - Consvming Impvlse
- Obituary - Slowly We Rot
- Seance - Fornever Laid to Rest
- Deicide - Deicide
- Immolation - Dawn of Possession
- Dismember - Like an Everflowing Stream

For me, the likes of Autopsy, At the Gates, Ripping Corpse and Bolt Thrower all peaked on non-album releases.
"Symphonies of Sickness" is a grindcore record, otherwise it would have made the cut.

1 Teitanblood - Death
2 Ulcerate - The Destroyers of All
3 Chaos Echoes - Transient
4 Ad nauseam - Imperative Imperceptible Impulse
5 Necros christos - Domedon doxomedon
5 Swallowed - Lunarterial
7 Gorguts - Colored Sands
8 Obliteration - Black Death Horizon
9 Dead Congregation - Promulgation of the Fall
0 Spectral Voice - Eroded Corridors of Unbeing

Honorable mentions because it's a 10 list album (in no particular order): Black Curse, Triumvir Foul, Antediluvian, Concrete Winds, Grave Miasma, Irkallian Oracle, Mitochondrion, Nile, Pyrrhon, Stargazer.

I haven't included it because I consider it part of the "war metal" subgenre but it's easily the most destructive album I've ever heard in my life, awesome from beginning to end.