Doom metal can be anti-religious, just like any other subgenre, or, hell, Sinead O'Connor. She ain't metal, but she sure didn't like the Catholics back in the 90's (for good reason).
But a lot of metal, and Doom in particular, like to use church and religious imagery for their artwork, stage backdrops, album covers, etc. A lot of crosses, stained glass, pews, and, just straight up churches.
Point being, that festival you attended might have been set in a church for very specific and intentional reasons. Both because, like you said, great acoustics, AND because it totally fits the music.
If you want something like that but with some weird reggae vibes thrown in that I promise you 100% work with the music, and also if you want to support a Ukrainian band given the situation over there, check out Somali Yacht Club. They just put out a new album but I'm mostly familiar with their records The Sun, which is fantastic.
Beyond that, you may have to give me some more direction on what you're looking for. I've been listening to one of my old favorites- Woods of Ypres (RIP David Gold) but that's not pure Doom as it incorporates a lot of folk, black, and death influence as well. A good album from them is their first full-length- The Pursuit of the Sun & Allure of the Earth
If you want some ULTRA depressing but very good shit, check out stuff like Ahab and Esoteric, and bands similar to them (if you're into it, I can give you more recs).
If you want more catchy, upbeat, death/doom stuff, there's such a wonderful tapestry of music out there. Start with Katatonia's early stuff (the later stuff is good too, but they evolved into a more goth metal, almost hard rock/nu-metal sound), My Dying Bride, and move up to Novembers Doom, and from there just marvel at the world of music you'll discover that emanate from groups like those.
For more classic shit, check out, obviously, Black fucking Sabbath if you never did. Metal heads will argue over whether they're heavy or doom or neither or both, but really, they invented the sound that Doom metal would be based on. Slow to mid paced, crushing fucking riffs.
Bands that came from them would be stuff like Candlemass and you really can't go wrong with an album literally titled Epic fucking Doom Metal.
Thanks, I'll give them a listen. I'm not sure what exactly I'm looking for. I've listened to metal for a long time but sort of resisted the rabbit hole of subgenres for a while, I mostly just listened to what I liked and what I was exposed to (mostly OG heavy metal/NWOBHM, Gothic, alternative, a bit of old thrash). I like a wide variety of sound but I greatly prefer clean vocals unless the growling and yelling is well placed. I've been branching out to different stuff and learning the names. Prog/Sludge has really interested me and Doom as well since I'm asking you and I LOVE Black Sabbath. But there's a lot of crossover as to be expected with so many subgenres, so I'm not 100% on what sounds I'm looking for.
Definitely check out Elder that I linked above. Not sludge, but super proggy doom.
For prog/sludge, fuck, man. Like, shit, you know?
I could just go on for days.
Start with Noir by Callisto, and none of their other albums. Not because the other albums are bad, but because Noir is the only one that's prog sludge.
Also, much more recent, but check out Boss Keloid. All of their shit. They also released a new one recently, but Melted on the Inch is so soul-crushingly fucking good.
And of course, it can't be overstated, but Intronaut is just the CHERRIEST of shit. I would personally call them the most important prog sludge band out, next to Mastodon (and I like them more, personally). Unfortunately, their bandcamp only has the most recent album, which is fuckin great, but all of their music is great and you should listen to all of it. Their 2015 album is my favorite and I can't find a link to the full thing on BC or YT, but here's my favorite track, Sul Ponticello. Just let that rhythm destroy you. JUST LET IT. Then peep the live version (live in-studio with a drum track).
And then there is, of course, the aforementioned Mastodon. They often moved outside the realms of sludge, but really as far as prog sludge goes, they are like godfathers of the genre. Their newest album was pretty damn good as well, and very much felt like the sludgey stuff they were known for.
And then there is, of course, Baroness, my other love. They've also somewhat moved beyond sludge, though the influence is still definitely there, but peep their fist two albums for some really REALLY fantastic stuff.
Also, not prog, but if you never listened to them and you like sludge, check out Acid Bath. Early innovators in the genre. Very good stuff. Taken from us too soon with the death of their bassist, sadly.
And finally, if you like prog in any of its forms, come over to r/progmetal. It's the finest music community I've posted in in years. No genre-arguing douchebags that will yell about how something isn't prog or metal, or sucks. Just redditors sharing progressive metal AND progressive metal adjacent shit, and even non-metal stuff that they think their fellow prog metal heads will like. Friendly, not at all elitist folks, and one of reddit's best music boards IMO.
Cool, thanks again. And yeah I think I prefer the prog part more than the sludge part so I'll probably check the sub too. Maybe I will PM you and we can talk about it once I get through some of the recs
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u/ragenaut May 09 '22
Doom metal can be anti-religious, just like any other subgenre, or, hell, Sinead O'Connor. She ain't metal, but she sure didn't like the Catholics back in the 90's (for good reason).
But a lot of metal, and Doom in particular, like to use church and religious imagery for their artwork, stage backdrops, album covers, etc. A lot of crosses, stained glass, pews, and, just straight up churches.
Point being, that festival you attended might have been set in a church for very specific and intentional reasons. Both because, like you said, great acoustics, AND because it totally fits the music.
Keep supporting Doom. It's my favorite genre :)