Melodic death metal is generally considered an offshoot of death metal. The subgenre contains more melodic guitar riffs and solos, which are sometimes acoustic, and also occasional 'clean' singing as opposed to traditional death grunt vocals. The song structures are generally more progressive, using diverse themes throughout the song. Death and Morbid Angel, often considered the "godfathers" of death metal, are primary influences on the genre, but it's progenators are still a mystery. Some credit At the Gates as the band which popularized the sub-genre. Melodic Death metal, though from the same geographic area as Black Metal, rarely speaks of Satanism or the downfall of Christianity, but has more poetic themes, which vary greatly.

Nearly all melodic death metal bands are from the Scandinavian region, especially from Sweden and Finland.

Notable bands

• Amon Amarth
• Arch Enemy
• Arsis
• At the Gates
• Children of Bodom
• Dark Tranquillity
• Darkane
• Edge of Sanity
• Eternal Tears of Sorrow
• In Flames
• Insomnium
• Kalmah
• Katatonia
• Norther
• Noumena
• Opeth
• Shadows Fall
• Skyfire
• Soilwork

See also

• Heavy metal music
• Death metal
• Scandinavian death metal