I'm looking for some bands that include imagery of ancient (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Norse, Classical, pagan) or Western mythology (Enoch, old Hebrew/Islamic texts, end times). I've already heard some of the more obvious bands like Absu, Nile, Enslaved, but I just gotta find some more.

You could just search "mythology" under lyrical themes using the advanced search.

However, you could try Darkestrah, a folk/black metal band from Kyrgryzstan. Their lyrics are about the Kyrgrz pagan mythology; just have a look at the lyrics from the album Sary Oy.

Also try Ex Deo if you havent already. This death metal band has lyrics related to ancient Rome and its' mythology.

Aeternam from Canada. They only have one album from ealier this year, Disciples of the Unseen. Very good stuff, check it out.

Lair of the Minotaur, on Greek mythology. Thrashy doom.


Seconded. Excellent band.

Worth pointing out Ex Deo is literally Kataklysm with Roman theme.

I recommend Melechesh and Kronos.

I recommend After Death (US). Their stuff is influenced by Egyptian mythology to some extent. For example, check out the track "The Star Chamber of Isis" on their MySpace.

I would highly rec Melechesh, there music deals in sumerian mythology, great middle eastern black metal.

Check out this progressive metal band from Israel called Amaseffer; their album brings the mythology (admittedly Hebrew mythology, that people still believe in, but anyway...) big-time:

http://www.metal-archives.com/release.php?id=199836

You want traditional instruments? Got it. Choirs? NP. Famous guests. Yep. Plagues and Angels of Death? Done.

I'm always recommending this band, Arkan. They deal with paganism in ancient North African/middle-Eastern countries.

Amarna Sky play traditional doom, with an emphasis on ancient Egyptian themes.
Narjahanam for some black/death metal about middle-Eastern history and things like that. They sing in Arabic.
Rex Mundi for some Deathspell Omega-like music dealing with Hebrew and Islamic stuff.

For Mesopotamian metal better than Nile, try Sarpanitum's Despoilment of Origin and Necronomicon (Can) with Pharaoh of Gods.

I second both Darkestrah and Meleshesh- also would add a lot of Senmuth stuff.

Not competly true. While they have all the same members (+ a keyboard) the sound is very diffrent.

Ex Deo is a lot more Epic and has a good load of little bits that make it better than Kataklysm. I would 2nd Ex deo and advice you give them a good look! Great band!

Arafel (From Israel, but sing about Russian legends. Black/folk)
Orphaned Land (Also Isreali, Abrahamic mythology such as Judaism and Islam and some Christianity. Folk metal, but proggy and doomy vibes)
Symphony X (Certain albums are very highly focused on Greek mythos. Try "The Oddessy". Progressive power metal from the states)
Doomsword (Italian Heavy/Doom metal with nordic pagan themes. Very cool)
Gjallarhorn (Viking metal rooted in the sound of later Bathory, a side-project of Doomsword I think)
Graveland (Polish pagan metal, very epic but also very dark and forbidding. I personally recommend the later stuff. Pagan/Black metal)


Most people seem to be recommending the more extreme metal bands so your mileage may vary with my recs.

Senmuth's entire (well, almost entire) discography.

You might want to check out In Delirium. They're an unsigned prog/death/gothic metal band. They only released one EP before breaking up, but you can listen to the whole thing on their myspace at www.myspace.com/indelirium1234 They sing about a few different mythologies including sumerian and norse along with some general pagan themes.

Seconded - one of my favorite albums ever. Also, try Melektaus, and perhaps Rudra.

Kawir(greek)
BannerWar(greek)
Tatir(greek)
those only ones i can think of off the top of my head, and they BM i believe

Tyr- they have numerous songs about norse mythology such as The Hammer of Thor. Good Folk/Prog Metal from the Faroe islands.