Pretty much what the title says. What are some really dark sounding, almost atmospheric death metal bands?

Well, there's Nocturnus. The Key is demonic death metal with enormous atmosphere; it's an amazing album, especially "Lake of Fire." Mike Browning, Morbid Angel's original vocalist, fronts that album. Also try The Chasm for stranger atmospheric death metal.

Your request is simple enough that it could go in the death metal help thread, though.

EDIT: what MercyfulSatyr said. You might also want to check out Mike Browning's current band - After Death.

Septicflesh and maybe Inactive Messiah?

Phlebotomized- Immense, Intense, Suspense
Supuration- The Cube (literally just found out about this one)

Incantation's Mortal Throne of Nazarene, the darkest Death Metal you'll ever find.

Creepmime - Shadows
Deathevokation - Chalice of Age
Caducity - Whirler of Fate
Cenotaph - The Gloomy Reflection of our Hidden Sorrows
Demigod - Slumber of Sullen Eyes

Definitely take a look at Necros Christos's Triune Impurity Rites.

Funny you should mention that, that is the exact album that inspired this question! I WANT MORE!


Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

Incantation is boring (as well as Immolation).

Insomnium is really dark imo, on the songs 'At The Gates Of Sleep' and 'In The Groves Of Death' from the 'Above The Weeping World album.

Also I find Daylight Dies to be very dark, but it's more doom metal sounding though, so it's obvious.

Both are melodic death metal though. I don't know if you are looking for just death metal.

Ascended - young band only on EP level, but very good!

Demilich ofcourse, as well as Adramelech and the other Finnish dm bands that have been mentioned here.

A couple of MA bands are very good IMO; Zealotry and Cosmic Atrophy.

Look out for Eldritch Horror's old demos/EPs. Very good stuff.

Darkness Eternal has impressed me recently. Very The Chasm-esque, though way better IMO.

Check out Yogth Sothoth also, more straight dm than some of my other recs, but super good at setting a mood/atmosphere. Burial Ritual as well.

Immolation ofcourse. Especially Close To A World Below and Unholy Cult I would say, though my favourites are Failures For Gods and Here In After.

Father Befouled is another good band. Very fast and dirty, but if you like old Infester they'er straight up your alley. Cruciamentum as wel.

Inno Obscuritas and Unaussprechlichen Kulten mix very brutal death (more in the vein of Hate Eternal or Nile brutal than slam brutal) with atmospheric bits and bobs. Also recommended.

And finally Mithras ofcourse, though I find they use ambient a bit too much.

i have some recomandations to make:

eternal darkness - all (one of the best occult swedish bands)
curse - integumentum de tenebrae (some of the greatest dm demo ever recorded in sweden)
embalmed souls - dark death metal at it's best (all releases are killer)
rippikoulu - musta seremonia (personal favourite demo from old skull finnish days)
deteriorot - in ancient beliefs (onward to golgotha part 666)
dark opera - calling the legend (death/doom with great atmosphere)
nostradamus - non omnis moriar (one of the best releases from the great early poland scene)
tenebrarum - alta magia (another lost jewel from mexico)
immortal fate - beautiful (this album was recorded in '93 but released in 2000, being a great example of how dark death metal should sound)

Haha, nice joke man. That was a good one. Really threw me off for a second there...

Shame on all of you. I can't believe no one has mentioned Therion's early albums yet. The only one I can truly speak for is Symphony Masses, but I would recommend you check them all out.

I will continue championing Amorphis' Privilege of Evil until the end of time. It is inconceivable that there exists a darker song than the version of "Vulgar Necrolatry" on that EP. Incidentally, related band Abhorrence also deserves a listen.

This post also includes my obligatory mention of Infester's To the Depths...In Degradation. An absolute must-listen for all fans of sick, twisted, and dark death metal stuff.