dimanche 27 Avr 2008, 12h31m
A Guide to Doom-Metal Part III: Funeral Doom
We arrive at the third part in my guides to Doom by examining the bleak genre of Funeral Doom. As I hinted at in my previous guide, I think the term is too freely thrown around. With every mediocre bedroom project and every Doom Death band claiming that label, or at least having it tagged upon them. So what makes Funeral Doom? I hear many calling it "ultra slow doom metal", well, name me one genre of Doom that isn't reliant on slowed-down tempos. No, it isn't just tempo, but a sense of bleak nihilism. Which largely, but not strictly, means no beautiful keyboard melodies or romantic violin leads. Funeral Doom must fill you with anxiety and a hopeless despair. It relies on that nebulous and subjective element called atmosphere, which I thirst for so much. Now that my subjective definition has been established, onward doomed friends!
Thergothon: Arguably the fathers of the subgenre. These Finns released only one full length and demo before disbanding into various direction, most notably the soothing and extremely melancholic This Empty Flow. Thergothon's music is ugly, slow and bleak. The presence of melodies and acoustic interludes don't pretty things up at all, if anything, they make it sound every more barren and desolate. A heavy Lovecraftian vibe helps immensely as well. Essential in every meaning of the word. Rec albums: Stream From the Heavens, Fhtagn Nagh Yog-Sothoth
Funeral (Nor): Asides from Death, I can't think of another Metal band which such a brief yet completely fitting name. For a time, these Norwegians were known as the slowest band in all of Metal. Funeral's early work was painfully slow, yet more melodic than most Funeral Doom bands. Freely using female vocals, acoustic interludes and even neoclassical leads. Their first two releases, Tragedies and Tristesse, were cult recordings, still to this day heavily sought-after. The band has endured many hardships: lineup fluctuations, inability to get a record deal for several years and the deaths of two members. Yet these Norwegians have admirably persisted over the years. They now exist as a Melodic Doom-Death act, albeit one of the highest caliber. Rec albums: Tragedies, Tristesse, To Mourn is a Virtue, From These Wounds.
Skepticism: The godfathers of Funeral Doom, these Finns create such barren tapestries of sound that resonate deep within your soul of the deepest bleakness. Skepticism's forte has always been in its use of keyboards, and especially a church organ sound that would depress even the happiest soul. The vocals are buried in the mix, literally creating a whispering gloom. Their music is the audio equivalent of having ice cold waves wash over you. The song The March and the Stream is routinely, and with good reason, cited as one of the most depressing songs ever recorded. Rec albums: Stormcrowfleet, Aes, Lead & Aether, Ethere.
Unholy: Another Finnish entry. Unholy was unique in the sense that their music had a distinct black metal feel, especially in the early going, something that would spur the legion of Blackened Doom bands in the coming years. Unholy's debut is one of the harshest and and unique albums in the history of Doom, frequently using abrupt tempo and mood changes to brilliant effect, creating one of the bleakest albums in the history of Doom. Their second carried on in this fashion, but wasn't as impactful as the debut despite its multilayered qualities. Unholy were as unconventional as a band could be and still exist within the Doom genre. Their next two albums became more melodic, incorporating keyboards and female vocals more full-time, which disappointed some fans. But nothing was more disappointing than this band's abrupt breaking up. Rec albums: From the Shadows, The Second Ring of Power, Gracefallen
Hierophant: This and the next band are one-man projects born of the same mind and are musically similar. Hierophant recorded 3 out of print EPs of some ultra bleak, slow, minimalist and rawly produced Funeral Doom. These EPs were released together on an equally rare compilation album. This isn't the easiest music to listen but thats what makes it so worth investigating. Rec album: The Tome
Catacombs: But if you can't stomach bad production, there is hope. Well, sort of. Catacombs, Xathagorra Mlandroth's (real name J Del Russi) newest project, carries on in the same vein but with some improvements. The production is improved. The ever present guitar leads sound like trumpets announcing the arrival of some unholy abomination, the music crawls along at the pace of a slow march. There is again a heavy Lovecraftian vibe to things. I close my eyes and picture some poor mortal tentatively marching along the wastes of Kadath, fearing what lurks around every corner. Rec album: In the Depths of R'yleh.
Until Death Overtakes Me: One of a myriad of projects of Belgian Stijan Van Cauter, and one of his better projects. UDOM's music takes a heavy ambient influence, basically sounding like ambient music with distorted guitars and death growls. This is the kind of music that can lure you to sleep, and I don't mean this in a negative way, the music is bleak and yet soothing, sounding like Shape of Despair on tranquilizers. Cauter's other project of note is Beyond Black Void, who's only release, the aptly titled Desolate, is available for download. Rec albums: Prelude to Monolith, Symphony I: Deep Dark Red.
Worship: I've heard the label torture doom thrown around occasionally, and I can't think of a more appropriate tag than for this entity. Originally Consisting of a duo of Frenchman Daniel Pharos and German Fucked Up Mad Max, they created some of the bleakest and most miserable sounding Doom ever recorded. A Sparse discography, consisting mainly of limited print 7 inches added to their aura and the suicide of Fucked Up Mad Max further increased it. For those who think Doom is nothing but easy listening music, give them a listen of this, it will change their minds very rapidly. Rec albums: Last Vinyl\Tape\CD Before Doomsday, Dooom.
Wormphlegm: Remember that Torture Doom label, well this is another aptly fitting act. The vocals are almost nothing but tortured screams that make Varg sound like a 5 year old whining over not getting a cookie. The production is fittingly dirty and raw and the drums are very deep sounding indeed. Their demo debut was a concept album of sorts, a twisted, sadistic fantasy of a journey through a torture chamber. If there ever was a soundtrack to a medieval torture chamber, this would be it. This act is a side project of the two minds behind Hail and Tyranny as well. Rec albums: In an Excruxiating Way Infested With Vermin and violated by Executionners Who Practice Incendiarism and Desanctifying the Pious, Tomb of the Ancient King. Other bands with a tortured sound to check out include Funeralium and Stabat Mater.
Tyranny: Another act who are bleakness personified. The same duo behind Wormphelgm are also behind this fine act. Tyranny is more melodic and melancholic than their other act, but it is still oppressive and crushingly heavy. Listening to them is an uncomfortable experience, I almost feel a pain in my stomach listening to these guys. Rec albums: Bleak Vistae, Tides of Awkening. If you like Tyranny, odds are you'll also like Comatose Vigil.
Asunder: Another band that have a similar feel to Tyranny. Asunder have a very epic feel to them, their most recent full length pushes the 70 minute mark despite having only 2 songs on it. Because of this nature, they are difficult to describe. Their subtle use of the cello is very endearing to me, as is the solid guitar playing and drumming. They are further of interest due to the presence of Weakling guitarist John Gossard within their ranks. Rec albums: A Rite of Famine, Works Will Come Undone.
Pantheist: A band who despite their heavy melodic touch, still have a Funeral aesthetic to them. The main project of Kostas Panagiotou who runs, or at least used to, the doom-metal.com website. Pantheist are like a darker version of Shape of Despair. Panagiotou's keyboard playing belies some true talent, one song even begins with a Chopin reference. They relocated this band from Belgium to the UK, where they released the experimental Amartia album, a concept album surrounding Dante's purgatory, but the results weren't as promising as one would've expected. Sill, the demo and first full length are well-worth chasing down. Rec albums: O Solitude, 1000 Years. Also check out Wijen Wij, a collaboration between Kostas and Van Cauter of UDOM, which sounds like a mix of UDOM and Pantheist. If you find yourself liking Funeral Doom with keyboards, also check out Reclusiam, who have a very epic and majestic feel to them.
Esoteric: A few people commented on the absence of this monolithic band in my previous journal. I consider Esoteric to be one of those unique and undefinable bands. If I had to pick a genre for them, I would label them Funeral Doom. They have a heavy psychedelic influence to their sound, but its psychedelic of the most nightmarishly possible. You are bombarded with layers upon layers of *almost* impenetrable sounds. The vocals are distorted beyond reason, the music crawls at a dead snail's pace. If you ever encounter some naysayers who think Doom is nothing but a refuse for self pitying metalheads, then make them listen to this. When I hear about the Yanks torturing their prisoners by making them listen to Metallica or AC\DC, I can't help but laugh because this is true torture music. Rec albums: The Pernicious Enigma, Metamorphogensis, Epistemological Despondency.
Colosseum: A new act I've just recently discovered. I find them a band of contrasts; lush guitar leads and keyboard melodies, yet these coexist with raw production and forceful vocals. If you find bands like Pantheist are too soft for you, Colosseum are for you. I find all the compositions on their debut album to be well structure and written. There is individuality within all the songs yet they all maintain as a cohesive whole. Majestic and rough at the same time. I can't wait for this band's next release. Rec album: Chapter I-Delerium.
Funerary Dirge: Most one-man music projects aren't all that interesting. Here is one that runs against that grain. One of many projects of Dark Dead (real name Matt Zuchowski), FD's sound is sparse and desolate, whereas many Funeral bands' production tend to overwhelm, FD's is sparse and allows breathing room for the instruments, allowing the music to sound desolate and barren. The pace is very slow as you'd expect, and musically incorporates classical, industrial and ambient elements as well. A further strong point is that all the songs have their own unique sound, showing further diversity where you wouldn't expect it. Rec albums: And Darkness Swallowed the Light, Abyssus Abyssum Invocat. Also be sure to check out Dark Dread's other projects, the best are Doom Squirrel and the ambient Alone in Silence.
Mournful Congregation: Riffs. When you think of Funeral Doom, you don't often think of solid guitar riffing. The riffing is minimalistic, and yet very memorable and hypnotic. MC are my favorite Funeral act currently active as its hard to say whether Skepticism are active or not. Their music overall is highly hypnotic and dark, unafraid to use acoustic interludes, often with brilliant results. The vocals are extremely Disgorge-like low, and the reverb added on in the full length creates a truly unique and foreboding vocal sound. Rec albums: The Monad of Creation, The Dawning of Mournful Hymns.
The Funeral Orchestra: You'd be hard pressed to find a more aptly named band than these miserable Swedes. I find they have a heavy sludge feel to their sound, making them far more miserable sounding than your average Funeral band. The vocals sound like the demented cries of a lunatic and the guitars have that delightful muddy and fuzzy tone that makes Sludge such a delight to listen to. Rec albums: We Are the End, Feeding the Abyss.
Nortt: Of all the projects blending Black and Domm Metal, this Danish project is a cut above the rest. The music can be raw, and yet is often multi layered on a level with bands like Mul and Esoteric. I find the obscure production adds to the desolate nature of the music. This is truly stuff you must listen to in the dark to truly appreciate. Rec albums: Graven, Ligfaerd, Hedendang, Glagenfrist.
Wraith of the Ropes: A band with a heavy ritualistic feel. Their debut had several elements that recalled horror film scores, and the album feels very much like a film score from the deepest bowels of hell. The vocals are heavily processed, sounding truly demonic. There is a march-like pace to things, albeit a very slow march, kinda like Catacombs. The subtle melodies are hypnotic and minimalistic, sounding like John Carpenter on his better scores, often with a piano taking the lead and a guitar playing counterpoint or harmony. This duo features E.M. Hearst of the drone act Torture Wheel. Rec album: Aida
This concludes my guide to Funeral Doom. As always I hope you've discovered some new bands and your comments are welcome. As a side note, I'm thinking about creating a compilation\Sampler as a companion to my guides, this way you have the actual music to go along with my writings. Let me know what you think of this, if enough people say yes I'll do so, probably starting backwards with my Death Metal guides and working my way up.
I anticipate this Doom guide to go seven parts. My next guide shall focus on Stoner Metal to lighten things up, in more ways than one. Until next time, may you drop out of life with bong in hand and follow the smoke towards the riff filled land!
Funeral DoomDoomDoom MetalFuneralThergothonSkepticismUnholyFuneralHierophantCatacombsUntil Death Overtakes MeBeyond Black VoidWorshipWormphlegmTyrannyAsunderStabat MaterFuneraliumThe Funeral OrchestraNorttWraith of the RopesReclusiamPantheistWijen WijWijlen WijEsotericColosseumMournful CongregationMournful CongregationComatose VigilFunerary DirgeDoomSquirrel