Well they have some non-racist songs, which I'm fine with. However, a lot of the songs they have include some terrible lyrics, and that's just not something I can vibe to.

i need some raw melodeath

i stumbled on Paranorm, and reminded me of https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Cipher/39205 from France.

Thrashy or not, bring it on. Also send only the good melodeathrash stuff you came across.

*bandcamp links highly appreciated

I am looking for more extreme metal songs with keys like in My Ghost by Mors Principium Est. Doom and black metal are also welcome, but I figured the melodeath thread would be appropriate considering the source. Thank you.

Maybe try checking out the Intestine Baalism debut.

What are some good modern melodic death metal bands with guitar riffs similar to At the Gates?

That style is kind of dead in the water. You would probably have to venture into metalcore territory if you want AtG-type music. I listen to lots of new melodic DM bands and the best new stuff is either in the Insomnium vein like Fallensun or straddles like the line between melodic black and melodic death metal like Exodikon or Inexorum.

@I Am the Law, sorry to hijack the discussion, but since you mentioned it, I'd love to hear your recs on new Insomnium-like stuff (say, from the past two or three years; anything older than that I probably know already). Thanks for suggesting Fallensun, I'm listening to them now and I like what I hear so far!

Well I like Be'lakor but I am guessing you know them already. Truth is there aren't too many bands in that style. One that might be worth a look is Deadscape from Bulgaria. Their debut album that just came out a few days ago. I have only sampled a few of the songs but it sounds to me like they do have some moments of Insomnium-styled melodic DM.

Oh my, Deadscape is a fantastic find. Great stuff. Thank you!

Okay - time to go out of my comfort zone. Usually I do not like melodic death metal but there are some bands that really grab me with this style - they are either unique, thrashy (always loved some thrash melodic death metal) or just very riffy and to-the-point.

Some of the stuff I like from the genre:

Gates of Ishtar (love all of their stuff - probably my favourite band from the genre)
A Canorous Quintet (pounding riffage - love them)
At The Gates - but only "Slaughter of the Soul" (love the d-beat influence and thrash stylings)
Suidakra (the early stuff but what I heard was beyond excellent)
The Forsaken ("Traces of the Past" is a favorite for its thrashiness)
Cryhavoc (that is a BIG stretch as they sound as much gothic as melodic DM but I LOVE that sound)

One thing: I am not looking for stuff like Dissection, Sacramentum and similar bands.

So - a shot in the dark - can anybody help me with something similar to those above? Maybe different but with an unique vibe? As said - I love me some thrash and I adore traditional heavy metal so if it has those influences - even better!

A few random favorites of mine (I love me some melodeath):

Eucharist - Mirrorworlds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epHAANWRhYo

Dispatched - Motherwar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7mUkLBdTTM

Armageddon - Crossing the Rubicon:
Chris Amott's side project. I actually like it more than Arch Enemy. The 2 albums after this one are power metal (I like those ones too, but for different reasons).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8dR-rHHNDo

Dimension Zero - Penetrations from the Lost World:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcnIfGTIO7c

I only liked their debut MCD. The version of this song on their full-length nixed the guitar solo. Boo!

Sins of Omission:
Their first album was more power metalish and had a rather unique vibe and sense of melody. The Japanese pressing also had a cover of Crimson Glory's "Red Sharks", so at least that means they have good taste in music. Their second album is a bit more thrashy overall. I used to strongly prefer the debut, but the second one grew on me over the years.

1st: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2nBpYYe5XU
2nd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx2d5b6U80M

Darkane "Rusted Angel":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUp1xBtQMNw

Always found them pretty thrashy ("Bound" probably would've been a better example there), complete with Zetro-ish vocals (well, on the debut at any rate).

German band Night in Gales weren't too bad. Their first EP "Sylphlike" and debut album "Towards the Twilight" are pretty nice Swedish melodeath homage. Albums 2 and 3 I found boring as watching paint dry. However, album #4 "Necrodynamic" I found to be pretty fun. They went in a more thrash direction there.

Did you ever check out Sentenced's "North From Here"? That's one of the best melodic death albums ever, IMO. I hear everything from Slayer to Atheist to an evil Iron Maiden in there. Pretty unique atmosphere/tone to it too.

Since you mentioned Cryhavoc, I found them to be heavily influenced by Sentenced's "Amok". The Black League's "Ichor" may be worth checking out if you end up liking "Amok". This is probably barking up a different tree though.

[edit] You may want to give Ebony Tear's 2nd album "A Handful of Nothing" a go sometime (full album is on youtube). Initially I only liked their debut, but I'm giving this album another go and its pretty good so far. A lot thrashier and straight to the point than its more experimental predecessor. Shame about their 3rd album though.

I should have been more precise - I LOVE LOVE LOVE "Amok" (and the whole discography of The Black League) as I think it is one of the BEST albums the whole metal genre has released. Earlier Sentenced is also good but does not hit me as much as "Amok" (and EP's from that period). I also like Darkane a lot but I consider them more of an extreme thrash band of sorts. However I like what I am hearing from Sins of Omission and Dispatched. As for Eucharist I do not know yet. Something is there but not feeling it now.

We like some similar stuff, I'ill dig up some albums you may enjoy:

While it's not really similar to the bands you posted i feel that Mi'gauss's sole album Open Season qualifies both as unique and heavily riff driven, i suggest it!

Soulless (USA, the one from Cleveland) are very At The Gates influenced, but they are one of the better bands to channel that influence: their album Forever Defiant hits hard and stays memorable through the whole duration

A bit more trad metal influenced, but still really riffy and thrashy here and there it's Auberon's The Tale Of Black... a bit forgotten but still quality stuff

Since you mentioned A Canorous Quintet you may like Decameron's only album. Be aware that they are more black metal influenced and some riffs directly go into the Dissection/Sacramentum territory you are not looking for, but i still think there is enough of good "pure" melodic death metal riffage to justify the inclusion

If you’re looking for a band that fits into the Melodic death genre, but also pops the fringes here and there with thrash, groove and a little progressive, check out AVATAR, phenomenal musicians and phenomenal songwriting skills with, imo, some of the best music currently out there

Here are a few you might like.

Eternal Lies - Spiritual Deception
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOl-5HPHddI

Excretion - Voice of Harmony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgftSwYqN88

In Thy Dreams - Stream of Dispraised Souls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nhzgUvThw4

A Mind Confused - Anarchos
https://amindconfused.bandcamp.com/

Is Detonation (Netherlands) anywhere near? I think 'Portals to Uphobia' is fine one try to out first...

Polish Aether and Ukrainian Balfor.

I know you're probably familiar with them but The Chasm's material after their first couple of albums have a distinct classic heavy metal influence similar to Arghoslent, albeit with more progressive song structures and a darker, more arcane atmosphere.

Also they're 100% not racist so there's that too.

Are there any bands that ran with the sound of Projector and Haven era Dark Tranquility albums?

This is exactly what you're looking for: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yjb6XH3oAE

Looking for some raw, epic, melancholic 90's melodeath similar to this EP. I really dig the clean vocals, violins, and acoustic guitars featured on some of the songs here, so those elements would be a plus, but not essential. Moreso trying to find something with this kind of raw production and epic, almost medieval sounding tone.

^ Not quite that kind of stuff sound-wise, but there are non-metal elements... Anywhere close, this?

I dig this, thank you!!!

One of the latest finds AEPHANEMER is very enjoyable!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-TJsE6M3_I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggncUCeWVZo

Also long time being fan of NOUMENA, these finns are real blast and still quite unknown gem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYSzIFPlShY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjGz0t8ckCk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KYeZr4E7LA

Not quite similar but you might still like it

What's the most keyboard oriented melodic death metal band that you know of? For example most songs on CoB's Follow The Reaper where the keyboard riffs drive the songs over the guitars.

Skyfire's debut album contains massive keyboards, sometimes carpet-style, other times "riffing". It's one hellishly melodic platter, even by guitars point of view.

I've been listening to lots of Fragments of Unbecoming lately, who I think are possibly the most underrated melodeath band of all time. They're very much on the heavier/more deathy end of the spectrum with vicious riffs, tons of blast beats, and higher tempos: https://fragmentsofunbecoming.bandcamp.com/music

I've been through their full Similar Artists tab and nothing really grabs me the same way. Anyone know of similar-sounding bands?