The underground scenes around the world are full of underrated metal bands that should have more fans. I figured it would be cool to make a list of a whole bunch of them. So here are 50 underrated metal bands to hit up. How many of them did you know before checking out this article?
50 underrated metal bands, A-Z
Enough intro talk and self-promotion; here are 50 underrated metal bands for you to check out. If this doesn’t quench your thirst for fresh metal music, I don’t know what doesn’t!
Afflicted (death metal, Sweden)
Even before Swedish death metal turned into old school Swedish death metal, bands got weird. None probably got weirder than Afflicted, a band that managed to be both brutal and wildly experimental. “Prodigal Sun” (1992) is weird as balls, but I really like it, especially the song “Ivory Tower”.
Antarktis (atmospheric sludge metal, Sweden)
In Mourning is quite well-known in melodic death metal circles, but did you know some of the members also have an atmospheric sludge project? Well, now you know! And it’s a good one.. so definitely check out Antarktis if you haven’t heard it yet.
Ars Onirica (melodic death/doom metal, Italy)
Italy has a really good atmospheric metal and rock scene, and Ars Onirica is one of the many impressive examples. The 2019 debut is a really nice piece of melodic death/doom, especially my favorite track “Dust”.
Asphodelus (death/doom metal, Finland)
Finland is shock-filled with underrated metal bands, especially melancholic and doomy ones. Asphodelus is a new band that goes for a 90’s death/doom sound akin to Anathema and My Dying Bride.
Atten Ash (death/doom metal, United States)
Daylight Dies is one of my favorite bands, and guitarist Barre Gambling’s other project Atten Ash is a perfect way to quench the DD appetite. Just like Daylight Dies, it’s quality melodic death/doom metal with great songwriting and plenty of emotion.
Cold Insight (death/doom metal, France)
Enshine is a killer collaboration between Sebastien Pierre and Jari Lindholm, and if you’re looking for more, Cold Insight will be just the right thing. It’s musically quite similar, and also high-quality.
Counting Hours (death/doom metal, Finland)
Finland’s Rapture was one of most melancholic bands out there, and some of the members recently came together in Counting Hours, a great project in a similar vein. Some really amazing doomy music in a distinctly Finnish style.
Dawn of Ouroboros (progressive/black/doom metal, United States)
My band Soliloquium was lucky enough to join the Rain Without End Records/Naturmacht roster in 2020. And when we did, I started looking around for interesting bands. Dawn of Ouroboros was my best new find by far. This band is an amazing mix of different metal genres, featuring great songwriting and interesting atmospheric twists. There’s a burning passion to them, and Chelsea Murphy’s vocals are amazing.
“Sorrow’s Eclipse”: Spotify | YouTube
Degrade (brutal/slam death metal, Sweden)
I don’t listen to that much slam death metal, but when I do it’s often Degrade, a local Swedish band that was active in the early 2000’s. The sole album “Lost Torso Found” absolutely slays. Highly recommended for fans of the style!
Devious (melodic death metal, Netherlands)
Netherlands has a strong classic and old school death metal scene, but there’s also plenty of melody- and progressive-leaning stuff. The final Devious album “Vision” (2009) is really a testament to this. Insanely underrated band that few people outside Netherlands know about! It’s time to change that.
Dreichmere (progressive death metal, United States)
Do you miss old Opeth? Especially “My Arms, Your Hearse” and “Still Life”? No problem! Head to Grand Rapids, Michigan for Dreichmere instead. Some really great stuff for those into progressive extreme metal with long, adventurous songs.
Enter the Hunt (progressive metal, Sweden)
Krister Linder is a kick-ass singer that can take on many styles, but he’s equally good at dodging attention. His solo stuff is obscure, and so is the metal group Enter the Hunt, where he performs the vocals.
Eudaimony (black/doom metal, Sweden)
This Swedish blackened doom metal band is a recent discovery for me, and holy crap it’s overlooked. The sole album is full of amazing hooks, strong melodies and breathtaking emotion. And it doesn’t hurt that my super-favorite singer Mick Moss sings on one of tracks.
Exgenesis (death/doom metal, Colombia/Sweden)
Jari Lindholm is well-known in doom metal circles, but his international collaboration Exgenesis seem to fly under the radar for many people. And that’s just plain wrong, because it’s some really good music.
Fires in the Distance (melodic death/doom metal, United States)
I wouldn’t have found this band if it wasn’t for the 2020 Metal Storm album of the year awards. This band is absolutely amazing, playing a unique style of melodic death/doom metal with a large electronic presence.
Goretrade (brutal death metal, Colombia)
Colombia mostly seems like a black and thrash metal country to me, but Goretrade has delivered some ass-kicking brutal death metal too. It’s super-extreme, super-groovy and full of hooks and breakdowns.
Grimegod (death/doom metal, Romania)
Romania’s Grimegod has been putting out death/doom for a very long time (since 1991!). Sadly, the band doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves. I really dig the 2014 album “Wrong Roads”.
Hadriel (progressive death/doom metal, Sweden)
If Dreichmere wasn’t enough for you when it comes to long, progressive songs, check out Hadriel as well. A truly underrated metal band with a nice blend of Opeth-style progressive metal and funeral doom influences.
In the Silence (progressive metal, United States)
In the Silence’s debut “A Fair Dream Gone Mad” caused quite a lot of buzz among fans of Katatonia and similar bands back when it came out. But it seems that the interest in the band faded a bit, which is a shame.
Infinitum (brutal/technical death metal, Australia)
Infinitum is hands down one of my favorite death metal bands. The sound is like a slightly more melodic Suffocation, with an amazing amount of good riffs and super-slick songwriting. If you’re at all into brutal and/or technical death metal, you really need to give Infinitum a chance.
Insision (brutal/technical death metal, Sweden)
Back in the day, Insision used to play live in the Stockholm area all the time. Sadly, the band gave it up after a few great albums. If you’re looking for death metal from Sweden that doesn’t sound particularly Swedish, Insision is what you need.
Kaamos (old school death metal, Sweden)
Kaamos is probably my favorite modern-era Swedish old school death metal band. There’s a genuine rage and sense of chaos about their music that I really like, and front-man Karl was an absolute beast on stage.
Loch Vostok (progressive metal, Sweden)
Veterans Lock Vostok are well-known in progressive metal circles, but I still think they’re an underrated band. They keep putting out album after album, and all of them are good.
Loneshore (progressive/doom metal, Brazil)
My favorite metal band from Brazil, Loneshore, is a gorgeous mix of old school Opeth and melodic death/doom. The influences are super-clear, but the band just crafts such amazing songs. Truly an underrated metal band more people should know!
“Until the Last of Hopes”: Spotify | YouTube
Lucidity (death/doom metal, Finland)
I keep saying things like “Finland is shock-filled with great melancholic metal”, and I say it because it’s 100% true. Lucidity is another one of those bands that seem to fly under the radar. I have no idea why. 2019’s “Oceanum” is amazing, and album that really keeps growing on me over time.
Lying Figures (death/doom metal, France)
If you need another classic death/doom fix, Lying Figures is the perfect cure. The band’s sole album “The Abstract Escape” (2017) is a quality disc that will please fans of the style.
Morbider (old school death metal, Czech Republic)
Czech Republic has a healthy extreme metal scene, proven by the fact that Morbider’s sole album is one of the best from the new old school death metal resurgence in the 2000’s. You can hear how much they love Dismember and Entombed – the songs are super-catchy and the Boss HM-2 is turned to 11.
Murder Squad (death metal, Sweden)
Murder Squad features a bunch of high-profile musicians from the old school extreme metal scene in Sweden, but I still don’t see it getting much credit. Both albums are kick-ass Autopsy worship that isn’t far behind the original band’s level of quality.
Nephasth (death metal, Brazil)
If you’re looking for an absolute onslaught, Nephasth is for you. The band put out two albums before disbanding, and both are complete barrages of blastbeats and raging intensity.
Neuronaut (progressive metal, Sweden)
Neuronaut made an interesting album somewhere between avant-garde, progressive and psychedelic and them seemingly left the building. Even if the band doesn’t come back with something more, they can be proud of what they achieved with 2020’s “State of Not Enough”.
“Hypothalamus”: Spotify | YouTube
Pathos (progressive metal, Sweden)
When I write or talk about underrated metal bands, Pathos always tends to show up at some point. I usually describe them as a Swedish Nevermore, even if there are more things to them. Either way, the band’s last album “Katharsis” is an absolutely perfect progressive metal album that more people need to know about.
Phidion (death metal, Sweden)
Do you like your death metal with some intense thrash-influence? Then local Stockholm band Phidion is for you! The music is catchy AF, filled with quality riffs and well-timed tempo-shifts.
Rainshadow (gothic metal, Australia)
I discovered the Rainshadow song “Frost Bite” on the official Katatonia forum an eternity ago, and I’m still surprised the band didn’t receive more attention.
Raspail (doom metal, Italy)
Klimt 1918 is one of my favorite bands in the world. So when some of the members start a side-project, I listen to it. Raspail is a dreary, droning listen with huge effects, and I really dig it. Definitely recommended for fans of the more extreme side of doom metal music.
Rise to the Sky (death/doom metal, Chile)
There’s a lot of death/doom on this list, and here’s more: Chile’s Rise to the Sky. It’s a solo project by Sergio G., a super-profilic musician that manages to put out a new album every year (or even more often sometimes). More importantly, the albums are usually very good. So give Rise to the Sky a shot!
Scariot (progressive metal, Norway)
Communic and Blood Red Throne are high-profile bands in Norway, but people seem to have forgotten about Scariot, where people from those bands resided before moving on. This is some really good stuff in the vein of Nevermore, Communic and Control Denied that shouldn’t be overlooked by fans of the style.
Scent of Flesh (brutal/technical death metal, Finland)
This Finnish death metal band split up in 2011, and that’s a shame, because I really love the last album “Deform in Torture” (2007); a piece of pummeling, gruesome death metal filled with riffs and quality songwriting.
Sceptic (death metal, Poland)
Poland is packed with good death metal bands, but Sceptic is a band that’s both different and underrated. Instead of using the usual onslaught of blastbeats, the band looks to 90’s Death to create a more rhythmical, progressive and melodic sound.
Somnent (death/doom metal, Romania)
There’s a lot of emotional and atmospheric music on this list, and here’s some more. Somnent is a really good death/doom band that’s painfully underrated. Fix that by hitting them up!
“Acquiescence”: Spotify | YouTube
Soul of Anubis (sludge metal, Portugal)
Exploring Portugal’s metal scene, I realized that they have their own version of High on Fire. Even better maybe, since Soul of Anubis also explores some progressive territory. They’re also a very solid live act, so see them if you have a chance to.
Terminus (atmospheric metal, United States)
Terminus only released one EP, but damn, it’s a good one! It’s a cool atmospheric take on death/doom with a lot of dynamics, and I wish a follow-up would arrive at some point.
The Curse (old school death metal, Sweden)
From the ashes of Kaamos (also on this list) comes The Curse. Not overly much has changed which is nice; The Curse delivers quality old school death metal with riffs, atmosphere and hooks.
The Wounded (gothic metal, Netherlands)
The Wounded is one of the most underrated metal bands out there in any category. This Dutch gothic metal band does take its time between releases, explaining the relatively small fan base, but the music is truly amazing. If you’re looking for heartbreaking gothic metal, this is the band for you!
Thence (progressive metal, Finland)
I couldn’t believe “We Are Left With a Song” when I found it. How could such an insanely amazing album be so obscure? It’s some of the atmospheric, emotional music I’ve ever found, and it also sounds pretty damn original.
Throes of Dawn (progressive metal, Finland)
This band might be slightly too well-known for this list, but to me it’s unbelievable that Throes of Dawn is not one of the biggest dark metal bands in Finland. All their albums are good, but “Our Voices Shall Remain” (2016) has slowly grown to an all-time favorite.
Torture Division (death metal, Sweden)
Torture Division featured some Swedish extreme metal superstars like Lord K and Jörgen Sandström, but I still feel that the project is a bit overlooked today. Some of the band’s songs really slay hard, especially the early ones before it became a bit too much of a parody.
Usipian (death metal, Denmark)
These Danish riff-masters only made one album, which is one of my top death metal albums ever. Just like Infinitum, it seems that were few people are aware of just how good Usipian is. If you like any form of death metal, give them a shot!
Vituperation (melodic death metal, Sweden)
Sadly, this Swedish melodeath band only got one EP out before disbanding, but it’s a really fun listen and the guitar-work is very tasty. Give the band a shot, it’s probably the least know band on this list.
Voidian (sludge metal, Belgium)
Sludge and post metal is a bit overlooked in this list, but here’s a good tip: Belgium’s Voidian. I found the 2020 debut really cool, landing somewhere between Neurosis and stoner metal in style.
Within the Fall (melodic death/doom metal, Sweden)
Since this is deathdoom.com, it’s fitting to end the list with a death/doom metal band, right? Within the Fall is a melodic death/doom metal band from Karlstad, Sweden that’s been around since 2010. If you enjoy melancholic Scandinavian metal, the band is 100 % for you!
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