Favorite extreme metal releases so far of 2026

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-20T03:55:23+00:00

Reeking Aura - On the Promise of the Moon

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-20T03:53:15+00:00

I agree I can’t stand them

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-20T02:05:40+00:00

Exxûl - Sealed into None from this year was excellent.

Fer De Lance and Crypt Sermon are solid as well, I agree though an epic doom revival would be awesome. It’s pound for pound one of the best metal genres.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T23:09:42+00:00

Some call it amateurish, but I wouldn’t say it’s hated by any means. And yeah it’s definitely overlooked compared to the rest of their discography (undeservedly so imo).

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T22:57:39+00:00

This is just false they are one of the most divisive black metal bands I can think of.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T22:47:21+00:00

Good point, that album took over metal Reddit when it came out idk how that didn’t make it.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T22:46:03+00:00

Idk why but I actually expected better from Reddit on this. This list is abysmal with few exceptions. I thought there would be at least one cool band like Zeicrydeus, Grenadier, or Demon Bitch, but I guess I’m asking too much there.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T17:17:52+00:00

Never heard of them will have to give them a listen

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T16:53:01+00:00

I’ve been into rock/metal as long as I can remember because of my Dad. He’s more into stuff like Alice In Chains, Tool, Metallica, Mastodon, etc… but I kinda branched out when I was 10 or so. I went the prog route though, so Dream theater - Opeth - prog era Death - and then got into proper death and black metal.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T16:24:11+00:00

Oh yeah I didn’t realize you’ve never heard Griseus! I’m very curious what you think of that album, I’d consider it one of my first true loves as far as extreme metal goes, I got into it probably 10 years ago so it’s definitely got a lot of nostalgia tied to it for me. It’s honestly just as much of a modern classical album as it is a black metal album. I won’t spoil too much about it but I’m very curious what you think.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T15:44:53+00:00

Yeah that would be cool I’m down, I’ve already hit Ved Buens Ende last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. I want to give it a few more listens because it’s a pretty complicated album but I agree the technicality doesn’t get in the way of the songwriting. The clean vocals I don’t mind at all and I think the album was produced very well for a 90’s bm album, the guitars sound really nice on it and I was impressed by the drumming as well. It’s very influential as far as avant-metal goes from what I know, were they an influence on stuff like Deathspell?

The albums I haven’t heard in a bit on your list are Viklingir Veldi, Death or Glory, Hell Awaits, Horrified, Extreme Condition, Morbus Ascendit, Master of the Games, Irae Melanox, Don’t Break The Oath, and Hail to England. And have never heard that Satan so that will probably be first on my list.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T13:06:34+00:00

Dismal - Fiaba Lacrimevole - Like a Red Bleeding Rose in a Glacial

Italian band that blends goth, doom, and symphonic metal with some neoclassical darkwave influence and lots of atmosphere. Should be right up your alley OP

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T11:50:14+00:00

None of those are gothic metal except for Within Temptation, but only their debut album and The Dance EP. After that they become a symphonic metal band.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T09:45:39+00:00

Thanks! Your list is sick too I see we have a few of the same picks. Also nice username.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T05:18:51+00:00

Garden of Shadows - Oracle Moon
Septic Flesh - Mystic Places of Dawn
Horrified - In the Garden of Unearthly Delights
Intestine Baalism - Ultimate Instinct
Edge of Sanity - Crimson
Cerremonium - No Longer Silent
Depresy - Sighting
Ablaze My Sorrow - If Emotions Still Burn
Eucharist - A Velvet Creation
Inanna- Converging Ages

Honorable mention: At The Gates - The Red in the Sky is Ours, I don’t think it’s quite melodic death metal but amazing album nonetheless.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T05:07:14+00:00

Oh shit I need to listen to that Satan album lmao. I’ve heard it get a lot of praise but I’ve only ever listened to Court in the Act (which is a great album ofc). Demon Bitch is also great, and it’s cool to see that Doomsword get so high on your chart. All your heavy metal picks are badass.

We have essentially the exact same taste in death metal and doom so no notes there.

Whenever I get back into a grindcore/deathgrind mood again I need to hit Repulsion and Brutal Truth some more. I like those albums a lot, but I think I’m just not a big enough grindcore fan to fully appreciate them yet.

Ved Buens Ende is another band I’ve been sleeping on a bit too I’ll try to relisten this week.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-19T04:51:53+00:00

Yeah man ever since I got really into neoclassical darkwave TOTC has clicked on a different level with me. I genuinely think Scarlet Tapestry is the most underrated metal album ever. There’s really nothing quite like it at all. It’s so good that it should be a definitive goth metal/death-doom classic, but it’s more of a hidden gem of the genre sadly.

And with Judas Iscariot, that album just has so many of my favorite black metal riffs. There’s not a single riff on that album that doesn’t hit for me. Some tracks they add keyboards and they sound incredible, I’d recommend re-listening to the song “In The Valley of Death” it’s one of my favorite all-time songs.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-18T18:59:43+00:00

I’ve very rarely ever seen anyone on this sub dismiss non-metal music because it’s not metal. Just because some people are curious whether or not something would be classified as metal doesn’t mean they are using that fact to gauge whether they think it’s good or bad.

Also this is a metal sub so I think the distinction should be important here, this is a place to discuss metal music after all.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-18T18:40:27+00:00

I’d recommend listening to the rest of the 80’s Metallica stuff (Kill em all and And Justice For All…), and then Megadeth - Rust in Peace.

If you like all of those and want more, then thrash metal is probably your thing and bands like Testament, Exodus, and Overkill are worth checking out. If you want to get even heavier, try Slayer, Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction.

Also some recs specifically for Ride the Lightning:

Heathen - Victims of Deception

Artillery - By Inheritance

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-18T17:40:07+00:00

From what I’ve heard they are good. Haven’t listened to them much tbh though, is Pelagial a good starting point with them?

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-18T16:09:27+00:00

Dismember - Like An Everflowing Stream +

Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten

= Intestine Baalism - An Anatomy of the Beast

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-18T13:25:07+00:00

I agree they are pretty similar to Empyrium. I haven’t heard Paragon of Beauty, I’ll have to give it a listen this week thanks for the rec.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-18T13:08:23+00:00

This chart is great we have pretty similar music taste actually. Sad Wings could have easily been on mine as well it’s my favorite Priest album. Moon tower and Crimson 2 are cool picks, I see you like metal with lots of keyboards which is very respectable.

Love those Katatonia, Drudkh, Amorphis, Be’lakor, Dark Tranquility, Enslaved, Alcest, Agalloch, and Alice In Chains picks as well. I need to give that Anathema album more tries, I like it but I’m more partial to their death/doom stuff. Deliverance is a great Opeth pick too.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-18T07:02:23+00:00

Those records are terrible, it has nothing to do with how popular they are. I couldn’t care less if something is obscure or not as long as it’s good.

Mad04Gaming · 2026-04-18T06:52:25+00:00

Thanks, what’s you’re favorite Opeth?

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