Any fantastic heavy metal bands I should listen to?

Question

I want something like For My Pain, Nightwish, Leave's Eyes, Within Temptation or Rhapsody. Hard, melodic, heavy metal music with lots of great guitar work, drums, vocals and well written lyrics. Any suggestions?

Also do you know of any bands a bit like Gogol Bordello as this band is fantastic?

Oooh some good ideas so far. Keep 'em coming! I'm especially interested in new bands and bands with really unique sounds. I've got most of the big bands already (Iron Maiden, Metallica, Motorhead, Black Sabbath and the like).
I'm looking up some of the suggestions I have been given so far on websites and there are some pretty cool bands!

Oooh so many more good suggestions. Lots of people with the right idea. I'm going to have a hard time choosing a best answer here!

Answer 1

You should try these bands and albums :
-Therion : "Theli"
-"Dissection : "Storm of the Light's Bane" ( but it's quite violent)
-Tiamat :"Wildhoney"
-Arcturus :"Aspera Hiems Symfonia"( some tracks are in Norwegian!)
-The Gathering :"Mandylion" & "Nighttime Birds"
-Stratovarius :"Visions"
-Edge of Sanity :"Purgatory Afterglow"
-Shadow Gallery : "Tyranny"( a must have)
-Dark Tranquillity
-In Flames : "Colony", "Clayman", "Subterranean"(MCD)
-Theater of Tragedy :"Aeion"
-Tristania :"Widow's weeds"
-Sirenia ( former leader of Tristania)
-Moonspell :"Irreligious" & "Wolfheart"(Portuguese dark melodic metal)
"Katatonia :"Brave Murder Day", "Sounds of Decay"(MCD), "For Funerals to come"(MCD)
-Opeth : "Still Life", "My Arms, Your Hearse"
-Queensryche :"Empire"
-Devin Townsend :"Ocean Machine"
-Amorphis : "Tuonela"
-Synergy ( I hate them but u may like their tunes)
-Paradise Lost : "Icon", "Draconian Times", "One Second"
-Crematory : "Elements", "Awake"( nice keyboards)
-Rotting Christ : "A Dead Poem"
-Sentenced : "Down" , "Amok"
-Edguy : "Vainglory Opera"
-Type O Negative : "Bloody Kisses", "October Rust"
-Evereve : "Seasons", "Stormbirds"( not that bad)
-Edenbridge ( really nice keyboards)
-Graveworm
-Soilwork :"Natural Born Chaos" ( a real masterpiece)
-Mithotyn :"In the Sign of the Raven", "King of the Distant Forest"
-Arch Enemy ( their female singer has a very virile voice!)
-Iced Earth (I don't like that band but it's worth listenin')
-Morbid Angel : "Altars of Madness", "Blessed are the Sick"
-Morgion :"Solinari"
-Death : "Human", "Symbolic"(RIP Chuck Schuldiner)
-Anathema : "Alternative 4"
-Siebenbuergen
-Candlemass : "Nightfall", "Chapter 6" ( with a different frontman )

Answer 2

Metallica, Pantera, Iced Earth, Children of Bodom, Stratovarius,Soilwork, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dimmu Borgir (might be a bit heavier than what you're looking for) Sepultura,

Answer 3

ok there old school so to speak but groups like dokken, megadeth and even some metallica have good guitar and drums megadeth has some real good lyrics if u listen and Ywgnie malmsteen is on of the fastest guitar players of all time. of course if your in to drums u cant go wrong with tommy lee from motley crue. if your into more modern u might try Staind not what id call heavy metal but they have some great stuff

Answer 4

Well, I really suggest Anathema. They are the best metal band ever. Maybe not as heavy as u might want. But i really love their lyrics and the music is very deep.
Also try:
- In Flames
- Opeth (very much like nightwish, but with a male lead singer)

Answer 5

Go and buy Megadeth's new album 'The System Has Failed'

Then if you want good, original bands try:

Lamb of God
Mastodon
Children of Bodom
In Flames
Nile
Decapitated
Dragonforce
Gutworm (Awesome UK band)

That's just a few suggestions, they may be a bit too heavy but well worth listening to

Answer 6

If you are serious about the heavy metal thing with mood.I would sugest listening to Scott Weiland's 12 bars blues.It is the ultimate for this type of listening.And don't let the name of the Album Scare you off.It's not twangy blues like your thinking honest it ain"t.Have a great day!! WILLIEGOGO:

Answer 7

Demon Hunter, Project 86, Haste The Day, Killswitch Engage, Lamb Of God, As I Lay Dying, HORSE the band, etc...

Answer 8

Killswitch Engage, In Flames, Mastodon, Trivium are harder, some lighter System of a Down, Tool, Korn

Answer 9

Avenged Sevenfold, Shadows Fall, Disturbed, Killswitch Engage, Breaking Benjamin.

Answer 10

a million) definite, Dragonforce sucks. =D 2) to respond to your question: inspect some older toddlers of Bodom (Pre Hate team Deathroll), Gamma Ray, Alestorm, operating Wild, Blind dad or mum (pass their A Twist of the myth album), and that i imagine King red is a conceivable metallic band. and also you're heading in the right route with Iced Earth.

Answer 11

Try the epic "Light of Day, Day of Darkness" by Green Carnation, a Norwegian metal band. This has to be one of the most awesome pieces of music I have ever heard, metal or otherwise.