The Traditional Doom Metal Thread

Saint Vitus - "Born Too Late" (1986)

My favourite Vitus record to the time. It's a little more consistently slow & doomy than their first couple of albums & I think this is a positive thing. The trademark Vitus guitar sound is again in effect & it's hard not to love the accuracy of the title theme as "Born Too Late" definitely sounds like it should have been a long lost Black Sabbath record. There are a few genuine doom classics included here too. Particularly the wonderful title track which possesses a riff that'd bring even the great Tony Iommi to his knees. Excellent stuff.

4/5

The new Suum album, Cryptomass, is damn good for anyone  who's a fan of scandi-doom like Reverend Bizarre and Lord Vicar (although the band are Italian).

4/5

The first half of the album is stellar, lost a bit of steam for me during the back half. The vocals got a bit wonky starting at "The Failure of Creation" for me and the guitar tone got a bit tiresome, but it probably just needs another chance. "Cryptomass", "Creatures from the Vault", and "Burial at Night" had me thinking I'd rate this higher than Lord Vicar's The Black Powder from last year, but Lord Vicar edges it out. 

Still some great and more traditional Doom Metal for 2020, always great to hear. 

Xephyr, I too was a massive fan of The Black Powder and although this is good I don't think it's anything like as good as Lord Vicar's opus. A couple of other traditional(ish) new albums are Saturnalia Temple's "Gravity" (psych-doom) and Doomraiser's "The Dark Side of Old Europa". Both are worth checking out.

I did check out Saturnalia Temple before, didn't do much for me sadly. I'll have to check out Doomraiser, haven't heard of them!

Although not entirely traditional, Godthrymm's Reflections is easily my frontrunner for Doom Metal so far this year, looks like you checked out that one as well. 

Pagan Altar - "The Time Lord" E.P. (2004)

A compilation of the 1978/79 demo recordings from these NWOBHM/traditional doom metal pioneers. The timing of these recordings may well make this the earliest legitimate example of the traditional doom metal subgenre that I've encountered & I actually like it a touch better than Pagan Altar's 1982 self-titled release due to its greater level of consistency & cool 70's psychedelic rock vibe. Fans of Ozzy-period Black Sabbath, 70's Pentagram & Manilla Road should find some enjoyment here despite the demo-quality production.

3.5/5

After completing my Top Ten Doom Metal Releases Of All Time list last weekend, I thought I'd take a shot at my Top Ten Traditional Doom Metal Releases Of All Time. Here's what I came up with:

01. Candlemass – “Nightfall” (1987)

02. Saint Vitus – “Born Too Late” (1986)

03. Candlemass – “Epicus Doomicus Metallicus” (1986)

04. Paul Chain Violet Theatre – “Detaching From Satan” E.P. (1984)

05. Pentagram – “Pentagram” (1985)

06. Saint Vitus – “Saint Vitus” (1984)

07. Trouble – “Psalm 9” (1984)

08. Pagan Altar – “The Time Lord” E.P. (2004)

09. Trouble – “The Skull” (1985)

10. Saint Vitus – “Hallow’s Victim” (1985)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/129

Let's see yours!

Nice list Daniel, quite a number of my faves included there although I'm no great fan of Pagan Altar and I think Trouble are a little overrrated - don't get me wrong, they are a good band but many, in my opinion better, bands get overlooked while Trouble are praised excessively.

Anyway, limiting my list to releases with a Trad Doom primary genre tag on Ring Your Mother my top ten looks like this:

1. Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986)

2. Reverend Bizarre - In the Rectory of the Bizarre Reverend  (2002)

3. Pallbearer - Sorrow and Extinction (2012)

4. Paul Chain Violet Theatre - Detaching From Satan EP (1984)

5. Candlemass - Nightfall (1987)

6. Spiritus Mortis - The God Behind the God (2009)

7. Saint Vitus - Mournful Cries (1988)

8. Seamount - Sacrifice (2010)

9. The Wounded Kings - The Shadow Over Atlantis (2010)

10. Hour of 13 - Hour of 13  (2007)

Another doom metal list video I've found with albums that many of you doom metal lovers with might already be familiar with (and one of my last major Fallen-related posts):

A 1990 re-release of a 1984 EP by Nemesis:

Nemesis would eventually evolve into the band that would become Candlemass, featuring Leif Edling as well as original Candlemass drummer Mats Ekström and guitarist Christian Weberyd. Four of the five tracks, all except closer Goodbye which is an Angel Witch cover, were written by Edling and he handles vocals as well as his usual duties on bass. I think it's safe to say that this ep shows why Leif didn't perform vocals for Candlemass, his range being far too limited to handle the epic nature of Candlemass' songs and in truth he struggles even here. While this is as much heavy metal as traditional doom, there is certainly enough on show to see where Edling was going with his songwriting and is a recognisable early step on his road to almost single-handedly establishing the epic doom genre. There are some terrific Sabbathian riffs, check out the one on opener Black Messiah - it's a real killer and the whole track is amazing, eventually being reworked as Incarnation of Evil on the 1988's Ancient Dreams album with Messiah on vocals. I would really liked to have heard Messiah have a crack at the vocals on this rawer, less well-produced version though, because even with Edling struggling it's still a brilliant song and sounds a bit more immediate than the Incarnation of Evil version.
In God We Trust finds Edling in speed metal mode with a track that could have been penned by Venom, except for the doomy middle section maybe. Theme of the Guardians has simple, but effective main riff that sounds like a staple of the then nascent trad doom genre and one that has been reworked and reinvented a hundred times since. The King Is Dead is arguably the most noticably a Leif Edling-written track, probably sounding the most like Candlemass with a great riff and sterling leadwork throughout from both Weberyd and Anders Wallin (who's contribution here seems to be the sum total of his recorded output). The Angel Witch cover is interesting I think in that it illustrates how Edling's songwriting was influenced by Kevin Heybourne.
In conclusion I found this to be an interesting release, particularly with it's importance in the early history of one of doom metal's most influential figures and even despite it's shortcomings, ie the poor production and weak vocals, it still contains some great tracks and should interest any adherent of early doom metal. As a footnote the 1990 release features a couple of 1984 Candlemass demos, Black Stone Wielder and Demon's Gate which show how quickly Edling and Candlemass were developing from the Nemesis tracks.

We all know Candlemass, Saint Vitus, Trouble, The Obsessed and Pentagram, but here are my top ten underappreciated Traditional Doom Metal albums of the eighties and early nineties. Less than 300 ratings on rym needed to qualify (in fact, all but one have under 200).

1. Internal Void - "Standing on the Sun" (1992)
2. Memento Mori - "Rhymes of Lunacy" (1993)
3. Penance - "The Road Less Travelled" (1992)
4. Mercy - "Witchburner" (1985)
5. Paul Chain - "Life and Death" (1989)
6. Revelation - "Salvations Answer" (1991)
7. Lost Breed - "Save Yourself" (1995)
8. Requiem - "Via Crucis" (1990)
9. Astral Rising - "In Quest" (1995)
10. Mourn - "Mourn" (1995)

Here's my adjusted Top Ten Traditional Doom Metal Releases Of All Time list:

01. Solitude Aeturnus - "Alone" (2006)

02. Candlemass – “Nightfall” (1987)

03. Saint Vitus – “Born Too Late” (1986)

04. Candlemass – “Epicus Doomicus Metallicus” (1986)

05. Paul Chain Violet Theatre – “Detaching From Satan” E.P. (1984)

06. Pentagram – “Pentagram” (1985)

07. Candlemass - "Ancient Dreams" (1988)

08. Saint Vitus – “Saint Vitus” (1984)

09. Trouble – “Psalm 9” (1984)

10. Candlemass - "Tales of Creation" (1989)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/129

Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats - "Blood Lust" (2011)

English retro outfit Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats seemed to get a whole bunch of attention in the early 2010's, no doubt buoyed by (& partially responsible for) the revival of interest in the old-school heavy psych & traditional doom metal sound. That sound has always offered me a fair amount of appeal however I've somehow managed to steer clear of exploring a full Uncle Acid record until now. I've certainly heard a few tracks here & there but can't say that I've heard anything that made me stand up & pay attention. They did however seem to be unintimidating enough for me to play while driving my young kids around in the car so I thought I'd pull out the band's most highly regarded release to see what all the fuss is about.

2011's "Blood Lust" has clearly been intentionally tailored to sound like the late 1960's/early 1970's with a thick layer of fuzzy distortion having been layered over the top of everything (including the vocals). It's like the levels have been intentionally overdriven & this leads many people to link the band to the heavy psych movement because there is a reasonable amount of psychedelia on offer in some of this material. There's also a fair whack of stoner rock/metal about these songs with the riffs often taking a groovy, mid-paced direction with the rhythm section opting for a bluesy rocking-to-sleep style beat that references traditional doom metal without fully committing to the oppressive atmosphere & sluggish tempos. "Withered Hand Of Evil" is the clear exception as it sees the band descending into fully-fledged doom territory while CD bonus track "Down To The Fire" is a lovely way to close out the album with it's references to the British folk rock scene. The whiny higher register vocal delivery of front man Kevin Starrs is very effective & the added distortion gives him a similar mystique to that which Electric Wizard have often achieved with their vocals.

I enjoyed "Blood Lust" quite a bit with every one of its nine tracks offering me some level of appeal. I definitely would have preferred a bit more of the genuine doom metal I was expecting though as much of this material is a little more mid-paced & groovy than I'd hoped but I do buy into the whole retro vibe it's been so successful at recreating & there's no doubt that "Blood Lust" succeeds in building a lovely thick atmosphere. At the end of the day I think I can see why Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats have been so successful but I don't think they'll ever reach the same level of affection with me personally, even if I get a general feeling of enjoyment out of their music.

3.5/5

Pentagram - "Day of Reckoning" (1987)

I think it’s fair to say that I became a fan of Virginia-based doom metal legends Pentagram relatively early in their recording career, if not all that early in terms of their overall tenure as a band. The Pentagram story really began way back in 1971 but, given that their debut album didn’t see the light of day until 1985 & I became acquainted with them in early 1990’s, I’d suggest that I was earlier than most, especially when you consider that they’re still a functioning band today. The self-titled debut made a significant impact on me, perhaps more so than I knew at the time. Black Sabbath played a strong role in my formative years through a double compilation that included the best of the 1970’s Ozzy Osbourne releases & “Pentagram” did a fantastic job at tapping into the same areas with a sound that included a little more heavy metal than the band’s traditional doom metal peers. Pentagram weren’t afraid to up the tempo a little while always maintaining their knack for creating the crushingly heavy & guitarist Victor Griffin had clearly mastered the art of creating timeless riffs after a decade or so of studying the godfather of metal Tony Iommi. Despite my allegiances with the self-titled album, my obsession for the extreme metal scene would see me leaving Pentagram back in the early 90’s though & we wouldn’t cross paths again until I’d investigate the “First Daze Here: The Vintage Collection” compilation some time in the 2010’s. I quite liked that collection of Pentagram’s 1970’s hard rock material but it didn’t raise the same level of interest as the self-titled album (also known as “Restless”) did so I haven’t returned to it since. After exploring a slew of mid-80’s heavy metal albums during drive time with my kids of late though I’ve found myself craving something a little heavier which has led me to Pentagram’s 1987 sophomore album “Day of Reckoning” in the quest for the ultimate riff. Let’s find out how it’s faired, shall we?

“Day of Reckoning” is a well composed, executed & produced album that showcases a band that have clearly paid their dues & know their craft well. In fact, the tight instrumental performances & chunky production job for the time really represent a lot of the appeal for me personally as it’s not nearly as consistent a record as the debut was. Pentagram had dropped any semblance of the hard rock sound they’d maintained on the self-titled through tracks like “Run Your Course” & “20 Buck Spin” by this point but I’d suggest that there’s not as much of your pure doom metal sound either with only album highlight “Evil Seed” fully embracing the dark side. The classic heavy metal sound that had perpetuated some of “Pentagram” is toned back a touch here too with the majority of the tracklisting sitting in the murky mid-point that is the traditional doom metal sound. There’s a fair bit of groovier mid-tempo stuff going on here, often hinting at the stoner metal sound that Sabbath had created with their 1972 “Vol 4” album. The use of tightly harmonized guitar melodies pops up quite regularly too & neither of those techniques traditionally sit within my musical comfort zones.

There’s an inconsistency to the tracklisting on “Day of Reckoning” which is in direct contract to “Pentagram” which I found to be without blemish. The album begins very poorly with a couple of numbers that do very little for me in the title track & “Broken Vows”, both which seem to be quite popular but are stylistically at odds with my taste profile. I also struggle with the nine minute centrepiece that is “Burning Savior” with Bobby Liebling’s out of key vocals putting me off through the early stages & the eventual crescendo all coming a little too late. Thankfully though, the combination of the tight performances, solid production & Victor’s undeniable skills as a riff master see the remainder of the record doing enough to recover & leave me with a generally positive feeling by the end of closing track “Wartime”. There are nowhere near the quantity of highlight tracks as its older sibling sported but the wins outweigh the losses to an extent that makes “Day of Reckoning” worth a few listens but I just can’t see myself returning to it any time soon. In fact, I’d suggest that I’m probably more likely to return to the “First Daze Here” compilation than I am to “Day of Reckoning” & I haven’t felt like revisiting that particular release for a good decade or more.

At the end of the day, I think my inability to fully engage with “Day of Reckoning” comes down to personal taste more than anything else. Much like my younger brother & fellow Metal Academy administrator Ben, I’ve never been all that big on the more traditional doom sound as I greatly prefer a more pure, modern & oppressive brand of doom metal. I’ve never really connected with groovy mid-paced stoner riffs but I can appreciate when they’re done well like they are here so there’s enough of interest to keep me going. Fans of Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus & Witchfinder General will likely really dig "Day of Reckoning" but I’m not going to deny that I find it hard to understand the tendency for fans to rate Pentagram’s heavy metal-driven numbers more highly than their slowest, doomiest material which can be pretty amazing in my opinion. If only there was more of it here!

3.5/5