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Funeral Doom Metal is a Heavy Metal subgenre of Doom Metal that combines Death/Doom elements with funeral dirge music, drenched in a thick, rich atmosphere.
This captivating realm of Funeral Doom is filled with a dreamlike atmosphere, unbearable sorrow, slow tempos, venomous melancholy, heavily distorted guitars, and dark ambient soundscapes. It stands as a true expression and a non-commercial barrier within the metal genre.
The genre manage to narrate the true story of the human condition, navigating a society rife with falsity and lies. In this genre, misanthropy and a deep dive into personal agony remain the only alternatives to reflect our tragic passage through this world.
It represents the extreme peaks of despair, being played at such a slow tempo that it may sound more like ambient music fused with metal to an untrained listener.
We can envision the entire Doom Metal genre as a building with three levels. The first floor represents Traditional Doom Metal, often referred to as Heavy Doom Metal; the second level encompasses Death Doom/Gothic Metal; and the third level is undoubtedly Funeral Doom Metal.
Actually, it couldn't be drawn a strict line to mark the start of this genre, but in the mid '90s Doom / Death Metal bands like Esoteric, Mournful Congregation, Skepticism, Thergothon or Disembowelment were taken this genre to another level adding more atmosphere, even more crushing take-overs and an obvious introspective touch to their musical expression.
The first inceptions of this new Metal expression must be Esoteric's 1994 - "Epistemological Despondency" a debut album that builds slowly and surely a crushing Psychedelic Doom Death experience, a total nihilistic and misanthropic symphony supported even in the booklet notes just to make it clear.
At the same year Thergothon's lovecraftian inspired album "Stream From The Heavens" resets the standards of heaviness for this genre by taking Doom / Death Metal
at their highest (or lowest) dimensions.
The genre manage to narrate the true story of the human condition, navigating a society rife with falsity and lies. In this genre, misanthropy and a deep dive into personal agony remain the only alternatives to reflect our tragic passage through this world.
It represents the extreme peaks of despair, being played at such a slow tempo that it may sound more like ambient music fused with metal to an untrained listener.
We can envision the entire Doom Metal genre as a building with three levels. The first floor represents Traditional Doom Metal, often referred to as Heavy Doom Metal; the second level encompasses Death Doom/Gothic Metal; and the third level is undoubtedly Funeral Doom Metal.
Actually, it couldn't be drawn a strict line to mark the start of this genre, but in the mid '90s Doom / Death Metal bands like Esoteric, Mournful Congregation, Skepticism, Thergothon or Disembowelment were taken this genre to another level adding more atmosphere, even more crushing take-overs and an obvious introspective touch to their musical expression.
The first inceptions of this new Metal expression must be Esoteric's 1994 - "Epistemological Despondency" a debut album that builds slowly and surely a crushing Psychedelic Doom Death experience, a total nihilistic and misanthropic symphony supported even in the booklet notes just to make it clear.
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at their highest (or lowest) dimensions.
A true beginning for this inaccessible-metal if you like.
Skepricism's "Stormcrowfleet" released in 1995 bring us to an interesting voyage through a quite atmospheric and almost ambient work.
The German group Ahab has created the phrase "Nautik Funeral Doom" to characterize their musical style, as their lyrics and sound concentrate on conveying the tragedies inspired by literature or cinema related to historical ocean voyages. In this context, the label on their first album indicates that the band performs "Nautik Funeral Doom."
If you look from the classical Doom / Death perspective this one is much of an avant-gardist attempt.
Also, Disembowelment from Australia tries to create an unique feeling and indeed an outstanding album through "Transcendence Into The Peripheral" originally issued in 1993, automatically reaching cult status as fans worldwide acclaimed it is an over-the-top extreme and one of the most renewing albums in the Doom / Death Metal scene.
Also, Disembowelment from Australia tries to create an unique feeling and indeed an outstanding album through "Transcendence Into The Peripheral" originally issued in 1993, automatically reaching cult status as fans worldwide acclaimed it is an over-the-top extreme and one of the most renewing albums in the Doom / Death Metal scene.
Lately, Evoken will explore and develop some of the musical ideas presented on this album.
With these albums the black branches of this new Metal's genre tree started to spread across continents, increasing genre's underground popularity.
In an interview with two members of the band, Skepticism stated that their music is not intended to create negative, or oppressive feelings, and their sonic sagas are ment to bring beaty in the hearts of the audience.
With these albums the black branches of this new Metal's genre tree started to spread across continents, increasing genre's underground popularity.
In an interview with two members of the band, Skepticism stated that their music is not intended to create negative, or oppressive feelings, and their sonic sagas are ment to bring beaty in the hearts of the audience.
The most stand out Funeral Doom acts are Esoteric (United Kingdom) , Mournful Congregation (Australia) , Evoken , Hierophant and Catacombs (United States) , Monolithe , Funeralium (France) , Funeral (Norway) , The Funeral Orchestra (Sweden) , Corrupted (Japan) , Skepticism (Finland) Thergothon (Finland) , Shape Of Despair (Finland) , Colosseum (Finland) , Wormphlegm (Finland) , Pantheist (Belgium) , 1000 Funerals (Iran) , Ahab and Worship (Germany).
As highlights and the most recommended albums for this genre we can consider on: 1994 Thergothon's "Stream From The Heavens" ; 1998 Skepticism's "Lead and Aether" ;
2004 Esoteric's "Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum"; 2005 Mournful Congregation's "The Monad Of Creation"; 2006 Ahab's "The Call Of The Wretched Sea";
2005 Evoken's "Antithesis Of Light" ; 2000 Shape Of Despair's "Shades Of..."; 2007 Colosseum's "Chapter 1: Delirium"; 2007 Worship's "Dooom"
2007 ; Depressed Mode's "Ghosts Of Devotion" or 2006 Catacombs's "In The Depths Of R'lyeh".
As highlights and the most recommended albums for this genre we can consider on: 1994 Thergothon's "Stream From The Heavens" ; 1998 Skepticism's "Lead and Aether" ;
2004 Esoteric's "Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum"; 2005 Mournful Congregation's "The Monad Of Creation"; 2006 Ahab's "The Call Of The Wretched Sea";
2005 Evoken's "Antithesis Of Light" ; 2000 Shape Of Despair's "Shades Of..."; 2007 Colosseum's "Chapter 1: Delirium"; 2007 Worship's "Dooom"
2007 ; Depressed Mode's "Ghosts Of Devotion" or 2006 Catacombs's "In The Depths Of R'lyeh".
Juhani Palomäki (guitar/vocals) and leader of Colosseum passed away in 2010 (R.I.P. to this great musician).
VIDEOGRAPHY:
COLOSSEUM-Towards The Infinite(Music video)
Depressed Mode - Words of Silence
Skepticism: Calla (Official Music Video)
Skepticism: Swan and The Raven (Official Music Video)
Just to cheer up the atmosphere a little bit, we have the band Et Moriemur here about how to properly play Funeral Doom Metal. Enjoy! :)
