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) #74 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #112 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #155
2	Dimmu Borgir 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997) #544 Stormblåst (1996) #1183 Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001) #1368
3	Emperor 1991, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	In the Nightside Eclipse (1994) #50 Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (1997) #313 Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise (2001) #1497
4	Summoning 1993, Austria Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Dol Guldur (1997) #255 Stronghold (1999) #410 Old Mornings Dawn (2013) #532
5	Anorexia Nervosa 1995, France Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Drudenhaus (2000) #127 Redemption Process (2004) #803 New Obscurantis Order (2001) #1114
6	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #365 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2080 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3441
7	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #417 Scourge of Malice (2001) #630 Engraved in Black (2003) #5352
8	Obtained Enslavement 1989, Norway Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Witchcraft (1997) #447 Soulblight (1998) #3404 The Shepherd and the Hounds of Hell (2000) #8875
9	閃靈 (Chthonic) 1995, Taiwan Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	高砂軍 (Takasago Army) (2011) #546 賽德克巴萊 (Seediq Bale) (2005) #3109 失竊千年 / Timeless Sentence (2014) [Compilation]
10	Illnath 2000, Denmark Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Cast Into Fields of Evil Pleasure (2003) #1234 Angelic Voices Calling (2001) [EP] #3631 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) #216 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #587 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1025
12	Carach Angren 2003, Netherlands Symphonic Black Metal	Lammendam (2008) #3478 Death Came Through a Phantom Ship (2010) #5453 Ethereal Veiled Existance (2005) [EP]
13	Covenant 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal	Nexus Polaris (1998) #631 In Times Before the Light (1996) #3816 From the Storm of Shadows (1994) [Demo]
14	Aquilus Australia Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Griseus (2011) #865 Bellum II (2024) Bellum I (2021) #6767
15	Old Man's Child 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	Revelation 666: Curse of Damnation (2000) #2737 Vermin (2005) #6215 In Defiance of Existence (2003) #6265
16	Starkill 2012, United States Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Power Metal	Fires of Life (2013) #3805 Virus of the Mind (2014) #8663 Shadow Sleep (2016)
17	Dismal Euphony 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Autumn Leaves - The Rebellion of Tides (1997) #1105 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4344 Python Zero (2001)
18	The Bishop of Hexen 1994, Israel Symphonic Black Metal	The Nightmarish Compositions (2006) #2277 Ancient Hymns of Legends & Lore (1996) [Demo] Archives of an Enchanted Philosophy (1997) #6874
19	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3784 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5782 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6886
20	Limbonic Art 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	Volume I-IV (2001) [Compilation] In Abhorrence Dementia (1997) #6311 Opus Daemoniacal (2024)
21	Samael 1987, Switzerland Black Metal, Industrial Metal, Electronic	Passage (1996) #1559 Solar Soul (2007) #2162 Ceremony of Opposites (1994) #2163
22	Shade Empire 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Anti-Life Saviour (2017) [Single] Omega Arcane (2013) #354 Poetry of the Ill-Minded (2017) #819
23	Die Apokalyptischen Reiter 1995, Germany Death Metal, Folk Metal, Heavy Metal	Soft and Stronger (1997) #6852 Have a Nice Trip (2003) #7172 All You Need Is Love (2000) #7851
24	Serenity in Murder 2009, Japan Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	The Highest of Dystopia (2015) #2266 The First Frisson of the World (2011) #2542 The Eclipse (2017) #2604
25	Alghazanth 1995, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	The Three-Faced Pilgrim (2013) Vinum Intus (2011) #2677 Wreath of Thevetat (2008) #4155
26	Deathcode Society 2009, France Symphonic Black Metal	Ite Missa Est (2009) [EP] #2785 Eschatonizer (2015) #3425 Unlightenment (2023)
27	Diabolical Masquerade Sweden Melodic Black Metal, Progressive Metal	Nightwork (1998) #1294 Ravendusk in My Heart (1996) #5987 Death's Design (2001) #7916
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) #918 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) #2452
31	Obscurcis Romancia 1998, Canada Symphonic Black Metal	Theatre of Deception (2012) #2867 Le Règne Du Seigneur De Perdition (2001) [Demo] Obscurcis Romancia (2003) [EP]
32	Tvangeste Russia Symphonic Black Metal	Damnation of Regiomontum (2000) #4888 Firestorm (2004) #8427 Blood Dreams (1997) [Single]
33	Abigail Williams 2004, United States Melodic Black Metal, Deathcore, Atmospheric Black Metal	Walk Beyond the Dark (2019) #3525 In the Absence of Light (2010) #6248 In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns (2008) #6785
34	Bal-Sagoth 1989, United Kingdom Symphonic Metal, Epic Black Metal	Battle Magic (1998) #7195 Atlantis Ascendant (2001) #7349 The Chthonic Chronicles (2006)
35	Dragonlord 2000, United States Symphonic Black Metal	Dominion (2018) #4776 Black Wings of Destiny (2005) #7598 Rapture (2001)
36	Hollenthon Austria Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Domus Mundi (1999) #7678 Opus Magnum (2008) #8124 With Vilest of Worms to Dwell (2001)
37	Anthelion 2001, Taiwan Symphonic Black Metal	Bloodshed Rebefallen (2007) #3857 Manjusaka (2010) [EP] Bloodstained Anthelion (2004) [EP]
38	Agathodaimon 1995, Germany Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Phoenix (2009) Blacken the Angel (1998) #6404 Serpent's Embrace (2004)
39	Tyrant Japan Symphonic Black Metal	Under the Dark Mystic Sky (1997) Legend (2002) #5017 Grimoires (2005)
40	Meridies 2015, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Death Metal	건축무한육면각체 (Architectonic Infinite Cube) (2020) Frustatim (2016) [Split] On a Submerged Islet (2015) #5888
41	Atritas Switzerland Symphonic Black Metal	Celestial Decay (2009) Where Witches Burnt (2004) #7754 Medium Antigod (2007)
42	Nokturnal Mortum 1994, Ukraine Symphonic Black Metal, Folk Metal	Голос Сталі (The Voice of Steel) (2009) #570 Істина (2017) #2436 Weltanschauung (2005)
43	Pestilent Hex 2017, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	The Ashen Abhorrence (2022) #4270 Sorceries of Sanguine & Shadow (2024) Through Mirrors Beyond (2024) [Single]
44	Obsidian Gate Germany Symphonic Black Metal	The Nightspectral Voyage (1999) Colossal Christhunt (2001) #8045 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) #1727 Theogonia (2007) #2310
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) #4215 Mondtore (2012) #8235 Pestabtei (2011) [Demo]
48	Battlelore 1999, Finland Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal	Third Age of the Sun (2005) #4639 Sword's Song (2003) #5353 Evernight (2007) #6034
49	...And Oceans 1995, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Industrial Metal	The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts (1998) #6011 As in Gardens, So in Tombs (2023) #7101 Cosmic World Mother (2020) #8282
50	Abhor 1995, Italy Black Metal	Ab Luna Lucenti, Ab Noctua Protecti (2011) #3503 Occulta Religio (2018) Ritualia Stramonium (2015)

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