The purpose of this thread is to facilitate the discovery of new music and spread the warm, fuzzy goodness of Doom Metal and all its various flavors and genres. For those new to the sub-genre, below is a brief description of what Doom Metal is, along with a very short history.
[What is Doom Metal?]:
From Wikipedia:
“”"
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much “thicker” or “heavier” sound than other metal genres. Both the music and the lyrics intend to evoke a sense of despair, dread, and impending doom. The genre is strongly influenced by the early work of Black Sabbath, who formed a prototype for doom metal with songs such as “Black Sabbath”, “Electric Funeral” and “Into the Void”. The Beatles’ 1969 song “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” is sometimes considered to be the first ever work of doom rock/metal. During the first half of the 1980s, a number of bands from England (Pagan Altar, Witchfinder General), the United States (Pentagram, Saint Vitus, Trouble) and Sweden (Candlemass, Count Raven) defined doom metal as a distinct genre.
“”"
Within the umbrella sub-genre of Doom Metal, the following major categories have emerged:
-
Traditional Doom: influenced by 70s and 80s heavy metal and NWOBHM bands
-
Epic Doom: influenced by classical/thematic music, clean/operatic vocals, fantasy/fantastical lyrical themes
-
Stoner Doom: sometimes referred to as “psychedelic doom”, influence of bass-heavy, fuzzy guitar and psychedelic instrumental effects. In some cases, chant-like vocals are incorporated.
-
Sludge Doom: commonly known as simply sludge metal, traditional doom metal foundation with influences of hardcore punk and/or southern rock. Tempos of sludge songs can vary wildly compared to more traditionally slow doom metal sub-genres.
-
Funeral Doom: combines influences of death-doom and funeral dirge type music, very slow tempo, sometimes synths are included to add atmospheric emphasis
-
Drone Doom: commonly known as Drone Metal. Defined by feedback and droning, sustained notes and chords that are repeated throughout a song
-
Death-Doom: usually combines the slower Doom Metal tempo with growling vocals and double-kick and/or blast beat drumming techniques that are synonymous with Death Metal
-
Black-Doom: also known as Blackened Doom. Influences of Black Metal themes and characteristics.
[Brief History]:
The origins of the Doom Metal style are traced back to the early 1970’s when bands like Black Sabbath and Pentagram first began to push beyond the limits of the common rock music structure of the times. By combining higher instrument volumes, more distortion, and darker lyrical themes, the foundation of the sub-genre took root.
Doom Metal would not officially become a known term or sub-genre until the 1980s when the term became synonymous with this style of music. The style became increasingly popular in the UK and United States during the 1980s and quickly spread to countries such as Sweden and Finland. Swedish band, Candlemass (who would become known as the originators of Epic Doom Metal) are contributed by some to have supplied the origin of the term “doom metal” with their first full-length album, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus from 1986.
During the 1990s Doom Metal continued to evolve as more of the major sub-categories of Doom were formed. Doom Metal thrived within the US, as various regional styles (such as southern, northeastern, and northwestern) were created that incorporated subtle differences based on their local cultures.
[Conclusion]:
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into the music. Feel free to post music from your favorite doom bands or send me a PM if you have a band that you’d like included in this thread.
Let the doom begin!
