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What band(s) do you consider to exemplify 'True Doom'? There are lots of styles of doom, and the label 'true doom' seems to get applied to everything from Candlemass to Black Hole to Electric Wizard to The Obsessed. So what doom is true in your opinion?

Yes, I know it's just a silly label; I just find it interesting that bands in so many different subgenres of doom all get referred to as 'true doom'



(Note: I posted this topic on another forum a couple of weeks ago but got almost no replies, so I thought I'd recycle it here)

Ask Rich Walker.

Pretty much all quality doom metal with natural productions and great riffage. Obviously this excludes stuff that sounds dooming but doesn't feature doom metal riffage, death/doom, very slow death metal (AKA funeral doom) and gothic & emo uglyness.

I want to respond to this thread title with the words "We'll pull your brrrains out!"

Ernest Thesiger wrote:I want to respond to this thread title with the words "We'll pull your brrrains out!"

That was the first thing on my mind as well.

I'm with Black Axe on this. Doom metal has riffs as an essential feature and needs to be played with power, not styles leaning towards more gothic influences like the Sisters of Mercy or their like (not dissing them btw).

CANDLEMASS - Epicus, doomicus, metallicus
SOLITUDE AETURNUS - Into the depths of sorrow
SORCERER - S/T
SAINT VITUS - S/T
PENTAGRAM - S/T

If it gets too far away from the style of those albums then it's no longer 'true doom' for me.

ION BRITTON wrote:CANDLEMASS
SOLITUDE AETURNUS
SAINT VITUS
PENTAGRAM

As with Trouble these are all examples of bands that I was going to list as well.

Doom is definitely not my area of expertise though.

Avenger wrote:

ION BRITTON wrote:CANDLEMASS
SOLITUDE AETURNUS
SAINT VITUS
PENTAGRAM

As with Trouble these are all examples of bands that I was going to list as well.

As well as any band that tries to recreate that special early Black Sabbath atmosphere/sound.

Candlemass

Candlemass- Epicus Doomicus Metallicus spells out True Doom for me. That's what it says on the album cover

Solitude Aeturnus
Trouble
Saint Vitus
Revelation
Candlemass

They are what I consider "true doom" but it is such a loose tag. A band like Saint Vitus may be slow heavy metal for someone and they consider Mournful Congregation true doom

I think I'm the wrong person to make any statements about what "true" doom is - traditional Doom on the other hand I would describe anything fitting within an unholy triangle of CANDLEMASS (the epic), SAINT VITUS (the slow & dirty) and BLACK HOLE (the creepy & haunting).

...and before anyone doth protest too much: Yes, I've always considered BH to have a lot more classic Doom in them than they're given credit for, at least judging by "Beyond The Gravestone" and "Land Of Mystery".

I'm glad the Hand of Doom ref didn't go unappreciated

For me the 'classic' doom sound (which isn't necessarily the same as the 'true' sound) would be early Candlemass + early Solitude Aeturnus (Solstice 'lamentations' also fit in).

I like Dan's triangle plot breakdown (we use triangle plots a lot in geology to describe rock compositions), and those three bands are good anchors for the corners. Some newer doom styles might not fit the plot well though; ultra-slow stuff like Sunn 0))) are slower and dirtier than Saint Vitus and would thus plot beyond that corner. Hmmm, might have to re-anchor that corner after all. I'm also wondering where Sabbath would fit on the plot- maybe halfway between Black Hole and SV....
Eh, I'm rambling. Fun idea to ponder anyway.

nightsblood wrote:I'm glad the Hand of Doom ref didn't go unappreciated

For me the 'classic' doom sound (which isn't necessarily the same as the 'true' sound) would be early Candlemass + early Solitude Aeturnus (Solstice 'lamentations' also fit in)

That's not classic doom, those are Epic Doom Metal (see title first Candlemass LP).

trad/classic doom is the more heavy metal orientated stuff like Pentagram, Saint Vitus and Witchfinder General.

i think actually thats the other way around,candlemass-derived bands are the more metal ones (leif has more or less said that candlemass is sabbath+angelwitch/'normal' 80s metal) whereas vitus pentagram etc are the bands inspired mostly by 70s rawkk