In the prequel to this piece I talked about why doom metal was so important in the modern age – and the more I think about it, the more I realize it's not just important, it's also reflective our world right now. We live in a time when all the structures that held our society together for years are falling apart. Mass shootings are an everyday occurrence. This could be the start of a winter we never see the end of. The new Cold War is brewing fiercer than the last. I'm not saying this to bring down the mood, but rather to show that it makes sense that doom is so popular right now. It's dark music for dark times, focused on the end of all things and yet also triumphant, reminding us that humans can pull through.
The bands on this list are in general much darker than on the last. In the time between the original article and this one there's been mass shootings, earthquakes and threats of war. There is a very real sadness haunting us all right now, for reasons none of us can escape. So why not take a minute and check out these bands in the search for absolution? As grim as things might seem – I can guarantee you that doom metal lets you see through it, and allows you to revel in the murk, confident in the knowledge that somehow we will be able to build a better tomorrow.
7. Ancient Altar
Ancient Altar are the kind of band that sound well… ancient. Never afraid of pushing boundaries and expanding what doom metal can be, Ancient Altar understand the sheer trudge of doom metal and come at it with powerful soundscapes and Sabatthian riffs. With some high minded concepts and epic soundscapes shaping their music, you find yourself lost in mysterious worlds as crushing chords crash down around your ears and leaves you utterly devastated. Ancient Altar understand the monolithic power that the genre can have and gleefully will melt the flesh off your bones as you try and navigate their unique sound. Ancient Altar understand the core nature of doom, and will make you suffer.
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6. Destroyer Of Light
What I love so much about Destroyer Of Light is that even though they play music that could be categorized as doom metal, they are very much a rock band. In a genre where many take themselves too seriously and create crushing odes to how sad they are, Destroyer Of Light manage to bring in guitar harmonies and flashy solos to lighten things up. That being said – don't think that the band isn't monumental in their own right – their headbanging magic is accented by minor key solos and melodies that tear at the heart. Willing to play it fast and loose, Destroyer Of Light use their frontman's unearthly cleans to guide you on a unique musical journey that is weird, demented, and far to much fun.
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5. Chrch
Do you ever listen to a record and think, "Wow this is awesome! Maybe even album of the year material!" and then, as life swirls around you, you let yourself forget about it? That's what happened to me with Chrch's Unanswered Hymns, an album that kicks off with a nineteen minute long epic and then only gets better from there. Chrch (Formerly Church) have an excellent grasp on doom songwriting and create songs that ebb and flow, bringing in arpeggiated chords and moments of drone metal goodness to develop a sound that is unique and powerful. On top of it all the bands frontwoman, only known as Eva, lets her voice ring out, baring her soul and giving a unique glimpse into the band. Eerie, epic, and fully aware of the bleakness of our reality Chrch seems almost like they could be Sacramento's doom saviors. This is a band tapped into a greater power and listening to their expansive sound is a magical experience.
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4. Grayceon
Grayceon are one of very few bands out there that could be called an analogue to SubRosa and Dreadnought. That being said, these cello wielding San Francisco natives are quite unlike anything I've ever heard. Steeped in potent pyschedelia and using epic riffs to craft extensive suites, Grayceon don't follow your rules. Instead the band has been able to refine a wonderfully grandiose sound and revel in the triumph. Grayceon guide you into a wholly unique headspace, their lineup and instrumentation forcing you to look at doom metal in a whole new way. Expansive, ethereal, and unafraid to crush your skull, this is the kind of band who seem to understand what the future of doom metal will be.
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3. Crypt Sermon
Imagine Dio fronting a pure doom band – that's perhaps the only way to start describing the magic of Crypt Sermon. I saw these guys opening for Bastard Sapling shortly after moving to America and it blew me away, they had me won over from day one. The band is fully aware of their own bombast and march forward with a regal sense of triumph. Their new record, Out Of The Garden is finding its way onto year end lists all around the world for a reason – no one else sounds quite like Crypt Sermon nor has the skill to emulate their music. Wholly unique and full of an old school magic, Crypt Sermon understand the ungodly power of doom and use dynamic solos and epic vocals to create a sound that will carry you off on a truly exciting journey.
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2. Dopethrone
It requires a certain amount of balls to bill your band as "Scum Fuck Blues" but Dopethrone have no qualms with the label, and frankly, that's exactly what they are. There is something almost terrifying about how brutal and destructive this band is – and they're only just getting started. The raw malice communicated on 2015's Hochelaga is stunning and speaks to how fucking evil these guys are. They trudge forward, driven apparently by hate and lust for blood, creating music that only gets darker with time. As their weird fuzzed out melodies wind their way into your heart you find yourself deeper within the pit that they create. Dopethrone understand what it means to absolutely devastate the listener and as they choke you out it becomes impossible to reject the unholy sickness of the bands music.
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1. Trapped Within Burning Machinery
Simply put, Trapped Within Burning Machinery are a gem of the underground. Their new record The Filth Element is one of the most distinctive doom records out there today, ritualistic, brilliantly constructed and heavy as all get out. I think one of the first things that struck me about their music is the lyrical nature of the riffs. As demented as Trapped Within Burning Machinery can be, you can still get lost in the melodies and it's easy to fall in love with what the band has done. Of course – this is the kind of doom that was never quite meant for normal people. Filled with some of the darkest sounds I've heard all year and a wonderful dedication to the sublime, The Filth Element sees the band taking their riffs and sonic madness to the furthest extreme, creating a sound that hearkens to the legends, but also has the band filling their own void.
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