Alongside nu-metal, deathcore has been considered a black sheep of heavy metal. That said, there is no denying the absurd popularity the genre experienced in the early aughts, and the major resurgence it is currently experiencing.
Despite all of the hate, deathcore brought a refreshing take on heavy metal to the masses. It blends the sonic ferocity of death metal with the bounce and pop of metalcore, offering a more approachable take on brutality. There’s a pretty good chance any metalhead who came up in the mid-00s was turned onto the genre through deathcore.
So like our previous takes on death metal, thrash metal, industrial, nu-metal, and grindcore, we now present you the 10 greatest deathcore albums of all time.
Hate – Thy Art Is Murder
Having celebrated its 10-year anniversary back in 2022, Thy Art Is Murder’s Hate is one of the most iconic deathcore albums ever written. Featuring an arsenal of riffs, breakdowns, and insane vocals, Hate makes for a riveting rush of metal brutality. Thy Art Is Murder has released several albums since the record’s release, but without a doubt, Hate continues to stand as the band’s most aggressive and savage-sounding album to date.
Animal – Animosity
Animosity delivered absolutely crushing deathcore in a time when there wasn’t a whole lot happening in the genre. Their opus is easily 2007’s Animal, which not only makes for a kick-ass display of deathcore elements but also makes for one of the more technically intriguing records to come from the genre. Incorporating some math-y and sporadic approaches to pacing and tempo, Animosity offered fans a technically thrilling experience throughout Animal.
We Are Gathered Here Today – Glass Casket
Glass Casket deserves a lot more love in the deathcore space. Though the band has only released a handful of studio albums and EPs, they’ve proven themselves to be an abrasive musical force. When it comes to their releases, We Are Gathered Here Today offers a tactile sonic experience. From rampant drum work to all-out guitar shredding and harsh vocals, the music will cut up any listener spinning the album. It’s a hell of a deathcore record, and it’s cool to see Glass Casket making a comeback in 2023.
The Price of Existence – All Shall Perish
Prior to joining Suicide Silence, Eddie Hermida was fronting All Shall Perish and helped to create one of deathcore’s most memorable albums, The Price of Existence. As a deathcore album, The Price of Existence dips into moments of melodic death metal and other subgenres, making it a relatively more “vibrant” record compared to its contemporaries. But to be clear, those touches of melody in no way chip at the utterly heavy delivery of songs that make up the record. Though they are retired, All Shall Perish will always remain one of deathcore’s best.
Lifeblood – Brand of Sacrifice
Combining the brutality of cult-favorite manga Berserk with forward-thinking deathcore, Brand of Sacrifice is one of the scene’s most important bands today. 2021’s Lifeblood marks a superb leap in quality for the band, not only showcasing the band’s incredible technical performances and songwriting but also one of the most theatrical and epic-sounding albums in modern metal. Considering the years that deathcore has existed, Brand of Sacrifice takes all the elements of the genre and cranks them up to 11 – featuring just how much more diverse and creative the genre can be.
The Cleansing – Suicide Silence
Suicide Silence’s debut LP The Cleansing is arguably the hardest record to come from deathcore, period. There are a lot of heavy deathcore albums, but the songs that make up The Cleansing exude a grit and horror that very few bands have been able to capture. Mitch Lucker (RIP) was one of the genre’s most recognizable voices, and alongside the rest of the band, crafted deathcore’s most iconic record.
Pain Remains – Lorna Shore
Alongside bands like Brand of Sacrifice, Lorna Shore is also responsible for elevating the art form of deathcore. Introducing blackened and symphonic elements into their work – as well as bringing on vocal powerhouse Will Ramos – Lorna Shore’s Pain Remains makes for one of the most heartwrenching and captivating albums to come out of metal. It’s an astonishing work of emotional and technical depth that shows off a band that continues to grow in their songwriting abilities.
Hell Chose Me – Carnifex
Speaking of emotionally impactful deathcore bands, we couldn’t have this list complete without Carnifex. Over the course of their career, Carnifex has continued to expand upon their work and weave in more blackened elements; that said if you want to experience a gripping, theatrical, and melancholic work of deathcore, look no further than Hell Chose Me. Vocalist Scott Ian has proven himself to be a super-talented lyricist, and his words hit just as hard as Carnifex’s instrumentals.
The Valley – Whitechapel
Among the bands on this list, Whitechapel has made the most startling creative shifts in their career. When you look at their most recent albums compared to their earlier work – it’s like listening to two different bands. However, it’s that later work – specifically The Valley – that shows off the creative range that deathcore is capable of displaying. From clean vocals, atmospheric passages, and thrashing instrumentation, The Valley is remarkable in how much variety it features. Perhaps more than any other band here, Whitechapel shows what is possible for deathcore bands if they are willing to push themselves.
Wormwood – The Acacia Strain
Similar to The Cleansing, Wormwood is a deathcore classic. Over the years, The Acacia Strain has gone on to greatly elevate their sound, introducing new creative and technical directions into their work; that said, to this day, Wormwood still stands as a record offering nothing but bangers. Released back in 2010, the record shows off The Acacia Strain’s hardcore-driven performances, providing relentless forward-driving aggression, which is coated with death metal flair. Wormwood is a ferocious record and one of the best the genre has to offer.