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) #73 Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996) #140 V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996) [EP] #170
2	Dimmu Borgir 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997) #685 Stormblåst (1996) #1060 Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001) #1313
3	Emperor 1991, Norway Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	In the Nightside Eclipse (1994) #41 Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (1997) #403 Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise (2001) #1458
4	Summoning 1993, Austria Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Dol Guldur (1997) #244 Stronghold (1999) #355 Old Mornings Dawn (2013) #502
5	Anorexia Nervosa 1995, France Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Drudenhaus (2000) #111 Redemption Process (2004) #767 New Obscurantis Order (2001) #1093
6	Dark Mirror ov Tragedy 2003, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Lord ov Shadows (2018) #388 The Pregnant of Despair (2009) #2020 The Lunatic Chapters of Heavenly Creatures (2014) #3270
7	Graveworm 1992, Italy Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	As the Angels Reach the Beauty (1999) #427 Scourge of Malice (2001) #602 Engraved in Black (2003) #5056
8	閃靈 (Chthonic) 1995, Taiwan Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	高砂軍 (Takasago Army) (2011) #523 賽德克巴萊 (Seediq Bale) (2005) #2972 武德 (Bu-Tik) (2013) #4909
9	Illnath 2000, Denmark Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Cast Into Fields of Evil Pleasure (2003) #1383 Angelic Voices Calling (2001) [EP] #3449 Three Nights in the Sewers of Sodom (2009) [Demo]
10	Obtained Enslavement 1989, Norway Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Witchcraft (1997) #498 Soulblight (1998) #4325 The Shepherd and the Hounds of Hell (2000) #8378
11	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #228 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #628 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1074
12	Carach Angren 2003, Netherlands Symphonic Black Metal	Lammendam (2008) #3296 Death Came Through a Phantom Ship (2010) #5156 Ethereal Veiled Existance (2005) [EP]
13	Aquilus Australia Atmospheric Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Griseus (2011) #679 Bellum II (2024) Bellum I (2021) #6398
14	Covenant 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal	Nexus Polaris (1998) #705 In Times Before the Light (1996) #3622 From the Storm of Shadows (1994) [Demo]
15	Old Man's Child 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	Revelation 666: Curse of Damnation (2000) #2736 Vermin (2005) #5432 In Defiance of Existence (2003) #5913
16	Starkill 2012, United States Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Power Metal	Fires of Life (2013) #3664 Virus of the Mind (2014) #8181 Shadow Sleep (2016)
17	Dismal Euphony 1992, Norway Melodic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Autumn Leaves - The Rebellion of Tides (1997) #1079 Soria Moria Slott (1996) #4143 Python Zero (2001)
18	The Bishop of Hexen 1994, Israel Symphonic Black Metal	The Nightmarish Compositions (2006) #2194 Ancient Hymns of Legends & Lore (1996) [Demo] Archives of an Enchanted Philosophy (1997) #6497
19	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3596 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5641 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6509
20	Limbonic Art 1993, Norway Symphonic Black Metal	Volume I-IV (2001) [Compilation] In Abhorrence Dementia (1997) #5974 Ad Noctum - Dynasty of Death (1999) #6137
21	Samael 1987, Switzerland Black Metal, Industrial Metal, Electronic	Passage (1996) #1514 Ceremony of Opposites (1994) #1619 Solar Soul (2007) #2094
22	Shade Empire 1999, Finland Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	Anti-Life Saviour (2017) [Single] Omega Arcane (2013) #322 Poetry of the Ill-Minded (2017) #779
23	Die Apokalyptischen Reiter 1995, Germany Death Metal, Folk Metal, Heavy Metal	Soft and Stronger (1997) #6470 Have a Nice Trip (2003) #6791 All You Need Is Love (2000) #7393
24	Serenity in Murder 2009, Japan Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal	The Highest of Dystopia (2015) #2183 The First Frisson of the World (2011) #2459 The Eclipse (2017) #2520
25	Alghazanth 1995, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal	The Three-Faced Pilgrim (2013) Vinum Intus (2011) #2574 Wreath of Thevetat (2008) #3961
26	Deathcode Society 2009, France Symphonic Black Metal	Ite Missa Est (2009) [EP] #2663 Eschatonizer (2015) #3262 Unlightenment (2023)
27	Diabolical Masquerade Sweden Melodic Black Metal, Progressive Metal	Nightwork (1998) #1240 Ravendusk in My Heart (1996) #5673 Death's Design (2001) #7450
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) #882 Seelenspiegel (2002) Nachtgedanken (1999)
30	Obscurcis Romancia 1998, Canada Symphonic Black Metal	Theatre of Deception (2012) #2739 Le Règne Du Seigneur De Perdition (2001) [Demo] Obscurcis Romancia (2003) [EP]
31	Tvangeste Russia Symphonic Black Metal	Damnation of Regiomontum (2000) #4636 Firestorm (2004) #7946 Blood Dreams (1997) [Single]
32	Abigail Williams 2004, United States Melodic Black Metal, Deathcore, Atmospheric Black Metal	Walk Beyond the Dark (2019) #3344 In the Absence of Light (2010) #5902 In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns (2008) #6411
33	Hollenthon Austria Death Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Domus Mundi (1999) #7534 Opus Magnum (2008) #7662 With Vilest of Worms to Dwell (2001)
34	Elffor 1995, Spain Symphonic Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	The Black Sentinel (2023) Where the Damned Dwells (2022) #2383 Unblessed Woods (2006)
35	Bal-Sagoth 1989, United Kingdom Symphonic Metal, Epic Black Metal	Battle Magic (1998) Atlantis Ascendant (2001) #6950 The Chthonic Chronicles (2006)
36	Anthelion 2001, Taiwan Symphonic Black Metal	Bloodshed Rebefallen (2007) #3661 Manjusaka (2010) [EP] Bloodstained Anthelion (2004) [EP]
37	Agathodaimon 1995, Germany Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Phoenix (2009) Blacken the Angel (1998) #6056 Serpent's Embrace (2004)
38	Tyrant Japan Symphonic Black Metal	Under the Dark Mystic Sky (1997) Legend (2002) #4753 Grimoires (2005)
39	Meridies 2015, Korea Symphonic Black Metal, Death Metal	건축무한육면각체 (Architectonic Infinite Cube) (2020) Frustatim (2016) [Split] On a Submerged Islet (2015) #5577
40	Nokturnal Mortum 1994, Ukraine Pagan Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Folk Metal	Голос Сталі (The Voice of Steel) (2009) #546 Істина (2017) #2366 Weltanschauung (2005)
41	Dragonlord 2000, United States Symphonic Black Metal	Black Wings of Destiny (2005) Dominion (2018) #6906 Rapture (2001)
42	Obsidian Gate Germany Symphonic Black Metal	The Nightspectral Voyage (1999) Colossal Christhunt (2001) #7582 The Vehemence (2002) [EP]
43	Rotting Christ 1987, Greece Melodic Black Metal, Grindcore, Gothic Metal, Death Metal	Their Greatest Spells (2018) [Compilation] Thy Mighty Contract (1993) #2056 Theogonia (2007) #2232
44	Gratzug 2011, Germany Black Metal	V: Meyster (2016) #4029 Mondtore (2012) #7759 Pestabtei (2011) [Demo]
45	Battlelore 1999, Finland Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal	Sword's Song (2003) #3921 Third Age of the Sun (2005) #4411 Evernight (2007) #5719
46	...And Oceans 1995, Finland Symphonic Black Metal, Industrial Metal	The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts (1998) #6053 As in Gardens, So in Tombs (2023) #6725 Cosmic World Mother (2020) #7806
47	Abhor 1995, Italy Black Metal	Ab Luna Lucenti, Ab Noctua Protecti (2011) #3318 Occulta Religio (2018) Ritualia Stramonium (2015)
48	Astaroth Austria Atmospheric Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	Violent Soundtrack Martyrium (1999) #6842 Sklavengott (1997) Annus Suprimus (2001)
49	Opera IX 1988, Italy Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal	The Call of the Wood (1995) #5756 The Black Opera: Symphoniae Mysteriorum in Laudem Tenebrarum (2000) Maleventum (2002)
50	Ringarë 2004, United States Atmospheric Black Metal	Of Momentous Endless Night (2023) Thrall of Winter's Majesty (2021) Sorrow Befell (2020) [Demo]

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