A musical sub genre of death metal, which in turn is also a sub genre of metal as a whole. It started during the early 90's, and began to really take off by the mid 90's, when many pioneering bands of the style would release some of their best work. Many credit Carcass as the band that invented this style, and various bands from Sweden (In Flames, Dark Tranquility, At the Gates) would be credited as pioneers of the "Gothenberg sound", which came to be dominant in the genre later on.
Melodic death metal can best be described as a mixture of the melody/progression from NWOBHM and thrash metal bands, and the sheer brutality of traditional death metal. Vocals are usually growled/shrieked, but clean vocals are used as well. Lots of guitar harmonies are used, along with aggressive riffs and drumming. There is even use of acoustic guitar as well. Sheer ass-kickery at it's finest!
In the early 2000's and more recent years, this style would greatly influence many American metalcore bands. The style has continued to develop in Europe as well.
Melodic death metal can best be described as a mixture of the melody/progression from NWOBHM and thrash metal bands, and the sheer brutality of traditional death metal. Vocals are usually growled/shrieked, but clean vocals are used as well. Lots of guitar harmonies are used, along with aggressive riffs and drumming. There is even use of acoustic guitar as well. Sheer ass-kickery at it's finest!
In the early 2000's and more recent years, this style would greatly influence many American metalcore bands. The style has continued to develop in Europe as well.
In Flames, Dark Tranquility, At the Gates, Arch Enemy, Kalmah - all great melodic death metal bands!
by FlightofIcarus September 14, 2009
Get the Melodic death metal mug.Possibly one of the greatest Sub-Genres in all of Heavy Metal. It combines the brutality, low guitar and bass tunings, complex and fast drumming, guttural vocals (while usually higher pitched than in normal Death Metal) with focus more on melody and harmony more than brutality. Electric guitars typically have complex rhythm, structure and riffs to them and combine low riffing, palm muting and power chords with "mini-solo" like parts that involve higher notes and odd note groupings. The genre started in the early 90's and has spanned from there. Some great/notable bands including a song are:
Carcass: Heartwork
Arch Enemy: Bury Me An Angel
In Flames: Jester's Script Transfigured
Dark Tranquility: Punish My Heaven
At The Gates: The Swarm
Dethklok: Laser Cannon Deth Sentence
Children Of Bodom: Every Time I Die
Amon Amarth: War Of The Gods
The Duskfall: Shoot It In
Callenish Circle: Suffer My Disbelief
Carcass: Heartwork
Arch Enemy: Bury Me An Angel
In Flames: Jester's Script Transfigured
Dark Tranquility: Punish My Heaven
At The Gates: The Swarm
Dethklok: Laser Cannon Deth Sentence
Children Of Bodom: Every Time I Die
Amon Amarth: War Of The Gods
The Duskfall: Shoot It In
Callenish Circle: Suffer My Disbelief
Hey wanna go see Arch Enemy? Michael Amott is the master of Melodic Death Metal!
Melodic Death Metal bands are so talented.
Melodic Death Metal bands are so talented.
by Inster Pseudoym Here May 31, 2011
Get the Melodic Death Metal mug.Related Words
A variation on death metal, also known as "Melodeath." Bands in this genre seem to have borrowed many of the traits of thrash, and combined them with classical death metal. For instance, these bands tend to have longer songs, more guitar melody/solos, and much more diverse lyrics. Blast beats are used, but not quite as often as they are in the more classical style of death metal. Vocals tend to be a mixture of the higher black-metal-style growls and the lower death-metal-style ones. Some of the newer bands have even been making limited use use of clean vocals (i.e., Profane Omen, Absence, Chimaira). As far as the mood...this style tends to be a lot less doomy than black metal (i.e., more lively, and not so depressing).
It can be argued that this style began with the band Carcass and their release of the album called "Heartwork." Carcass was originally more of a Grindcore-type band, but slowly refined their style, and progressed into a more and more melodic form of metal, until "melodic death metal" or "melodeath" was born. Since then, hundreds of bands have come about exhibiting many of the same qualities, such as In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy, Fear My Thoughts, Shadow, Light This City, The Autumn Offering, etc.
It can be argued that this style began with the band Carcass and their release of the album called "Heartwork." Carcass was originally more of a Grindcore-type band, but slowly refined their style, and progressed into a more and more melodic form of metal, until "melodic death metal" or "melodeath" was born. Since then, hundreds of bands have come about exhibiting many of the same qualities, such as In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy, Fear My Thoughts, Shadow, Light This City, The Autumn Offering, etc.
by earthwormzim December 24, 2008
Get the melodic death metal mug.A beautiful blonde blue eyed girl
She's funny and a bit of a smart ass
This person like to be loved by all and is loved by all that meet her
She has a very sweet and innocent side almost child like but that's only looks she is really a funny and tom boy like loves all sports motorbike riding shooting etc yet has the looks and hight to be a model . All who come in contact with a Melodey will be glad she is there friend you will never have a dull moment with her around you .
She's funny and a bit of a smart ass
This person like to be loved by all and is loved by all that meet her
She has a very sweet and innocent side almost child like but that's only looks she is really a funny and tom boy like loves all sports motorbike riding shooting etc yet has the looks and hight to be a model . All who come in contact with a Melodey will be glad she is there friend you will never have a dull moment with her around you .
Melodey is hot
by Love80 November 9, 2014
Get the melodey mug.A person who will always get to the point and hates too many details. It wont interest her - AT ALL. Will listen and hear things that you wont even have to say out loud. She naturally understands people and accepts them. Even the weird and different. Has extreamly high ambition and morality but wont force any on anyone else.
Loves to flirt. Is Beautiful. Gets lots of attention. Good to bring to any party.
Loves cartoon characters and she will ALWAYS be a big kid herself !
Very girly/ good at fashion but will still play video games and play wrestle now and again. Has a million followers.
DONT EVER EVER argue with a Meladie.
Shes right. YOUR wrong. End of story.
It doesnt matter if you had a point , she has ten reasons why your one reason doesnt work. AND even if its not logical - comming from HER its the most Intelligent and believable thing you have EVER heard in your life! She is lawyer material.
Just shutup.
Shes right.
Your wrong.
Everyones happy.
Or at least you will be...shes very loving and forgiving and fun to be around. So DONT waste time argueing! Go to that party or that mall. Where theres a Mel theres a new adventure!
Loves to flirt. Is Beautiful. Gets lots of attention. Good to bring to any party.
Loves cartoon characters and she will ALWAYS be a big kid herself !
Very girly/ good at fashion but will still play video games and play wrestle now and again. Has a million followers.
DONT EVER EVER argue with a Meladie.
Shes right. YOUR wrong. End of story.
It doesnt matter if you had a point , she has ten reasons why your one reason doesnt work. AND even if its not logical - comming from HER its the most Intelligent and believable thing you have EVER heard in your life! She is lawyer material.
Just shutup.
Shes right.
Your wrong.
Everyones happy.
Or at least you will be...shes very loving and forgiving and fun to be around. So DONT waste time argueing! Go to that party or that mall. Where theres a Mel theres a new adventure!
by youngboyyzzz October 3, 2018
Get the meladie mug.Is one of the greatest D&B DJ in the UK, the name was made by putting 2 random words together, they were: MELODy and VisonIZE
by Robert Leigh Adams December 1, 2006
Get the melodize mug.by Not titi feli October 15, 2019
Get the Meljodie mug.