The Funeral Doom Metal Thread
I am long due an update to my top ten funeral doom releases, so let's go:
1. Esoteric - A Pyrrhic Existence (2019)
2. Evoken - Quietus (2001)
3. Ahab - The Call of the Wretched Sea (2006)
4.Bismuth - The Slow Dying of the Great Barrier Reef (2018)
5. Tyranny - Tides of Awakening (2005)
6. Bell Witch - Mirror Reaper (2017)
7. Esoteric - The Maniacal Vale (2008)
8. Ataraxie - Le déclin (2024)
9. Skepticism - Lead and Aether (1997)
10. Colosseum - Chapter 2: Numquam (2009)
#1 & #2 have swapped places from last time, as have #4 & #5. Ataraxie's latest, "Le déclin", swooping in has seen Worship's "Last Tape Before Doomsday" drop out of the ten.
Mournful Congregation - "Weeping" demo (1994)
This early funeral doom demo absolutely blew me away when I first purchased it from the band back at the time of release & it still marks the high point for the entire subgenre as far as I'm concerned. I was tape trading with these Adelaide dudes at the time & found it almost impossible to believe that this material was coming from a few kids in such an unlikely location. "Weeping" is the very definition of doom, combining the incredible harmonies of early Anathema & Cathedral with the deeper & even more depressive atmospherics of Thergothon & Skepticism. The minimal production is perfectly suited to the material with the down-tuned guitar tones of Damon Good (Cauldron Black Ram/Martire/Misery's Omen/StarGazer/VoidCeremony) & Ben Petch allowing some utterly breath-taking twin-guitar doom riffs to reverberate throughout your body. The performances aren't perfect & the transitions could still do with some work but the quality in the song-writing is nothing short of incredible & is easily able to overcome those minor flaws with the deep death growls of Nick Hansen beautifully portraying the pain in the lyrics. I'm sure you all know that I rarely gush this hard but "Weeping" is honestly a top ten metal release for me personally & is one of the most rewarding underground gems you'll ever find. If you can't deal with the plodding tempos of most funeral doom metal then I'd steer well clear of this one though. It's as sombre & downtrodden as they come.
For fans of Ahab, Thergothon & Skepticism.
5/5
Here's my adjusted Top Ten Funeral Doom Metal Releases of All Time list:
01. Mournful Congregation - "Weeping" demo (1994)
02. Esoteric - "The Maniacal Vale" (2008)
03. Esoteric – “Paragon of Dissonance” (2011)
04. Shape of Despair - "Monotony Fields" (2015)
05. Esoteric – “Metamorphogenesis” (1999)
06. Esoteric - "A Pyrrhic Existence" (2019)
07. Ahab - "The Call of The Wretched Sea" (2006)
08. Esoteric - "The Pernicious Enigma" (1997)
09. Evoken – “Atra Mors” (2012)
10. The Howling Void – “Shadows Over The Cosmos” (2010)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/132