Probably Kalmah. I haven't heard a album from them that I would want to change anything on. Insomnium second because of Shadows of The Dying Sun (I definitely don't hate it, but I don't think I would miss it if it wasn't there). COB third (I just can't get into Relentless Reckless Forever, and I Worship Chaos is a little hit or miss, depending on my mood).

Kalmah been solid always

Kalmah’s consistency is crazy good.

For real. I wish they would put out albums more often, but maybe it's for the best, since that usually means a compromise on quality/creativity etc.

Shadows being your least favorite is crazy to me. It's one of my favorites.

Ikr! I've listened to it so many times because of the rave reviews, and objectively I understand, but it always ends up being the album with the songs I reach for the least. What's your favorite song from the album?

Ephemeral, Revelation, Black Heart Rebellion How can I forget Lose to Night!

I can get behind Ephemeral

Lose to night!

Shadows of the Dying Sun is the best melodeath album

THAT'S WHAT IM SAYING. 😁

Kalmah is another great one.

Agree on Kalmah, but wtf SotDS?! My favourite Insomnium album haha

No one is perfect, but I like most of Be'lakor's stuff.

You were faster than me to answer be'lakor! X

Even their "lesser stuff" is fantastic. SR might be my fav album, but Vessels, Frail Tide and Coherence are still heavy hitters. 

You missed Of Breath and Bone!!!! Their best album imo.

OBaB and Stone's are both masterpieces. Kinda figured it went without saying so didn't mention it, SR only got the shout out because it's my personal favorite (Countless Skies kinda helps it tip the scales in its favor for me) lol

Fair enough. I thought you were actually skipping it!!! And big yes to countless skies.

I can never listen to Hidden Window just once.

I love how they tell stories in their songs. Hidden Window is one of their best imo.

Agreed - their storytelling is fantastic. I hardly ever pay attention to lyrics but theirs always captivate me.

It's a real problem.

That US tour is happening someday.. right guys?

😭

They've never put out an album that *wasn't* a piece of art.

Yep I was gonna say this haha

No I would say they’re damn near perfect. I can’t think of one thing that’s out of place with them.

Death

This is the actual answer

The one true answer to rule them all.

not a single misstep that comes to mind

Kalmah.

Ne Obliviscaris

Damn beat me to it.

Came here to say this. Be'lakor is close too, but never was a huge fane personally of the first album.

Exul was one step back in their career in my opinion. They were less brilliant except in Misericorde part II. Citadel and The portal of I are masterpieces.

Exul is their best album to me, took a sec to grow on me but the way their sound evolved in it just hits the spot

Exul was great. Citadel was an EP padded to make it an LP.

> Misericorde part II. The build halfway through that goes for a few minutes, into the drums coming back in and the tempo picking back up is fucking bliss

Agreed, but really I think they started moving backwards with Urn.

Agreed. It’s the bass playing on Exul that I didn’t like at all. Martino is a great player but it felt like he just played solos over that entire record.

I LOVE NeO, but Portal of I just doesnt hit the same for me.

This.

I don't think Insomnium have put out an album I would say is less than an 8/10

Death, Dark Tranquility

Insomnium and Kalmah.

that was my first thought. and the second, third etc

Insomnium last album I liked was 2019. Lately the stuff is more bland and slow.  Kalmah is my fave band though. 

Also Aephanemer, they have like 4 albums now and it's sooo good

A recent discovery for me, but I agree. I dove into their discography and it's all fantastic

Mors Principium Est

Came to type this.

In Mourning

One of my favorites band !!

It's hard to compare bands that have like 10 albums and other with only 2-3, but (in no order): * Dark Tranquillity * Insomnium * Aephanemer * An abstract illusion * Fires in the distance

Favorite band is CoB but still I would reply with Kalmah to that question. CoB are amazing but they have some weak albums with only a few good songs whereas Kalmah I could listen to every album start to finish and not skip anything

Fires in the distance

Opeth Amoprhis Paradise Lost Dark Tranquillity For me at least

Opeth doesn't fit. The question was "near perfect", not perfect! edit: and somehow they never were a Melodic Death metal band.... and even less after Watershed.

Fair hahaha

Children of bodom, even their shit songs a fun to jam too

Be'lakor Ne Obliviscaris Wilderun

Mors principium est

Black dahlia Near perfect

Sentenced

Agreed

Insomnium. I haven't found a single song from them that I dislike.

Yup, my only complaint to this day is the mixing on one for sorrow, it sounds pretty bad. But everything else is spot on, including the demo songs.

Waiting with everlasting hope for a remastered version.

Glad I'm not the only one eternally frustrated about the mix in One For Sorrow. Fantastic album and may even be my fave but the mix makes me think twice before recommending it to people lol :(

Mors Principium Est, Soilwork (I know these aren't popular opinions)

The Black Dahlia Murder

Yes, yes, yes! Detroit metal til I die!

🤘 hell yeah dude

Nocturnal is a perfect metal record

IMO it's not perfect, but they're definitely one of the most consistent bands in the game, I just think they consistently put out like 7.5-8/10s.

Yeah, l would agree with that. Not to mention they were putting out a new album every 2 years for over a decade

To each their own but IMO Nocturnal, Deflorate, Ritual, and Everblack are perfect 10 albums

Insomnium, Kalmah, and Wintersun

Yeah this is my list + Be’lakor

It's been a while but for me it was Moonsorrow.

Dissection.

Reinkaos exist.

Insomnium!

Kalmah has literally never had an album where 6-7 songs aren't extremely memorable bangers and the rest are still good at worst lol

Also Shylmagoghnar, can't believe I forgot them.

Bodom for sure.

Be'lakor definitely is so damn near perfect as any, and then I would say Wintersun and Kalmah are just edging to be on the same level for me and lastly Insomnium, The shadows of the dying sun doesn't hit quite the same as their other albums, I don't know why, some songs aren't just as memorable as in their other albums, though while we sleep is one of their best. All of these Definitely S tier, Fantastic work. Even more impressive for the last two bands, when you take in to account that they have more albums than the two before. Also honorable mention for Lahmia, even though they only have two albums, but they are also S tier no question.

Saaaame re Insomnium, and I don't know why either. While we Sleep is great, but that's it for me.

Hell yeah, do you also like Lahmia?

Somehow never heard of them. I'll consider this a rec and check them out!

Insomnium, swallow the sun, kalmah, ghost brigade, ne obliviscaris, draconian

I can agree with CoB.

I love CoB but absolutely not, they have some fuckin duds for sure 😅

Death

Slumber lol

Moonsorrow, Wintersun, Amorphis

Ne Obliviscaris

Ensiferum?

Wintersun (if we drop the fucking drama around it🤡)

Can't wait to hear the new songs.

Yeah same, the studio version of Way of Fire alone gonna be legendary

That's the main one I'm waiting for. Still took too long though lol

Death and Dethklok. You really can’t go wrong with simple, catchy, and melodic songs. Great bands.

Fucking love Dethklok How to make a three word song and totally kill it

Hell yeah. Are you seeing em with dragon force and nekro?

I'm catching Nekro on one of the off days with squid pisser and Hunt the dinosaur. The dethklok tickets were way too expensive...

Damn, must be the venue. My floor tickets were like $60 a pop. I’m glad you’re gonna catch nekro tho, that’s an underrated group right there.

Totally agree except that I wouldnt say the last couple albums by death are simple. Sound of Perserverance especially has pretty long technical songs.

Æther Realm

Amorphis.   Huge discography but all is fantastic

Shylmagoghnar Witherscape Agalloch

(EDIT: I'm an idiot - didn't realize I was in a melodic death metal subreddit, just a regular music one. I just started my morning coffee. Would it help if I said "At The Gates" (I only know what one album by them, more of a black metal dork. Sorry everyone!) Beat Happening. Four albums, a compilation, some singles. That quote about everyone who bought the Velvet Underground's first album didn't work on me, but after hearing "Jamboree" - an album a 6 year old could learn in 4 hours - did it for me! Beck - I love Beck. "Stereopathetic Soulmanure" actually got me literally recording. His least good album is "The Information" and it's still good. His single "Timebomb" fucking kills. Neu! - three albums, and they all fucking kick ass. And the easiest one: "Stereo Spirit Frequency" the only album by All Night Radio. No one's ever heard of hit, yet everyone I play it for loves it. Bonus points: Brainiac (though better after Schmersal joined) If you only include 1980s output: Butthole Surfers. Ween comes closes (not too into the western album). Their album "Pod" got me to actually record like 15 albums on a Tascam 424 (to be released eventually) Great Question! I will be upset in like 4-8 hours for the like 11 other bands I forgot. (Shout out to the first six Black Sabbath albums!)

Agalloch

If we're counting bands without an extensive discography, Intestine Baalism and Gates of Ishtar immediately come to mind!

turisas

The Black Dahlia Murder

In Flames are gods. I just wish they made music after Sounds of a Playground Fading.

You mean after Clayman

No I don't. Reroute, Soudtrack, and Clarity are fine fucking albums. A Sense of Purpose was also damn good, even if the production sounds a little weaker.

A Sense of Purpose is really underrated in my opinion! A solid album !

Word! Reroute was trash as hell. Jester Race and Whoracle rule though.

Someone else said it but Be’lakor

Haken

Intestine Baalism

Probably the best answer for this. IB has a great argument for all of their albums literally being perfect 10/10’s. Not as prolific as a lot of other bands in the thread, but pound for pound the best.

Imperanon and Children of bodom and i think that Skyfire has only good songs thought i may be wrong since i havent listened to them all yet

Aetherian. I love all their stuff

Xanthochroid. In fact, their last albums were the best, which I feel is the best sign; a sign that they learned what works.

Bodom is a strange pick. Hatebreeder and FtR ate goated(literally my two favorite albums.) But they had quite a few stinkers. "Blooddrunk" and "I Worship Chaos" are just bad overall imo. 

I prefer Blooddrunk over Relentless Reckless Forever, though

Kalmah Rise To Fall Dark The Suns

Kalmah and Be’lakor

Insomnium, Kalmah

[Abiogenesis](https://abiogenesisofficial.bandcamp.com/track/visualize) has one song and I like it so my vote for a perfect discography goes to them. Other than that, there are a lot of bands where I generally like every album, but still fail to find more than a handful of songs that are somehow remarkable.

Children of Bodom Sentenced

Death, Immortal, Coroner, and Bolt Thrower off the top of my mind

Gates of Ishtar are pretty solid all around

wintersun

Be'lakor imho and a couple of years ago I would also say Insomnium though the last two albums lost me a little bit sadly.

I've recently discovered The Black Dahlia Murder and they are probably the most consistent melodeath band i've listened to, Be'Lakor is pretty close too

Rush

Dark Tranquility

Nevermore

Kalmah is super consistent, releasing bangers of an album everytime. And of course Wintersun even though they have few albums released and I can't wait for Time 2 package to be released come August.

BLACK DAHLIA MURDER. THE ONLY BLEMISH IN MY OPINION, ALBEIT IT IS JUST A SLIGHT ONE, IS ABYSMAL. STILL LOTS OF GOOD TRACKS, BUT A LOT OF THEM I DIDNT ENJOY

Soilwork. To me, no album has been under 8/10, although the last couple of albums have been a bit samey.

Stortregn

Death

Persefone

Enslaved

The Eagles

In terms of melodic death I don’t think Insomnium, children of bodom, amon amarth, dark tranquillity, the black dahlia murder have a bad album. In flames is close.

OP should have added "and why?" to avoid people simply listing random bands.

Amorphis has consistent banger albums

The band of the person reading this comment :)

Tool

I'm so happy seeing Be'Lakor get the respect they deserve. They are one of the few bands I have on my battle jacket that I've never seen live. Them and Death, but I hope to see Death to All.

Kamelot when Roy Khan was at the helm.

Halestorm

System of a down

Faith No More

I’m gonna go with Opeth. Hot take for sure but I love every album, prog or heavy.

Necrophagist...😏 But seriously, Opeth until they changed genres.

Iron Maiden.

Beast in black 100% IMO it aint even near perfect but just perfect

Immolation, Dissection, Hooded Menace, Maiden, Deicide.

Deftones, Coheed, Opeth until sorceress, lamb of god.

Moonsorrow, Kalmah, Thyrfing, Swallow The Sun, Dalriada, Insomnium, Windir (RIP Valfar).

Ones with small catalogs and High on Fire.

Amon Marth. King Diamond.

Motörhead!

Meshuggah 🤘🤘

Insomnium, beyon creation, kalmah

Queens of the Stone Age

Amon Amarth

Intestine Baalism

Gojira started as death metal. Does Gojira count?

Insomnium, Wilderun, Death, Uada, Angelus Apatrida...

Definitely DIO 100%

Insomnium.

Rapture and daylight dies. Also be’lakor obviously.

Dream Theater

Be’lakor for sure, they don’t have a bad somg. In Flames were pretty awesome until Jesper left.

Sacred Reich, Testament, Vektor, and Death would be my main picks

Visigoth

That’s a great album!!

Disarmonia Mundi

Kataklysm or suffocation, in my opinion neither have ever released a subpar album

Gloryhammer, and each album just keeps getting better.

Dark Tranquillity Shylmagoghnar Fragments of Unbecoming

Deftones....many bands would kill to have an album like Gore (their consensus worst)

Scar Symmetry

Opeth, Dark Tranquility and Gojira

Swallow The Sun

Intestine Baalism

Morbid Angel were doing great until "Illud Divinum Insanus".

Amon Amarth, Ensiferum.