#Genre: Epic Doom Metal

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

[cuntess-carmilla]

Goth music for Evanescence fans

Are you an Evanescence fan (casual or avid) interested in finding actual goth music?

Well, here's a playlist full of like 98% female-fronted goth songs that are mostly Rock-based with dark emotional themes, dramatic riffs, creepy yet beautiful atmospheres, the occasional symphonic element or classic piano, and haunting vocals. The few songs with male vocalists tend to match the particular dark and miserable vibe of Fallen + pre-Fallen Evanescence.

What qualifies me to make such recommendations? I may be an Evanescence hater now (sorry), but they were the band that introduced me to dark alt music when I was 14 in 2006, and were my absolute favorite band for two years before that (special interest level obsession) until I discovered real goth music in early 2007.

Disclaimer: Before ANY goth comes at me for having included Theatre of Tragedy songs in a goth playlist, you cannot convince me that Aégis specifically ISN'T a Gothic Rock album plain and simple. It sounds NOTHING like their Gothic Metal. You can patently hear the Sisters of Mercy influences in songs like Poppæa or even of The Banshees in Samantha. Some songs in that album are even more Ethereal Wave than Gothic Rock such as Siren, Angélique or Cassandra.

Evanescence fans should try out everything between Theatre of Tragedy's debut and Aégis tbh, even if only Aégis is goth. They were SO good and Liv Kristine's vocals are both angelical and technically pristine. She sounds even better live.

Bands I particularly recommend to Evanescence fans interested in goth music:

Die Laughing: I fell in love with them in 2009 because I instantly thought "This is how Evanescence would sound if they were actual Gothic Rock". Beautiful soft mezzo-soprano vocals, full melancholy, epic compositions.

(old) Dead Souls Rising: Darkwave with hints of classical composition (the vocalist is also a violinist), haunting mezzo-soprano vocals and a persistent preocupation with romanticized death.

Diva Destruction: Extremely brooding Darkwave by a pianist and dramatic alto singer. Intense atmospheres, good balance between synths and Gothic Rock guitars. Songs about heartbreak and betrayal.

Virgine Dramatica: Gothic Rock and Darkwave with delicate and emotional soprano vocals. PURE romantic doom with beautiful keyboard arrangements and highly melancholic atmospheres.

[WARNING FOR FLASHING LIGHTS IN THE VIDEO]

This Ascension: Between Gothic Rock and Ethereal Wave. Gorgeous, sometimes nearly operatic mezzo-soprano vocals, can go almost neo-classical or downright so in some tracks. Poetic, dark romantic, masterful musicianship.

The Shroud: Started out as Gothic Rock with hints of Deathrock, ended up Ethereal Wave. Delicate mezzo-soprano vocals, poetic, gloomy and brooding lyrics, a fixation with literature and all things antique and romantic.

Autumn: Gothic Rock with guitars a bit heavier than most of the genre. Lyrics about despair, dramatic alto vocals, intensity and darkness. I think they represent even more what Evanescence would sound like if they were actually goth than Die Laughing does.

Requiem in White: Legitimately operatic soprano vocals. Shredding Deathrock guitars with Ethereal Wave influences. Brooding, extremely romantic and atmospheric.

[runeswordproductions]

I listen to all sorts of metal but for my money there’s nothing better for jamming out and writing sword and sorcery than oldschool heavy metal that shares my love of magic and mayhem. If you agree then you’ve probably heard all the classics already, so here are some newer, relatively lesser known sword and sorcery bands that are perfect for writing about heroism and adventure.

Dawnbringer: this is maybe the best concept album I’ve ever heard. A trippy and epic fantasy tale set to impeccable riffs. https://dawnbringer.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-lair-of-the-sun-god

Eternal Champion: probably the best-known band on the list for good reason. Not quite the Conan of the genre (that would be Cirith Ungol) but perhaps the Elric, the successor who’s arguably doing it better. OUGH https://eternalchampion.bandcamp.com/album/the-armor-of-ire

Fellowship: cheating a little with this one, as it’s power metal rather than true heavy metal, but it’s too good to ignore. It’s a 200 proof shot of pure upliftingness, with an emotional vulnerability you don’t often see in fantasy metal. https://fellowshipmetal.bandcamp.com/album/the-saberlight-chronicles

Legendry: this band dual wields double-necked guitars and they somehow don’t suck. Backhanded compliment but I think it represents well their confidence in using their throwback, almost proto-metal sound to tell the tales they want to tell. https://legendry.bandcamp.com/album/time-immortal-wept

Owlbear: it just rips. For any and all D&D nerds who like their metal fast and fun. https://owlbearmetal.bandcamp.com/album/chaos-to-the-realm

Savage Master: no frills, no effects, just raw production, an oldschool attitude toward riffcraft, and one charismatic witch for a vocalist. https://savagemasterofficial.bandcamp.com/album/myth-magic-and-steel Smoulder: Yet another Moorcock-worship band, this one more doom-inflected, majestic and epic with a frontwoman who knows how to deliver soaring and portentous vocals. https://smoulder.bandcamp.com/album/violent-creed-of-vengeance

[flanneljammies]

2023 Best Metal Records

Outstanding

Nameless Mist - Lifeless (Fólkvangr) Solo catchy Depressive Suicidal Black Metal from North Carolina.

Lunar Tombfields - An Arrow to the Sun (self-released) Doomy black metal from France.

Milanku - At Dawn (Folivora) Epic blackgaze from Montreal.

Very Good

WuW - L'Orchaostre (Pelagic) French post-metal.

Bereft - The Great Emptiness (self-released) Epic doom celebrating a fallen brother.

Varhara - Voidflower (These Hands Melt) Blistering blackgaze from Saint Petersburg.

Saver -From Ember And Rust (Pelagic) Post-metal from Oslo.

Ragana -Desolation's Flower (The Flenser) Blackened post-screamo from Oakland.

Liturgy - 93696 (Thrill Jockey) Still bewildering and barely black metal at this point. Glitches and orchestrations galore.

Nothing/Full of Hell - When No Birds Sang (Closed Casket Activities) Shoegaze and grindcore collide on this collab.

Also Good (but probably only for genre diehards and true fans)

Wreathe - The Land Is Not An Idle God (Persistent Vision)

Venns - Team Sports (Zegema Beach)

Falaise - After All This Time (Flowing Downward)

Svalbard - The Weight Of The Mask (Nuclear Blast)

Seltsame Erden - Gedankentempeln (Canti Eretici)

Rutile - Virtuous Season (Canti Eretici)

Lethvm - Winterreise (self-released)

Godflesh - Purge (Avalanche)

[honoka-marierose]

Starting in 1982, Marvel Comics began a line of graphic novels and trade paperbacks aimed at adults. This venture vanished in 1993, but Marvel resurrected it 20 years later in in 2013. While DC is better known for its mature comic collections, both the first and the second generation of Marvel Graphic Novels have some gems shining in their vaults.

Marvel Graphic Novels feature dozens of different characters, from obscure figures, like Marada the She-Wolf, to some Marvel fan favorites like Thanos. To their credit, they encompass nearly every genre, from fantasy to noir crime thrillers to pure superhero fiction. These graphic novels are inarguably the best of Marvel's bunch.

10: Marada the She-Wolf Is Underrated

The daughter of Caesar's firstborn daughter and a princess turned slave, Marada Starhair is a legendary warrior with arcane powers and weaponry expertise. A collection of stories from Marvel's Epic Illustrated, Marada the She-Wolf follows her adventures throughout the Roman Empire, combining the sensibilities of Conan stories with a Heavy Metal art style that still holds up today.

Marada is one of Marvel's most obscure heroes but Marada the She-Wolf is one of the greatest graphic novels of its era. John Bolton's art is truly marvelous and it goes great with Claremont's fantastic take on this character. While Marvel has a long history with sword-and-sorcery characters like Conan and Red Sonja, Marada is their long-neglected sibling and this book shows off her many merits.

9: The Pitt Is Weirdly Realistic

By focusing on three different characters -- Nelson Kohler, Colonel Browning, and Professor Jenny Swensen -- Byrne and Gruenwald did a terrific job at conveying the powerlessness of this kind of disaster in The Pitt. This graphic novel is a gruesome story with emotional dialogues and plenty of dark panels. The Pitt is perfect for those who want to read something serious with a true-to-life take on superheroes' actions.

8: Daredevil/Black Widow: Abattoir Is a Great Thriller

Starlin's Daredevil/Black Widow: Abattoir is a noir crime graphic novel featuring two of the darkest Marvel superheroes. When Black Widow disappears during a serial killer investigation that put her on the radar of a sadistic telepath. Daredevil will have to find her before she becomes their next victim.

Daredevil/Black Widow: Abattoir has great art, a story full of epic twists and turns, and an incredible team-up. This story takes the reader by the hand into a full thriller from Daredevil's perspective and his thoughts only make things darker. Chiodo's blurry lines and soft colors add to its cinematography. Daredevil and Black Widow make for an uncommon pairing -- especially post-MCU. However, Abattoir proves that they deserve more projects together.

7: Fans Will Love Kingpin in Daredevil: Love and War

In order to save Vanessa from a mysterious illness, Wilson Fisk kidnaps the wife of a doctor, forcing him to work for him. In the meanwhile, Daredevil tries to find them. Daredevil: Love and War follows this race from the perspective of Kingpin, offering readers an interesting insight into the villain's mind, turning him into a sympathetic villain.

By focusing on Fisk's perspective, Miller paints the pathetic picture of a desperate man in love, which almost makes readers believe that Daredevil is in the wrong for trying to stop him. This kind of emotional complexity in a villain is exactly what graphic novel readers want to see.

6: Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment Features a Rare but Interesting Team-Up

Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment follows an uncommon team-up. Doctor Doom and Doctor Strange join forces to free the former's mother from the most diabolic Hell forces. The first step of their quest is to travel to Mephisto's Infernal realm, where their souls will change forever -- including a tear-jerking ending.

Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment is basically a Marvel buddy film plus pumped full of a spooky atmosphere and heavy lore -- especially since Doctor Strange, Doctor Doom, and Mephisto are all lore-heavy characters. Its unique premise makes it stand out from other graphic novels, as well as the masterful way in which it interconnects the three characters' backgrounds.

5: Amazing Spider-Man: Hooky Is Great for All Ages

Amazing Spider-Man: Hooky pits Spider-Man against a monstrous villain, Tordenkakerlakk. This beast, created by Kurudred the Blood Drinker, only gets stronger each time Spidey defeats it. Given this, it slowly and steadily becomes one of his biggest challenges yet.

For Amazing Spider-Man: Hooky, Spider-Man travels to a fantasy realm. This makes Hooky very different from most of Spidey's stories. However, that's exactly what makes it great. It's quirky, it's full of magic, and it's quite unpredictable. Since Spider-Man teams up with Marandi Sjorokker, a 12-year-old sorcerer, this novel is a great option for kids too.

4: Claremont Did a Terrific Job With X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills

X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills follows the fight between Reverend William Stryker, a mutant-hating preacher who killed his own son, and Magneto, who is investigating Stryker's crime. After Stryker kidnaps Professor X to use him as a catalyst for a mutant massacre, Magneto teams up with the X-Men to save him. Since X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills was written in the '80s, amidst the rise of televangelists, this comic delves into some uncomfortable truths.

X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills premise is simple, but it's a great tale about anti-mutant prejudice. Stryker is a terrific villain and the Magneto/X-Men team-up opens the door for any possible plot twist. Claremont understands his X-Men perfectly. Originally an outside-of-canon graphic novel, X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills became canon following 2003's X-2. Since then, it's been a central story for X-Men at least in popular culture.

3: Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business Has Great Pace

One of the most iconic Spider-Man stories ever, Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business sees Spider-Man learn about his own past at the same time as the reader. When he becomes the target of Kingpin's most recent plan, CIA agent Teresa Parker, aka his own sister, will become Peter's most important ally.

Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business stands out from other Spidey graphic novels because it has great cinematographic quality. It basically puts Spidey into a Bond-like mission, which is a change of pace for this character. Regardless, it works perfectly. Gabriel Dell' Otto and Werther Dell'Edera's art is amazing too, as it definitely keeps up with the narrative dynamic vibe.

2: Avengers: Rage of Ultron Explores Serious Topics

Titan falls and Ultron rises by taking control of the whole planet. In order to fix this, Starfox contacts the Avengers. When Starfox seeks the Avengers' help, he finds them in the middle of an ethical conflict due to Hank Pym's use of AI in his experiments.

Ultron as a whole planet -- possessing its inhabitants, even -- puts the Avengers in a true problem due to the scale of the villain. The battle against Planet Ultron makes for a thrilling story. By combining it with the complex discourse of the novel -- fatherhood, artificial intelligence, ethics --, Remender offers one of the best Avengers storylines ever.

1: The Death of Captain Marvel Is Incredibly Emotional

The Death of Captain Marvel follows Captain Marvel's fight against Nitro, a battle in which he gets cancer. The comic features this fight, as well as the aftermath, in which Mar-Vell dies due to this illness, surrounded by all his friends and allies, such as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and the Avengers.

Marvel's first graphic novel ever is also its best work. The Death of Captain Marvel is an emotional ride. It starts as an action-packed romp, allowing Mar-Vell to showcase all his abilities. However, it soon turns into a sad, realistic take on a terrible illness. Captain Marvel's death was such an important milestone, so much so that -- contrary to most heroes in this universe -- Mar-Vell hasn't returned from the death yet.

[doomedandstoned]

BLACK PYRAMID Release First Single from Astounding Comeback Album

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

One of the albums doom metal fans can legit look forward to in coming months is the return effort from Massachusetts legends BLACK PYRAMID, one of the most visionary, commanding, and influential bands of the first two decades of the 21st century.

That may sound like some heavy lauding, and it is, but the band continues to live up to their reputation in their first new album since 2013's Adversarial.

Today, Doomed & Stoned brings you the world premiere of the first single "Bile, Blame, and Blasphemy" from the upcoming saga, 'The Paths of Time Are Vast' (2024).

The song begins with gentle electrified picking of a motif that's immediately accessible, met by warm bass tones and tapping cymbals. After introducing us to the main theme, it's developed with the full power of the band -- complete with swaying, downtuned riffs, Sabbathian trills, an unrelenting rhythm section, and the heroic vocal attack of Andy Beresky.

The chorus brings me back to the doom classic "Mirror Messiah" from the band's first album, 'Black Pyramid' (2009), which was (and continues to be) a hallmark of the genre. I love the sound of rolling chords during the breakdown and the solo is replete with depth and emotion. There are long stretches of instrumental work that simply buoy the imagination.

"Bile, Blame, and Blasphemy" introduces us to a narrative that runs throughout these 8 tracks, giving us lyrical clues as the record progresses. It is indeed "an epic tale of loss and redemption, death and rebirth, fire and frost."

Black Pyramid's The Paths of Time Are Vast is nothing short of sheer conviction from the band, giving the evolving medium of metal a much needed shot in the arm as the year progresses. It digs deep into the craw and you may find yourself thinking about it even when it's not rumbling the stereo speakers. Album of the Year contender for damned sure.

Look for Totem Cat Records to release Black Pyramid's fourth full-length on May 3rd in vinyl, CD, and digital formats, with pre-orders beginning soon. Stick it on a playlist with High on Fire, Elder, Stoned Jesus, and Aleph Null.

Give ear...

SOME BUZZ

Evoking the molten, sludgy tones and the immersive atmosphere of their self-titled debut album, Black Pyramid greatly expands upon what worked wonders in the past, then seeks the transcendent path, pushing each element of their alchemistic sound to its unparalleled cosmic conclusion.

Slated for a May 3rd release, “The Paths of Time Are Vast” features Andy Beresky on guitar and vocals, Eric Beaudry on bass, and Andy Kivela on drums. This lineup of the band is now the longest running incarnation, actively gigging and touring since 2018, all the while honing their collective songcraft and solidifying their onstage chemistry. Working with Justin Pizzoferratu (Dinosaur Jr, Witch, Elder) at Sonelab, the band sought to capture the same visceral magic and sonic wizardry of their live performances onto tape, and then embellish in the psychedelic decadence of studio experimentation.

The resulting production is equally immense and ethereal, massive and otherworldly, elemental and insubstantial, as much an earthquake as an astral projection. Each song embodies the power trio’s raw energy, atavistic power and impassioned performances, juxtaposing elaborate arrangements with fiery free form improvisation.

Although past Black Pyramid albums were conceived as collections of stories told through individual songs, this marks the first time that the band has composed an album which tells a single solitary story. Utilizing both musical themes and lyrical imagery, “The Paths of Time Are Vast” relates an epic tale of loss and redemption, death and rebirth, fire and frost. This album is your golden ticket to voyage beyond the realms of birth and death, to take the journey through the many doors of radiant reality and dark dimension, to tread the celestial pathways carved in the carcasses of the stars, and to finally taste the vastness of time and space.

Follow The Band

Get Their Music

[st-louis]

hiii could u tell me what u like about metal music? was there one band or song that got u hooked on the genre? i'd love to be able to appreciate it or even like it, but i find it kind of impenetrable tbh!

so some of what i like about it IS the impenetrability and the fact that you really have to dig in if you want to learn about it. and i've always liked loud/extreme music even from a young age.

i got into it through punk and like the CLASSIC classic heavy metal like black sabbath, judas priest, iron maiden, mötörhead, etc. while that stuff is pretty fun it's not like...very extreme or ultimately even very interesting to me.

from there, i got into a specific genre of doom/stoner/sludge, things like electric wizard (although they later turned out to be like crypto nazis which was SUPER disappointing because dopethrone was one of my favorite albums of all time :(). other good bands in this genre are hebosagil and vile creature

and then i slowly started getting into black metal. i think what really appealed to me was the variety you get even within the sub-genre, the rawness of a lot of it, the rebellion, just the feel of it. idk how to describe it just the whole history, including the unsavory bits, was really fascinating to me. you know when you just hear something that SOUNDS like you? that was how finding this music was to me.

again i can't really pick out ONE song or band that did it, but here are a few black metal-related songs on my "perfect songs" playlist, idk if any of them will appeal to you but this is like a pretty broad example of the sort of things you can find:

agalloch, "black lake niðstång" (the buildup to the part around 14:30........ the best)

spectral wound, "woods from which the spirits once so loudly howled"

véhémence, "l'étrange clairière: partie ii"

havukruunu has excellent pagan black metal

batushka, "yekteniya 1"

anything by vermilia, her whole latest album (also pagan black metal but more atmospheric and less warlike than havukruunu)

afsky's latest album is great

ellende's ellenbogengesellschaft is like a beautiful sweeping epic

but like part of the appeal is that there's so much. there's all of that stuff and then there's like really raw stuff like pa vesh en or even black 'n roll like misþyrming. if i want to dig, there's no limit to what i'll find (most of what i listen to is in this subgenre so this is really just a few bands off of the top of my head). idk, i just really enjoy everything about it except for the fact that i have to vet the bands to make sure they aren't n*zis and even then i miss some sometimes. :|

[antifascistblackmetalnetwork]

Everson Poe - The Tower (Full album PREMIERE, 2023) | Black metal, doom metal

In times as convoluted and draining as we're constantly having, there's always good use of stirring yet comforting ideas and perspectives going around and music is the perfect vessel for such to manifest through, something y'all are probably familiar with moving around this channel and extreme metal in itself. Today, we have one of a kind work from this year that will probably land in many people's AOTY list by its own right: "The Tower", most recent artistic effort by Mae Shults, queer trans multi-instrumentalist based in Chicago, as EVERSON POE. What we have here is a block of work divided in two songs over 25 minutes each (fans of Lustre can celebrate now, not expecing atmospheres though), in a masterful blend of black metal with doom stepping into sludge. "The Tower" is a concept album named after the tarot card with the same name, pursuing to represent what the card mean implies and in its both sides, in the words of the artist: <<[...] the tower represents change in the most monumental sense. when upright, it portrays potentially groundbreaking progress; when reversed, it signals the destruction of false foundations. both of these meanings can be positive and negative; a dialectic that, in this case, acts as the outline for the story of a collection of organizations that seek to hold back and even eliminate those who are othered by their gender identity[…]>>.

Both songs, 'I. Upright' and 'II. Reversed' also reflect this theme and symbolism about the tower with lyrics as impactful as being precisely struck by lightning could be, holding the voice of the protagonist in this epic work, the first trans woman executed by the government for being trans, giving this character in the fiction the shape of a religious martyr accompanied by voice samples adding emphasis in the given context (featuring the north american politician, representative Zooey Zephyr, first trans woman to be elected to the Montana legislature with the Democratic Party, coming from LGTB+ activism), showcasing the  naturally deep emotional level of the album. Sonically, beyond overall genre / style features, Mae has achieved to build the uneasy of such a topic and writing beyond lyrics shown from start, by heavy and droning doomy tempos and aching vocals (not only Mae's, but from a handful of guests adding their own seen alive in ominous chorals and screaming backings). Far from being any predicatble, "The Tower" will surprise you in all of its movements through this solid work of a bit less than an hour; a work that asks from the listener to pay attention, to care for every detail put in form for an experience that is enjoyable as it is tough. This is an album to stay with, to crown an outstanding discography as Mae has since they started around 2009.

[bugbart]

Do you have any recommendations for someone who's knowledge of metal is almost entirely numetal? I.E. what would you give to a baby metalhead?

well i wouldn't exactly call myself an expert on metal but I can attempt it. also i definitely wouldn't knock nu-metal, it's one of my favorite metal sub-genres (what are your favorite nu metal bands 👀).

tis hard to give "beginner" recs since itll come down to personal taste bUT: - Ghost: kind of all over the place with genre, but always very fun. Meliora is generally considered their best album. - Volbeat: Danish heavy metal/rock-n-roll. their newest album Servant of the Mind slaps - Municipal Waste: THRASH!! - In This Moment: metalcore/alt-heavy metal - Bloodywood: Indian folk metal

and then the Bart's Specific Taste Favorites Recs which is mostly heavy/doom/power metal: - BLIND GUARDIAN. german power metal/speed metal - Eternal Champion: heavy/power metal - Smoulder: power/doom metal - Myrkur: danish black/folk metal - Cirith Ungol: heavy/epic doom metal - Morgul Blade: heavy/doom metal - Mystik: heavy/speed metal

oh and, not band recommendations but like general metalhead life advice: have fun with what you like and don't let anyone call you a poser (especially not people on tiktok). remember to wear earplugs to shows to protect your ears. if your hometown has a local scene check out whats going on. don't let a band/hot topic sell you a $80+ pre-made battle vest, get a jacket/vest from goodwill and get patches from bandcamp/etsy/shows.

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

[gigakoops]

My Music! (A master post)

I just realized that I haven't really posted all of my music on here yet, so here's a post linking to each album. My first album, while a bit simple, has some good, catchy chiptune stuff going on! I used just two VSTs for the entire album (ReaSynth, and ReaDrum, both defaults included with Reaper), and while I did write these songs as a way to make difficult charts in Rock Band, the songs themselves hold up surprisingly well. My second album is where things started getting more complex and involved in the songwriting. There are a lot more prog rock influences, as well as the use of semi-realistic drum sounds. I'll be linking to a remaster of my first two albums here, since I think they just sound better here.

Remastered by Gigakoops

My third album is where I started expanding my sound a bit. I started using more VSTs, and went for a much more experimental approach, combining genres left and right to make a unique flow of sounds.

Please Bring Peace to the Village of Doom by Gigakoops

Then there's my first EP, where I tried out adding vocals to my songs! While they're a little shaky in spots, I'm overall happy with how they turned out on both songs that incorporate them. Also, Nightmare Lyre's remix of Death in General is really good.

My Legendary Silver Triangle Wealth Pyramid (EP) by Gigakoops

My fourth album is where I tried getting really heavy with it. I upped the metal influences tenfold, and essentially set out to write an epic Nintendocore prog metal album.

Third Time's a Charm, Fourth Time is Routine by Gigakoops

Which takes us to my latest EP, which sort of goes back to the overall sound of my third album, but with a lot more emphasis on specific genres (namely techno, ska, and metal alongside chiptunes). Also for the first time, I used live instrumentation, recording guitar and basslines using a 4-string bass for everything!

Blood Tastes Better Than Water by Gigakoops

[athetos]

hello ash the great opinions haver! any recs for metal albums that Aren't evangelizing/fascist/both?

My opinions are only adequate, but I have quite a few! I don’t know what particular genre of metal you’re into so here’s a decent variety!

Parkway Drive - a metalcore band that has quite a few songs off their album In Reverence that attack Catholicism and talk about killing God, the abuse prevalent in the church, etc. I highly recommend that album as well as their latest that just came out, Darker Still, for very anthemic metal that’s still very aggressive.

Archspire - a technical death metal band with my favorite bassist - seriously these guys shred. Very fast and aggressive, very heavy. Their music is concept albums based around human experimentation and are hard to explain, but phenomenal. All their music is good but Bleed the Future and Relentless Mutation are peak of their game.

Rings Of Saturn - a deathcore/technical death metal band that has lyrics about alien invasions and cosmic horror. Fantastic riffs, but if you’re not huge on deathcore’s growl vs screech dynamic you might not be as a big a fan. But they have instrumental versions of ALL their songs, and after their vocalist left this past year are solely instrumental! My personal favorite album is Ultu Ulla.

Blotted Science - instrumental experimental death metal where each song represents a different neurological condition of some sort. Very terrifying and just, one of my favorites of all time. The bassist from Cannibal Corpse is one of the members; I believe the other members are also from well-regarded death metal bands as well. Their album Machinations of Dementia is to die for.

Gatecreeper - a death metal band that’s great in all regards, but their EP An Unexpected Reality is my favorite album of 2021 - and it’s only 7 songs. 6 of them are just over a minute long, thrashy and violent, and the last is an over 10 minute long doom metal track. I’m still blown away listening to it today.

Brand of Sacrifice - a deathcore band that writes songs inspired by Berserk! Very vicious and explosive. They have some really cool stuff going on and shred. I don’t have a favorite album yet, but you can’t really go wrong just checking out whatever their most played is.

A day to remember - a metalcore/ post-hardcore - pop punk hybrid whatever you want to call it that’s one of my favorites. They have some poppier stuff as well as some very heavy stuff. I recommend Homesick and Bad Vibrations the most.

Dragonforce - this goes without saying. Power metal about dragons with extremely long guitar solos. What more could you possibly want? Inhuman Rampage is my favorite.

First Fragment - while their newest album didn’t resonate with me as much, their album Dasein is exquisite. I have no idea what the lyrics are; they’re in French, but my brief Google translate sessions tell me they’re about… philosophy? Truths of the universe? Scifi stuff? I have no idea. But if you love technical death metal and some delicious bass lines listen to that record.

Fleshgod Apocalypse - symphonic heavy metal that is relentless and melodic and brutal all at once. They have instrumental versions of some of their songs too. They’re concept albums as far as I can tell, with their album King being medieval themed and epic-sounding, and their album Veleno being nearly as good. There’s also an aria in one track. Much respect.

Avatar - I haven’t been as big a fan of their newest album, but these guys are anthemic metal that mixes clean vocals and screaming and have really cool concepts. Their album Feathers and Flesh is amazing, and tells the story of an eagle (day) and an owl (night) fighting.

The Dillinger escape plan - very manic sounding extreme metal that makes your brain explode in the best way possible. Not for everyone but you gotta at least check them out. Ire Works and Dissociation are my go-to’s, I have to listen to them more.

Bring me the Horizon - started out as an adequate if unexciting death metal band, jumped into the scene metalcore pool, slowly “matured” and refined their tone to fit on hard rock radio, then released Post Human Survival, one of my favorite albums from last year, somehow. Your mileage will definitely vary, some ppl still swear by their old stuff (although beware of the misogyny that was everywhere at the time), but their albums There is a Hell and Sempiternal are pretty good and throw stones at christianity, while Amos is as good as you can get for something that’s tame enough to get airplay. But post human survival is the best; there’s even features with Amy Lee and babymetal!

Cannabis Corpse - haven’t listened to an album of theirs in full but they’re a death metal band that has all original songs but the titles and lyrics are all about weed and are parodies of cannibal corpse song titles. They shred.

I’m at work and don’t have time to type up more, but if you’re still hungry for me, I also recommend inanimate existence, irreversible mechanism, alestrom, powerwolf, ice nine kills, and - since they no longer consider themselves a Christian band - Underoath, one of the best metalcore bands of all time.

[thewillowmothscreams]

Bewitched by Swedish epic doom metal band Candlemass. From the album Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, released June 10th, 1986. The music video features Per “Pelle” Ohlin AKA Dead from Mayhem (1988 - 1991) and Morbid (1986 -1988). RIP.

I’ve been listening to some epic doom lately. Candlemass is probably the first band many people think of for the genre. This was the first Candlemass song I ever heard. It’s a classic. 🦇

[cavedwellermusic]

UDOL - El Regne (2023)

Epic doom with a sludge twist in the Catalan language

El Regne is a prime example of how modern epic doom can respect the classics but push the genre in new innovative directions. The band draw inspiration from acts such as early Ereb Altor and Solstice and work in elements of sludge, psych and heavy metal. Vocally the duo give us a performance that is as powerful as it is moving, telling epic tales in the Catalan language. Just as impressive is the guitar, which balances heaviness, atmosphere and catchiness, providing headbangable moments throughout the album.

[doomedandstoned]

Sky Pig Disclose Stark New Music Video “Sinning Time”

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

Sky Pig describe their sound as a psychedelic sludge. I'd add ambient to that description, for their latest album 'It Thrives in Darkness' (2022) is less a collection of catchy songs as it is an unfurling dreamscape, its atmosphere building gradually like a mounting stormfront of ominous gray clouds.

You'll scarcely find an album that's as dark as this one. Reminds me a lot of the menacing, unsettled sound coming out of the early '90s with bands like Alice in Chains, Nirvana, and Korn. After the heavy metal parking lot disbanded, grunge came on the scene. No one knew what else to call it, and it seemed to fit. This was the era that gave birth to mutant children: death, thrash, and doom metal. It was downcast, downtuned stuff, rough around the edges and a glass-half-empty perspective for lyrics. These emerging genres always came across to me as Generation X being pissed off upon learning that life would have far less opportunity than our parents had and our teachers promised -- and oh, by the way, you will one day die. I digress.

The album starts in the red, with the brash welcome of drums and cymbals. In "State of Anger" riffs and rhythm converge in a dizzying dirge. At times, you'll notice the movement between chords is sudden and jagged, as though the very foundations of the earth were being ripped asunder.

Your life has let you down This world has shit you out Dark is the road you've taken Cast out, God forsaken

On "Larva" the vocals reflect to me the anguish of a Cain-like figure, who feels cast out by God as he looks at this mess of a world. There's our idea of how the world should work, and then there's how things actually pan out. Real life is filled with as many sorrows as joys, but sometimes there's a chance to rise again. This one's got a great theme to join the vocals and it's one of the key highlights for me.

Bending time From ungodly depths So blind The ones that caused this mess

"Motionless" gives respite with those quiet, reverberating guitar notes strummed for nearly a full minute of solitude. Soon the rain comes and with it a tragic doom melody. When the vocals enter, they feel as if underwater. Perhaps floating just below the surface of the flooded plains. The song is constructed with several interlocking and contrasting riff motifs. When we next hear vocals its a chorus with the soaring amplitude of Slomatics, Domkraft, and Conan. If you're listening with headphones, especially, the words "Look to the sky!" will seem to surround you. Dare I say, they sound almost authoritative, prophetic.

The eyes of God have turned away His grace a shallow grave When darkness comes Surely then we'll see his plan When we become motionless

When we reach "Sinning Time" the floods have subsided and the sinners are back at it again. The beat is steady and unrelenting, the guitars grindy and dissonant, vocals low-key and matter of fact. Then the swell picks up and we're treated to a downpour of drizzly fuzz, stout low-end, and banshee vocals.

Fall out of your mind, into the next life Pray for the end, for the end of time

"In Light of Your Death" is like waking up in a hazy stupor and trying to get a grip of the situation, where you are, what time it is, and who's around you. This feeling is interrupted by a feeling of dread, articulated by crunchy slow 'n' low axemanship and singing that rival the roars of Gojira.

Sleep for a while We'll be here to guide you Dream through our eyes let the darkness blind you."

The album comes to a head with the title track, "It Thrives in Darkness." Its foggy opening has a Mellotron like vibe, which I'm informed is a bass pedal effect. The guitar strums morbidly atop it. Now we're deep into doom territory, with riffage that fans of Cough should take a liking to. An epic way to end the record.

My world, your cage You'll know my rage This house of pain Is where I stay

Now that you've had an overview of the album, Doomed & Stoned presents the official music video for a track we featured on our last Doom Charts countdown show: "Sinning Time." It was produced by Dark Sprite Videos.

Give ear...

WATCH: Sky Pig - Sinning Time

Track-by-Track with   Sky Pig's Rob Sneddon

State of Anger

It Thrives in Darkness by Sky Pig

About a guy who just snapped. He feels betrayed by the world and God because of horrific things that happened to him. He feels like the only way to feel relief or to get back at God, perhaps, is to go on a killing spree. Probably the most straightforward song musically and meaning-wise on the record.

Larva

It Thrives in Darkness by Sky Pig

Borrowed a little from the Call of Cthulhu, but more a Biblical idea about this creature called to earth from God after the world has exhausted its resources and become rotten, both in its form and the nature of the people inhibiting it. God feels he has no other choice but to destroy everything & everyone and start over.

Motionless

It Thrives in Darkness by Sky Pig

This song is based around the famous question, "Is there a God? And if so, why would he let all this awful stuff happen to innocent people?" It suggests maybe there is, but at some point he gave up, realizing it was hopeless. Similar idea to "Larva," but God takes a different approach by simply giving up and leaving everyone to simply destroy themselves in "Motionless." There is definitely a theme of questioning God on this record. I think it had a lot to do with my mindset during the pandemic, losing close friends, the craziness in the world lately, and a feeling of hopelessness. So it's really just asking a question and posing a possibility because I really have no answers for the chaos in this world. I just write music based on my fucked up perspective and try to make it interesting.

Sinning Time

It Thrives in Darkness by Sky Pig

In the style of Melvins, "Sinning Time" is a pretty ambiguous song leaving a lot to interpretation. It conjures a weird, scary creature with nefarious intentions. Was going for a similar vibe as "The Scag" from our EP, 'Hell Is Inside You' (2020): uneasiness leading up to impending doom.

In Light of Your Death

It Thrives in Darkness by Sky Pig

This song's hard to explain, because this one has a bit of ambiguity. I was shooting for a "if David Lynch wrote a song" vibe. Are these alien beings? Shadow people, Cult leaders? Up to interpretation. But they're controlling this person's mind or consciousness and leading him somewhere, possibly to another dimension or an endless void or afterlife. I have no answers, really. The words were driven by the feel of the music. That generally dictates how I write songs. Always the music first and then words trying to fill in the blanks and paint a picture.

It Thrives in Darkness

It Thrives in Darkness by Sky Pig

This one's about someone living in a very dark place physically and in their mind. Kept away from the world, abused, neglected. Hoping that someone or something rescues them before they have to do something they don't want to. Almost sarcastic title in regards to the song. I thought of this title for the record long before the song, actually during the early stages of the pandemic (along with most of the other songs), but just thought this song was the perfect one to sum up the record. Sad, violent, hopeless. Tried to convey all of these things in the music and words.

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