It’s wild how fast a decade can fly by. Some bands take ten years, or longer, to break through, while others explode in what feels like overnight. Back in 2015, everything felt different: pre-COVID, pre-AI explosion, and still on the path of the rapidly evolving digital age. We’ve compiled a list of fifteen artists who released their debut full-length albums in 2015, offering a snapshot of where they started and how far they’ve come. Here are fifteen bands that introduced the world to their sound ten years ago with their full-length debut albums; no EPs, just proper LPs.
01) Sumac, The Deal (Profound Lore)
The Deal introduced a dissonant, atmospheric take on post-metal, channeling the spirit of early Isis while pushing further into bleak, unsettling territory. Ten years later, Sumac continue to challenge the boundaries of their mesmerizing distortions, from their 2024 full-length The Healer to this year’s experimental collaboration with Moor Mother, The Film.
02) Crypt Sermon, Out of the Garden (Dark Descent)
Hailing from Philadelphia, Crypt Sermon’s Out of the Garden emerged as a commanding debut in traditional doom metal, blending classic influences with a fresh, tightly executed sound. Steeped in religious imagery and poetic lyricism, the album evoked the spirit of bands like Trouble and Candlemass. Ten years later, the group remains a staple of epic doom, having released 2019’s The Ruins of Fading Light and 2024’s The Stygian Rose. Continuing to evolve, their latest EP, Saturnian Appendices (out August 8th via Dark Descent), even includes a gripping cover of Mayhem’s “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas.”
03) Gruesome, Savage Land (Relapse)
A blood-soaked tribute to early Death, Gruesome’s debut Savage Land channeled the sound, spirit, and precision of Leprosy with stunning authenticity. Far from mere mimicry, the album balanced homage with a sinister identity of their own. Ten years later, the band continues to pen gory love letters to old-school death metal, keeping Chuck Schuldiner’s legacy alive with brutal devotion. While their latest release, Silent Echoes (2025), explores a noticeable musical shift, it remains firmly rooted in the spirit of Death’s 1991’s Human, proof that Schuldiner would rise from the grave just to bang his head in approval.
04) Lorna Shore, Psalms (Density)
Before ascending to global deathcore acclaim, Lorna Shore introduced their full-length vision with Psalms, a technically ambitious yet uneven debut that showcased both promise and pitfalls. With three EPs already behind them, the 2015 record marked a pivotal point in their evolution, blending chaotic riffs, atmospheric flourishes, and moments of brilliance. In the years that followed, the band endured several lineup changes, most notably frontman Tom Barber’s departure to join Chelsea Grin, followed by CJ McCreery’s brief and controversial stint, and eventually the arrival of Will Ramos in 2021. These shifts not only changed the band’s chemistry but also fueled their transformation. Ultimately, they’ve proven their tenacity and commitment to forge ahead, growing stronger with each release. While deathcore may not be everyone’s flavor, Lorna Shore has worked tirelessly, releasing five full-length albums within a decade, including their upcoming effort, I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me (out September 12, 2025, via Century Media Records). With a refueled, re-energized, and reformatted lineup, Lorna Shore’s ever-growing career is just getting started.
05) Alkaloid, The Malkuth Grimoire (Independent)
Alkaloid’s The Malkuth Grimoire introduced a band of extreme metal veterans blending technical skill with progressive ambition, and no label wanted it. Instead, the band turned to their fans, successfully crowdfunding the release. Dropping in 2015, the album stood out for its dynamic songwriting, genre-spanning influences, and tight execution. Ten years later, it remains a powerful debut that set the tone for Alkaloid’s evolution in the progressive death metal scene. Formed by Hannes Grossmann after parting ways with Obscura, the band began as a collaboration with Morean, later joined by bassist Linus Klausenitzer in 2014. Today, with three full-length albums under their belt, including 2023’s Numen, Alkaloid finally landed a home at Season of Mist, a label that recognized their craft.
06) Myrkur, M (Relapse)
Myrkur’s M stunned many upon release, a haunting and distinctive debut that challenged black metal purists and expanded the genre’s boundaries. Blending icy black metal with ethereal folk, choral elements, and Scandinavian mythology, Amalie Bruun delivered an album that was as atmospheric as it was divisive. M carved a unique space in extreme music and helped usher in broader acceptance of experimentation and inclusivity within the black metal scene. Ten years later, Myrkur has continued to evolve, embracing a deeper dive into ethereal folk on 2020’s Folkesange and showcasing remarkable creative flexibility with 2023’s Spine. With four full-length albums released over a decade, and even joining King Diamond as a live backing vocalist, Myrkur’s creative spark continues to shine.
07) Once Human, The Life I Remember (earMusic)
Once Human’s 2015 debut, The Life I Remember, marked a thunderous entrance into the melodic death metal scene. With fierce guitar work from Logan Mader and powerful vocals from Lauren Hart, the album earned praise for its polished production, groove-laced aggression, and technical precision. While it didn’t drastically reinvent the genre, the band’s conviction and Hart’s commanding presence drew significant attention.
Nearly a decade later, however, the momentum behind Once Human seems to have dimmed. After releasing Scar Weaver in early 2022, the pandemic’s impact on touring, along with members’ commitments to other projects, stalled their activity. A lack of social media presence since 2022 has only deepened fan speculation about the band’s current status. Though there’s been no official announcement of a split or hiatus, the silence contrasts sharply with the explosive promise of their debut. Logan Mader has since focused on Savage Existence (releasing three albums since 2021), Lauren Hart was briefly linked to Dino Cazares’ Divine Heresy, and Max Karon had a short stint with Bad Wolves. Still, there’s no clear word on whether a return is coming or if the band is quietly winding down. With three full-length albums released over the past ten years, The Life I Remember remains the foundation of Once Human’s appeal, and fans are still left wondering: what’s next?
08) Enterprise Earth, Patient 0 (Stay Sick Recordings)
Enterprise Earth’s 2015 debut Patient 0 arrived to strong praise within the deathcore scene, thematically steeped in sci-fi horror and fronted by founding vocalist Dan Watson. The album’s technical precision and brutal energy helped jump-start the band’s career and solidify their place in the genre’s rising wave.
Nearly a decade later, the band’s evolution has been as turbulent as their sound. Despite critical acclaim for follow-up releases like Luciferous and The Chosen, Enterprise Earth have undergone a complete lineup overhaul. Watson’s departure in 2022 marked the exit of the final founding member, leaving guitarist Gabe Mangold, who joined in 2017, to take the reins. While their revolving door of members could have spelled instability, Mangold and the current lineup have pressed forward with renewed focus, delivering 2024’s Death: An Anthology and 2025’s Descent Into Madness EP. Today’s Enterprise Earth is a different beast from the one that emerged a decade ago, but perhaps this winding path has led to a stronger, more unified incarnation.
09) Firespawn, Shadow Realms (Century Media)
Firespawn’s 2015 debut Shadow Realms arrived as a fierce statement of intent from a death metal supergroup built on the blood and grit of Sweden’s extreme music veterans. With the late, great LG Petrov (Entombed, Entombed A.D.) on vocals, the band offered a more brutal styling many had associated with him. Shadow Realms showcased an exciting level of intensity. It was a fresh yet familiar take on the genre and set the tone for the band’s next two records.
The band’s future came to what seemed like the end in 2021 when Petrov passed away after a battle with an incurable form of bile duct cancer. Only recently, in July 2025, the band officially made the public decision to move forward, along with announcing their first show in six years, with longtime friend and fellow Swedish death metal icon Jörgen Sandström (Entombed, Grave) stepping in on vocals. The move was made as an effort to honor LG’s legacy while reigniting the band.
10) Night Demon, Curse of the Damned (Steamhammer)
California’s Night Demon’s 2015 debut Curse of the Damned brought part of the revival of old school heavy metal, an homage to the glory days of NWOBHM. It was the needed refresher, combining the grit of early Iron Maiden and Diamond Head with their own melodic creations added to the mix. The record brought the band immediate praise, giving listeners a fresh nostalgic joyride. A decade later, Night Demon are still crushing it, with three solid full-length albums, their latest being 2023’s Outsider via Century Media Records.
11) Evil Invaders, Pulses of Pleasure (Napalm Records)
While previously introducing themselves with their self-titled EP two years prior, Evil Invaders gave a full-length display in 2015’s Pulses of Pleasure. The debut LP continued to channel the raw spirit of ’80s speed and thrash metal, drawing influences from Razor, Exciter, and Judas Priest. The Belgian band delivered a brutal record filled with unapologetic retro intensity. A decade later, Evil Invaders have performed relentlessly around Europe, hitting the summer festival circuit and even making it to the U.S. once for ProgPower in 2023. The band has yet to do a full North American tour, but hopefully that changes; their energy would make for a fun and refreshing set. Over the last ten years, they’ve released three full-length albums and an additional EP, including 2017’s Feed Me Violence and 2022’s Shattering Reflection.
12) Visigoth, The Revenant King (Metal Blade Records)
Salt Lake City, Utah’s Visigoth delivered a refreshing full-length debut with 2015’s The Revenant King. While it wasn’t their first introduction, the Final Spell EP dropped in 2012; it was this record that truly launched them into the traditional heavy and power metal spotlight, channeling the spirit of Manilla Road, Virgin Steele, Omen, and early Iron Maiden. It earned immediate praise and sparked high expectations for their future. However, whether due to members focusing on other projects or the pandemic’s disruption, the band has remained largely inactive since 2018’s Conqueror’s Oath and 2019’s Bells of Awakening EP. Aside from a handful of festival appearances, most recently at 2024’s Milwaukee Metal Fest, according to Setlist.fm, Visigoth’s public presence has quieted. Their social media has been inactive since March 2024, and while members like Jamison Palmer continue with Blood Star and Unto Others, and Leeland Campana has been active with Savage Oath since 2018, the future of Visigoth is unclear. A two-year-old Reddit thread suggested new material was in progress, but no updates have followed. Whether the band will return with one-off appearances or eventually release new music remains to be seen.
13) Eleine, Eleine (Cardiac Records)
Formed in 2014, Swedish symphonic metal outfit Eleine released their explosive self-titled debut in 2015. Led by Madeleine Liljestam and Rikard Ekberg, the record showed promise in a competitive genre often overshadowed by titans like Nightwish and Epica. It’s not easy to break into symphonic metal, at least not break into it well, but Eleine delivered a distinct style that didn’t go unnoticed. When the debut arrived, the band was relatively unknown outside of Europe, and it took time to earn global recognition. Some bands break through in months, others take decades. For Eleine, it was 2023 that truly marked a turning point.
That year saw their first North American appearance aboard 70000tons of Metal, soon followed by their first full North American tour supporting Moonspell’s 30th anniversary. What began as a promising debut has since evolved into a globally touring band with four full-length albums and a new EP, We Stand United, set to arrive on September 5, 2025, via Reigning Phoenix Music. Eleine’s steady rise continues as they defy the most common cliché pinned on symphonic metal bands, “just trying to be like Nightwish.” They never were. Eleine has always forged their own path, bringing a heavier, darker spin to the genre. We’re excited to see what they do next.
14) Khemmis, Absolution (20 Buck Spin)
While offering an early glimpse with their 2013 self-titled EP, Denver’s Khemmis made a powerful full-length debut with 2015’s Absolution. The doom metal record that fused sludgy riffage, compelling clean vocals, and unexpected melody. It was a breath of fresh air in the American doom scene, revitalizing traditional elements.
Over the past decade, Khemmis have become one of the most respected names in the genre, releasing four full-length albums, with 2021’s Deceiver via Nuclear Blast as their latest. Though relatively quiet since late 2024, the band confirmed in April 2025 that a fifth album is in the works. Their July 2025 hometown performance proved that Khemmis hasn’t slowed down; they’re simply preparing for their next chapter.
15) Wiegedood, De doden hebben het goed (Consouling Sounds)
Wiegedood’s 2015 debut De doden hebben het goed delivered a breathtakingly bleak and enthralling experience that helped redefine atmospheric black metal in the modern era. With just four songs, the Belgian trio established a unique blend of sorrowful melody and visceral intensity. The album marked the beginning of what became a powerful trilogy, continued in 2017 and 2018. Over time, their sorrow-soaked soundscapes deepened, culminating in 2022’s There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road via Century Media Records, a darker, more chaotic departure from their earlier introspection.
Ten years later, De doden hebben het goed still stands as a landmark release, influencing a new wave of atmospheric black metal. Though their sound has grown harsher and more unrelenting, Wiegedood’s early work remains an exceptional work of art.
