Epic Doom Metal

by u/MarcoHatesHipsters

It seems to me that a large amount of metal fans enjoy Candlemass, but have very little experience with the genre outside of that band. I figured that I could do a little write up to bring exposure to the scene. Shout out and plug-in for /r/epicdoommetal.

Defining the Sound:

Doom Metal is one of the oldest, and richest sub-genres of metal. The Traditional Doom sound was entirely pioneered by Sabbath's early works. Doom metal is characterized by its slow tempos and a thick and heavy guitar tone.

Epic Doom Metal is heavily, heavily influenced by the classic strain of Doom. Epic Doom is noted for its distinct, powerful, and operatic approach to vocals. Lyrics focused on fantasy, mythology, and biblical stories, in conjunction with the vocals and song structures, create an atmosphere of dirgeful grandeur.

Origins and First Steps

The origins of Epic Doom are easily traced back to Candlemass's prolific 1986 debut Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. The album expanded upon Traditional Doom and laid forth the blueprint for its namesake genre, Epic Doom. To this day, Epicus remains to be one of the absolute highest quality albums in the genre. Candlemass improved upon and further refined their sound on their next release, Nightfall. I feel that Candlemass's first two albums are the cornerstones of the genre. As such, I feel they are the perfect starting point for those new to the genre.

Starting Points:

Essential Bands - The Best of the Best

These releases are the distinguished. The cream of the crop. These are undeniably the strongest and absolute best that the genre has to offer. The first 2 Candlemass releases fall here as well.

Special Mention:

I do not consider this band to be quite at the same level as the previously listed bands. However, WHW have a unique approach to Epic Doom that has some fans alienated. WHW have heavy, heavy keyboard use in some of their albums; entirely uncharacteristic but oddly fitting. I think due to their distinct sound, they deserve a mention here.

Modern Champions

These are the bands that have distinguished themselves as rising superstars. It is too early to tell whether they can truly be considered classics. However, if there are any releases that will be classics these will be it.

Worthy Releases:

I listen to a lot of Epic Doom. Here are all the releases that I consider worth listening to at one point or another. Enjoy!

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