What are the top ten heavy metal bands?
I've been a metalhead since discovering Metallica while in high school in the 1990s. Since then, my tastes in metal have veered into mostly European metal, especially bands featuring female vocals. My list today is only of my favorite active metal bands that I feel are still innovating with fresh music in the genre.
If I've piqued your interest with any of these, look them up on YouTube. All of these bands have active YouTube channels and official music videos.
1. Ghost
A Swedish band who I feel are easily the best metal band of the past decade. Their new album Impera is sure to become a classic, and their song Mary on a Cross just hit the Billboard charts after going viral on TikTok.
2. Volturian
Not many people know about this female-fronted Italian band... yet. Their debut album came out during the pandemic, and it was my favorite album last year.
3. Bloodywood
It was bound to happen eventually. A metal band from India has risen to international acclaim, and they did it by first going viral on YouTube. Check out the documentary Raj Against the Machine on YouTube. It brought tears to my eyes.
4. ANKOR
A Spanish band with an extremely wide range of musical styles and singing styles that they call "alternative metal." They like to make metal versions of popular songs.
5. The HU
This Mongolian metal band rose to international fame so fast that the Mongolian president even personally congratulated them and the Bank of Mongolia minted commemorative coins of them. I think they're currently touring the US with Megadeth.
6. Dark Tranquillity
When I first went to college, I was a diehard Metallica fan and was learning guitar because of that. I found some guitar tablature for Dark Tranquillity songs that looked interesting and played it... it sounded amazing! Then I illegally downloaded a bunch of MP3s (this was the late 1990s, when everyone was a pirate) and became a fan of them for life. They are founding members of the Swedish melodic death metal movement.
7. Amaranthe
Yet another Swedish band that I like. Notably, they have three singers (one female vocals, one growling male vocals, and another clean male vocals). They play a more pop-sounding brand of metal. If Ace of Base became a metal band, they might sound like this. Even my wife (who is not a metalhead) really likes their song Massive Addictive.
8. Within Temptation
A female-fronted Dutch band. They describe themselves as playing "atmospheric melodic symphonic metal/rock".
9. Týr
Faroese folk metal... how's that for a niche? They hail from the Faroe Islands. Believe it or not, the Faroe Islands have several metal bands, but Týr is the best known and my favorite. Most of their songs are sung in English, but a few are in Faroese.
10. Ad Infinitum
If I had to pick one up and coming band that will become huge one day, I would pick this Swiss band. The lead singer Melissa Bonny is extremely talented and has a lot of energy and charisma.
11. BONUS: Arch Enemy
I never liked Arch Enemy in the past, but since Alissa White-Gluz took over as the frontwoman the band has had a new level of freshness and energy. They just came out with a new album Deceivers, and it's been my latest obsession. The music video for The Watcher is a good intro to what they're all about. But be forewarned: the sound of a woman growling is not for everyone :)
No comments.