Epic Doom Metal

[edgeofthorns]

Some guy has taken the time to create a sampler of his top epic doom metal bands for YouTube. With that said, I found it to be pretty helpful to me, because I'm new to the genre. I like the sound of most of this stuff that he's added to his sampler. Can any of you doomers vouch for these bands or entire albums by these artists?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1-TiY3sCws"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1-TiY3sCws[/ame]

~Brian~

 

[Prog_Please]

While I don't know exactly what "epic" doom metal is, here are the suggestions I have and can vouch for (from my favorite to just good doom albums I own)

Swallow The Sun ("Hope" is my favorite album from them, but any of their earlier stuff is awesome)
The Rapture (yeah, I love all their stuff)
Isole (the only one on your sampler that I own)
Mar De Grises (sounds more like post-metal meets doom, but its legit)
The Foreshadowing (if you're looking for bands like the ones in your sample, this might be the closest one on my list that I can vouch for)
Remembrance

And of course the cross-over questionables Katatonia and Paradise Lost.

P.S. I don't recall hearing harsh vocals on the sampler. Some of the bands I listed definitely have harsh vocals (and clean ones).

P.S.S. Just cuz I ordered doesn't mean they all aren't great, because they are (in my opinion)

 

[edgeofthorns]

While I don't know exactly what "epic" doom metal is, here are the suggestions I have and can vouch for (from my favorite to just good doom albums I own)

Swallow The Sun ("Hope" is my favorite album from them, but any of their earlier stuff is awesome)
The Rapture (yeah, I love all their stuff)
Isole (the only one on your sampler that I own)
Mar De Grises (sounds more like post-metal meets doom, but its legit)
The Foreshadowing (if you're looking for bands like the ones in your sample, this might be the closest one on my list that I can vouch for)
Remembrance

And of course the cross-over questionables Katatonia and Paradise Lost.

P.S. I don't recall hearing harsh vocals on the sampler. Some of the bands I listed definitely have harsh vocals (and clean ones).

P.S.S. Just cuz I ordered doesn't mean they all aren't great, because they are (in my opinion)

Yeah, I'm not interested in harsh vox. I'm mainly interested in doom in the traditional sense like Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus. Bands like Swallow the Sun and Novembers Doom just don't keep my interest.

~Brian~

 

[Prog_Please]

Gotcha. That simplifies my post to Isole and The Foreshadowing. Both great w/o the harsh vocals.

 

[TychoCelchu]

I've come across that video before and did find it helpful. Like some people, I also prefer my doom either traditional/old school or epic while extreme doom takes a backseat, but let me put in a good word for Swallow the Sun. They're one of the best newcomers to doom/death. Great sound, great execution. If you give any doom/death bands a chance, make them one of them.

 

[nomisofsiman]

One band you might like, even though they have some harsher vocals is My Dying Bride. They're like a symphonic doom band, where the vocals are a mix of talking/singing (the guy doesn't have much range) and some but not many grunts. If you like epic, there aren't many that pull off epic doom as well as MDB, so I'd check them out.

As for the more Candlemass-type of bands I would also suggest going a bit further and trying some of the NWOBHM bands like Witchfinder General, Manilla Road, Saint Vitus and Pentagram. The latter two are almost precursors to that movement actually. Also, try Count Raven, which started in 1990. They're doom with a Candlemass style.

 

[johan68]

Yeah, I'm not interested in harsh vox. I'm mainly interested in doom in the traditional sense like Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus. Bands like Swallow the Sun and Novembers Doom just don't keep my interest.

~Brian~

Brian!

You must check out Memory Garden, Cathedral, Count Raven and Unorthodox. you will like it. ME PROMISES!!!!

 

[grogg]

I have the first two Thunderstorm CD's. They're a pretty good doom metal band from Italy.

 

[Jasonic]

If you like Candlemass, then I highly recommend DOOMSWORD from Italy.

And if you haven't picked up MANILLA ROAD'S "CRYSTAL LOGIC" after my instructing you to do so for the past year, you should stop reading this forum any further and pick it up!

 

[hoodaman]

doom with clean vox?

I'm pretty sure Doomshine has mostly clean vox. Their album "Thy Kingdoom Come" is pretty boss IIRC.
Place of Skulls is pretty good but it kinda gets into the sludge sound at times.
I kinda like Evoken and How Like a Winter but those have harsh vox in them.

 

[edgeofthorns]

I've come across that video before and did find it helpful. Like some people, I also prefer my doom either traditional/old school or epic while extreme doom takes a backseat, but let me put in a good word for Swallow the Sun. They're one of the best newcomers to doom/death. Great sound, great execution. If you give any doom/death bands a chance, make them one of them.

I'll give em' a shot.

One band you might like, even though they have some harsher vocals is My Dying Bride. They're like a symphonic doom band, where the vocals are a mix of talking/singing (the guy doesn't have much range) and some but not many grunts. If you like epic, there aren't many that pull off epic doom as well as MDB, so I'd check them out.

As for the more Candlemass-type of bands I would also suggest going a bit further and trying some of the NWOBHM bands like Witchfinder General, Manilla Road, Saint Vitus and Pentagram. The latter two are almost precursors to that movement actually. Also, try Count Raven, which started in 1990. They're doom with a Candlemass style.

I sampled a little of the Count Raven and like what I heard. I have some Manilla Road and Saint Vitus.

Brian!

You must check out Memory Garden, Cathedral, Count Raven and Unorthodox. you will like it. ME PROMISES!!!!

I'll look for those, thanks.

I have the first two Thunderstorm CD's. They're a pretty good doom metal band from Italy.

I sampled some Thunderstorm and it sounded very good.

If you like Candlemass, then I highly recommend DOOMSWORD from Italy.

And if you haven't picked up MANILLA ROAD'S "CRYSTAL LOGIC" after my instructing you to do so for the past year, you should stop reading this forum any further and pick it up!

...yeah, I got my hands on Crystal Logic sometime back earlier this year. It's good stuff indeed.

~Brian~

 

[modernwizardry]

If you like Candlemass, then I highly recommend DOOMSWORD from Italy.

And if you haven't picked up MANILLA ROAD'S "CRYSTAL LOGIC" after my instructing you to do so for the past year, you should stop reading this forum any further and pick it up!

Doomsword is awesome.

I just picked up Crystal Logic at Prog Power and have been digging it. Which album should I pick up next?

 

[BenMech]

Does the video include While Heaven Wept? Their last album To Empire Forlorn is ESSENTIAL to all music lovers, as will be their new album Vast Oceans Lachrymose (which basically means a lot of tears)

 

[nomisofsiman]

Oh man! You guys are giving me too many good bands I've never heard of. haha.

I also figured it was only a matter of time before Jasonic got on this thread. haha.

The one band some people are suggesting, Cathedral, I don't quite get. Don't get me wrong, I like them but I would not consider them doom really as much as I would sludge. I could be off though.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Does the video include While Heaven Wept? Their last album To Empire Forlorn is ESSENTIAL to all music lovers, as will be their new album Vast Oceans Lachrymose (which basically means a lot of tears)

I listened to 3 tracks from it. I don't know, it just didn't seem like anything special to me.

 

[rms]

fall of the idols is considered epic doom metal, personally never clicked with me. have you listened to griftegard? their EP and debut full length is stocked over at SKR, considered top class doom from ze swedez

 

[TychoCelchu]

The one band some people are suggesting, Cathedral, I don't quite get. Don't get me wrong, I like them but I would not consider them doom really as much as I would sludge. I could be off though.

They are a sludge band Etheral Mirror-present, but they get a free pass from l33t d00mst3rs for sheer awesomeness. I've got my fingers crossed for a Chicago Powerfest appearance or a US tour in '10.

 

[madFive]

Swallow The Sun
The Rapture
Isole
Mar De Grises
The Foreshadowing
Remembrance

Swallow the sun is awesome! I haven't heard the rest of these - will have to look them up.

Doom metal has come a loooong way since all the old-school 70's-80's sounding stuff in OP. I didn't start listening to doom 'till the late 90's, and to me doom was just supposed to be really slow death-metal that sometimes has male bass operatic vocals instead of growling. To me the old-school candlemass style of doom just sounds like 80's heavy metal, a lot like maiden, but a little slower and nowhere near as good - just sounds sloppy.

Modern doom has come back around to an epic symphonic melodic sound that is fairly unique. On the ends of the spectrum it's often hard to draw the line between lighter gothic bands and the heavier end of brutal death-metal bands that play some really slow stuff considered "funeral doom".

To me no list of modern doom bands is complete without Funeral and My Dying Bride - pioneers of the genre who's work just keeps getting better. Here's my favorite track from each - I would consider these canon for the modern doom sound. Extremely slow drums, deep bass vocals, crunchy modern-metal guitar, a lot of synth, and of course a deeply mournfull mood that is both crushing and extremely soothing at once.

 

[edgeofthorns]

Does the video include While Heaven Wept? Their last album To Empire Forlorn is ESSENTIAL to all music lovers, as will be their new album Vast Oceans Lachrymose (which basically means a lot of tears)

I've been debating about springing for the new one without listening to it. Empire is almost impossible to get for a decent price that is. Ben, have you heard the new one yet? I saw it over at LaserCD yesterday.

~Brian~

 

[BenMech]

Ummm, No, I certainly haven't heard the new one . . which leaked yesterday . . . ummm yeah. I certainly haven't heard it. Nosirree bob