Syrach Frontman Offers Doom Metal 'Starter Kit'
Of all the subgenres of doom metal that have reared their hoary heads over the decades, one of the most interesting has to be the small, but potent, hybrid we call 'death/doom.' Over the years, death/doom has separated itself into two very distinct camps: On the one side, you've got the bands like Swallow the Sun that aren't afraid to inject melody into their compositions and take cues from old Paradise Lost and Opeth. On the other side of the spectrum, you've got the bands like Coffins who are obsessed with the filthy, bonecrushing heaviness of Autopsy and Winter.
Lurking on the fringes, you've got Disembowelment and Thergothon, who fall somewhere to the left of funeral doom but can still claim the death/doom tag if they really want to. When queried on which side of the cavernous divide they'd stake their claim, Norway's Syrach were reluctant to categorize themselves, but admitted a kinship with maudlin Finns in Swallow the Sun (though vocalist Kenneth 'Ripper' Olsen admitted a soft spot for Autopsy's first three albums, as well). Noisecreep delved a bit deeper into their dark world and indulged in a little doom metal therapy while we were at it.
What would you name as the top 5 essential doom records for someone who was looking to get into the genre? How about your 5 favorite underground or lesser-known albums?
In my head this must be a perfect 'start-kit' for a new doom fan: Pentagram 'Relentless'; Candlemass 'Nightfall'; My Dying Bride 'Turn Loose The Swans'; Anathema 'Serenades'; and of course Syrach 'A Dark Burial' ... hehe ...
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