Best Symphonic Black Metal Bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Cradle of Filth 1991, United Kingdom Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Cruelty and the Beast (1998) #75 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #110 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #154
2	Dimmu Borgir 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997) #550 Stormblåst (1996) #1185 Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001) #1426
3	Emperor 1991, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	In the Nightside Eclipse (1994) #48 Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (1997) #313 IX Equilibrium (1999) #1475
4	Summoning 1993, Austria Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Dol Guldur (1997) #255 Stronghold (1999) #413 Old Mornings Dawn (2013) #537
5	Anorexia Nervosa 1995, France Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Drudenhaus (2000) #128 Redemption Process (2004) #809 New Obscurantis Order (2001) #1116
6	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #362 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2085 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3453
7	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #419 Scourge of Malice (2001) #627 Engraved in Black (2003) #5399
8	Obtained Enslavement 1989, Norway Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Witchcraft (1997) #450 Soulblight (1998) #2268 The Shepherd and the Hounds of Hell (2000) #8947
9	閃靈 (Chthonic) 1995, Taiwan Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	高砂軍 (Takasago Army) (2011) #551 賽德克巴萊 (Seediq Bale) (2005) #3117 武德 (Bu-Tik) (2013) #4494
10	Illnath 2000, Denmark Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Cast Into Fields of Evil Pleasure (2003) #1236 Angelic Voices Calling (2001) [EP] #3642 Three Nights in the Sewers of Sodom (2009) [Demo]
11	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #218 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #589 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1034
12	Carach Angren 2003, Netherlands Symphonic Black Metal	Lammendam (2008) #3490 Death Came Through a Phantom Ship (2010) #6218 Ethereal Veiled Existance (2005) [EP]
13	Covenant 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal	Nexus Polaris (1998) #628 In Times Before the Light (1996) #3834 From the Storm of Shadows (1994) [Demo]
14	Aquilus Australia Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Griseus (2011) #869 Bellum II (2024) Bellum I (2021) #6821
15	Old Man's Child 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	Revelation 666: Curse of Damnation (2000) #2742 Vermin (2005) #6268 In Defiance of Existence (2003) #6319
16	Starkill 2012, United States Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Power Metal	Fires of Life (2013) #3821 Virus of the Mind (2014) #8729 Shadow Sleep (2016)
17	Dismal Euphony 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Autumn Leaves - The Rebellion of Tides (1997) #1107 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4381 Python Zero (2001)
18	The Bishop of Hexen 1994, Israel Symphonic Black Metal	The Nightmarish Compositions (2006) #2367 Ancient Hymns of Legends & Lore (1996) [Demo] Archives of an Enchanted Philosophy (1997) #6923
19	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3800 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5830 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6935
20	Limbonic Art 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	Volume I-IV (2001) [Compilation] In Abhorrence Dementia (1997) #6365 Opus Daemoniacal (2024)
21	Samael 1987, Switzerland Black Metal, Industrial Metal, Electronic	Passage (1996) #1567 Solar Soul (2007) #2163 Ceremony of Opposites (1994) #2164
22	Alghazanth 1995, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	The Three-Faced Pilgrim (2013) Vinum Intus (2011) #2683 Wreath of Thevetat (2008) #4186
23	Shade Empire 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Anti-Life Saviour (2017) [Single] Omega Arcane (2013) #357 Poetry of the Ill-Minded (2017) #826
24	Die Apokalyptischen Reiter 1995, Germany Death Metal, Folk Metal, Heavy Metal	Soft and Stronger (1997) #6902 Have a Nice Trip (2003) #7224 All You Need Is Love (2000) #7909
25	Serenity in Murder 2009, Japan Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	The Highest of Dystopia (2015) #2271 The First Frisson of the World (2011) #2550 The Eclipse (2017) #2610
26	Deathcode Society 2009, France Symphonic Black Metal	Ite Missa Est (2009) [EP] #2790 Eschatonizer (2015) #3437 Unlightenment (2023)
27	Diabolical Masquerade Sweden Melodic Black Metal, Progressive Metal	Nightwork (1998) #1306 Ravendusk in My Heart (1996) #6034 Death's Design (2001) #7976
28	Stormlord 1991, Italy Symphonic Black Metal	Mare Nostrum (2008) Hesperia (2013) The Curse of Medusa (2002) [EP]
29	Enid 1997, Germany Symphonic Black Metal	Abschiedsreigen (2000) #922 Seelenspiegel (2002) Nachtgedanken (1999)
30	Elffor 1995, Spain Symphonic Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	The Black Sentinel (2023) The Crescent Moon Palace (2024) Where the Damned Dwells (2022) #2456
31	Obscurcis Romancia 1998, Canada Symphonic Black Metal	Theatre of Deception (2012) #2876 Le Règne Du Seigneur De Perdition (2001) [Demo] Obscurcis Romancia (2003) [EP]
32	Tvangeste Russia Symphonic Black Metal	Damnation of Regiomontum (2000) #4930 Firestorm (2004) #8487 Blood Dreams (1997) [Single]
33	Abigail Williams 2004, United States Melodic Black Metal, Deathcore, Atmospheric Black Metal	Walk Beyond the Dark (2019) #3538 In the Absence of Light (2010) #6300 In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns (2008) #6840
34	Bal-Sagoth 1989, United Kingdom Symphonic Metal, Epic Black Metal	Battle Magic (1998) #7249 Atlantis Ascendant (2001) #7401 The Chthonic Chronicles (2006)
35	Dragonlord 2000, United States Symphonic Black Metal	Dominion (2018) #4819 Black Wings of Destiny (2005) #7652 Rapture (2001)
36	Hollenthon Austria Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Domus Mundi (1999) #7733 Opus Magnum (2008) #8186 With Vilest of Worms to Dwell (2001)
37	Anthelion 2001, Taiwan Symphonic Black Metal	Bloodshed Rebefallen (2007) #3875 Manjusaka (2010) [EP] Bloodstained Anthelion (2004) [EP]
38	Agathodaimon 1995, Germany Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Phoenix (2009) Blacken the Angel (1998) #6456 Serpent's Embrace (2004)
39	Tyrant Japan Symphonic Black Metal	Under the Dark Mystic Sky (1997) Legend (2002) #5063 Grimoires (2005)
40	Meridies 2015, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Death Metal	건축무한육면각체 (Architectonic Infinite Cube) (2020) Frustatim (2016) [Split] On a Submerged Islet (2015) #5935
41	Atritas Switzerland Symphonic Black Metal	Celestial Decay (2009) Where Witches Burnt (2004) #7812 Medium Antigod (2007)
42	Nokturnal Mortum 1994, Ukraine Symphonic Black Metal, Folk Metal	Голос Сталі (The Voice of Steel) (2009) #924 Істина (2017) #2440 Weltanschauung (2005)
43	Pestilent Hex 2017, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	The Ashen Abhorrence (2022) #4301 Sorceries of Sanguine & Shadow (2024) Through Mirrors Beyond (2024) [Single]
44	Obsidian Gate Germany Symphonic Black Metal	The Nightspectral Voyage (1999) Colossal Christhunt (2001) #8109 The Vehemence (2002) [EP]
45	Rotting Christ 1987, Greece Melodic Black Metal, Grindcore, Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Their Greatest Spells (2018) [Compilation] Thy Mighty Contract (1993) #1734 Theogonia (2007) #2316
46	Mental Cruelty 2015, Germany Deathcore	A Hill to Die Upon (2021) King ov Fire (2021) [Single] Purgatorium (2018)
47	Gratzug 2011, Germany Black Metal	V: Meyster (2016) #4246 Mondtore (2012) #8296 Pestabtei (2011) [Demo]
48	Battlelore 1999, Finland Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal	Third Age of the Sun (2005) #4686 Sword's Song (2003) #5401 Evernight (2007) #6085
49	...And Oceans 1995, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Industrial Metal	The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts (1998) #6060 As in Gardens, So in Tombs (2023) #7155 Cosmic World Mother (2020) #8341
50	Abhor 1995, Italy Black Metal	Ab Luna Lucenti, Ab Noctua Protecti (2011) #3514 Occulta Religio (2018) Ritualia Stramonium (2015)

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