Melodic Metal 2020s Albums

A five-track EP that balances open, refreshing melodies with loud-rock weight and presents the second chapter of East Of Eden through Ayasa’s violin-led identity.

The Legend Of The Six Kings is a useful way to hear FROZEN CROWN from a different angle within the 2026 catalogue.

The ninth album, the first release on the band's own Kissin' Dynamite Records and the last with Hannes Braun as singer. Six new songs stand beside seven re-recordings from the first two albums.

Lonesome_Blue’s second full-length album, produced with Mao, in the standard edition containing the ten main tracks.

Metalmorphosis finds MASTERPLAN shaping European melodic power-metal uplift and thick hard-rock-leaning groove into a 2026 album with a clear sense of identity.

The fifth Metalite album, released worldwide on 25 September 2026 by Perception, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music. It is a concept record set in 2058, three years after the departure from Earth that Expedition One left off in 2055, and runs to twelve songs. Ward Records issued the Japanese edition the same day with a Japanese booklet and translated lyrics.

The sixth album, released on 3 June 2026 as the companion piece to Gate of Heaven: the band's own announcement calls it the darkest and most chaotic world they have written. It gathers the two songs of the December 2025 single, "Zen'aku no Higan" and "∞", and re-records "affected" and "Get Revenge On The Tyrant" from the 2014 debut. Eleven tracks.

A two-disc live CD of Aldious' final one-man show at Toyosu PIT on August 13, 2025, carrying every song performed before the band's indefinite hiatus.

A mini album on which the current line-up re-records six songs from 2013-2016 that had stayed in the live set ever since.

Game Of Faces finds DYNAZTY shaping Scandinavian melodic-metal clarity and the momentum of modern synths and rhythms into a 2025 album with a clear sense of identity.

East Of Eden’s first full album, recorded entirely by the MINA-era five-piece and uniting metal, loud rock and melodic drama across ten core songs plus the standard-edition instrumental bonus.

Gravity finds LEVERAGE shaping Finnish melodic-metal melancholy and strong hard-rock-leaning riffs into a 2025 album with a clear sense of identity.

A focused digital single that strips Lonesome_Blue down to the force of three performers and a direct, resilient melodic core.

Lonesome_Blue’s second EP condenses the renewed three-member lineup into six songs balancing weight, pop immediacy and emotional range.

An EP holding a single version, two live recordings from 2023 and two acoustic performances; the Japanese pressing is a limited edition.

The fifth album, released by FABTONE on 26 November 2025 and the first half of a concept pair completed by Gate of Hell in June 2026. Its ten songs include the title tracks of the three singles that preceded it — Sekai Rinne, SAKURA chevalier and Convergent Rays — and close with a re-recording of "Satsuriku no Miseria" from the 2014 debut.

Coming Home presents AXXIS’s long-developed melodic hard-rock brightness with the relaxed confidence of a seasoned band.

A Japan-only, limited-pressing CD: the title track plus three songs from their Tokyo shows of May 2024. Four tracks, about seventeen minutes.

Recorded in Gothenburg with producer Fredrik Nordström; its opener "Still Burning" placed 42nd in Metal Hammer's readers' poll for the best song of 2024.

The second chapter of Forbidden Fruit, preserving the debut’s vivid impact while deepening the groove, darkness and dramatic interaction of the five-piece.

War Hearts channels FROZEN CROWN’s new-lineup momentum into direct, aggressive power metal.

The eighth album, and the first to reach number one in Germany, with 12 in Austria and 11 in Switzerland. It is also the second-to-last record with Hannes Braun singing.

A groove-driven single that releases the playful, live-ready side of Lonesome_Blue’s three-member lineup through bold rhythmic hooks.

The fourth Metalite album, released by AFM Records on 19 January 2024. It is a concept record set on Earth in 2055, following five commanders and a renegade crew trying to carry humanity off a ruined planet, and it runs to sixteen songs including "Utopia", the band's first instrumental. Marquee Inc. put the Japanese edition on sale two days earlier, on 17 January.

Clear Cold Beyond sees SONATA ARCTICA steering firmly back toward the rush of Nordic melodic power metal.

A live album from the band's London show — and the record whose release moved their Japanese home to IYT RECORDS.

East Of Eden’s debut EP, placing violin and heavy rock on equal footing while introducing the five musicians’ technique, melody and international ambition.

Call of the North puts FROZEN CROWN’s bright twin-guitar harmonies and relentless speed at the front of an epic power-metal charge.

A tense digital single that turns the decision to end a damaging cycle into heavy rock momentum and emotionally direct vocals.

A melodic digital single that holds onto a shared sense of “blue” and future possibility while the band moves through change.

A one-track digital single issued on 1 April 2023. The song had been written for the singer Tokoyami Towa under sponsorship by Nissin's Yakisoba U.F.O.; this is Unlucky Morpheus playing it themselves, the band whose Shiren composed it and whose Fuki wrote the words.

After a long absence, Altaria return with Wisdom, a record that presents bright Scandinavian melodic-metal lines alongside approachable hard-rock warmth.

The third and last of the avex albums, carried into a SUMMER SONIC 2022 appearance; guitarist MOE joined after it.

Final Advent finds Sweden’s Dynazty linking heavy riffs, polished electronic textures and arena-sized choruses with impressive density.

The seventh album and the first for Napalm Records, number 2 in Germany. The band gave the 6,000 euros the single "Good Life" earned to a children's cancer charity in Tübingen. Avalon issued the Japanese edition as MICP-11671.

Lonesome_Blue’s first pre-debut single, joining ominous tension, heavy rhythm and a large melody to announce the band’s arrival.

A pre-album single that turns the decision to confront fear into sharp riffs, forceful rhythm and a large melodic chorus.

Lonesome_Blue’s debut EP joins voice-actor expression and professional rock musicianship through metal, progressive detail and pop melody.

A pre-debut single featuring Ayasa, expanding Lonesome_Blue’s sound through psychedelic color, violin and progressive movement.

Lonesome_Blue’s first full-length album joins loud rock, metal and progressive detail to strong, immediate melodies.

Continuing the dystopian story of its predecessor, Dystopia Part II deepens the setting through André Andersen’s layered keyboards and classically shaped arrangements.

Acoustic Adventures – Volume One revisits familiar material through the voice, production weight and arrangement sense of its recording period.

Acoustic Adventures – Volume Two revisits familiar material through the voice, production weight and arrangement sense of its recording period.

The fourth album, distributed by Disk Union on 27 April 2022. It carries an album version of "“M” Revolution", the digital single from 2021, and four of its songs — "Amaryllis", "Welcome to Valhalla", "The Black Death Mansion Murders" and "“M” Anthem" — were given music videos. Ten tracks.

Dark Connection pushes Beast in Black’s power-metal drive into a neon-lit, cyberpunk world shaped by eighties synth-pop.

The second avex album — twelve songs, followed three weeks later by a European edition on Setsuzoku Records.

Winterbane develops Frozen Crown’s strengths—speed, twin-guitar melody and clear vocals—into a more three-dimensional third album.

Above the Beyond carefully balances Leverage’s transparent Scandinavian melodic-metal character with thick hard-rock riffing.

The third Metalite album, released by AFM Records on 26 March 2021 and the second with Erica Ohlsson singing. Its eleven songs push the science-fiction themes further out. Marquee put the Japanese edition on sale two days earlier, on 24 March, with "Aftermath" added as a Japan-only bonus track for twelve.

Evoke 2010-2020 is the ALDIOUS decade-anniversary project, recasting the band's earlier songs with its current lineup, twin guitars and clear vocals.

Evoke II 2010-2020, the companion to Evoke 2010-2020, marks ten years of ALDIOUS by recasting its songs and familiar material in today's sound.

The Dark Delight sharpens Dynazty’s modern melodic-metal momentum into a harder and more dramatic form.

Royal Hunt’s Dystopia is a concept work that uses detailed keyboard arrangements, thick guitar and several guest vocalists to dramatize an oppressive future vision.

An original EP put into national distribution on 29 April 2020, its three songs built around Takiyashahime, the figure held to be the daughter of Taira no Masakado. The CD adds instrumental versions of all three for six tracks; the streaming release carries the three sung songs alone. The title track got a music video and "Tetsuou" a lyric video.

The third album, distributed by Disk Union on 29 July 2020. Six of its nine songs were given official films, more than any other Unlucky Morpheus record, and at Toyosu PIT the following year the band played all nine of them almost in album order.