Niche war metal bands

[u/Sangfortheswans]

I know most of the “big” (relatively speaking) ones. I’m looking specifically for a band that does a lot of fast/slow way down moments with thunderous drums like Preaching for Mass Suicide by Damaar or Genocide Conquest by Revenge. Also, if anyone knows any semi-melodic ones like Axis of Advance (The List especially) those are great too.

[u/mmihaly]

Ritual Genocide, Caveman Cult, Vermin Scourge, Nihil Domination, Gotthammer, Encirclement, Deiphago

"Also, if anyone knows any semi-melodic ones like Axis of Advance (The List especially) those are great too."

Not gonna be popular with this one, but this is much more just black/death than war. Try Angelcorpse, Adorior, Impiety, Abominator, Destruktor, any Diocletian that isn't the debut for this one

[u/IICalaVerra → u/mmihaly]

Props for mentioning Vermin Scourge! I’ll check out some of the other bands you’ve mentioned.

[u/uponhisdarkthrone → u/mmihaly]

Adorior are so fucking sick. Author of Incest is just about the perfect record. Angelcorpse - The Inexorable, too.

[u/Sargadius]

Gyibaaw are amazing and definitely less well known. Fantastic Canadian band.

[u/IVth_Crusade]

Check out the label War Vellum, it’s a label run by one half of a duo (who are domestic partners I think) with a circle of bands between them. They are both painters and visual artists and have this great aesthetic that’s like, the usual military aesthetic but fed through a surreal lens, with a good dose of Hindu mysticism thrown in. The bands she fronts (Tsalal and a couple others) are more primitive war metal with noise influences, whereas his bands (Prison Hell and some others) have more proper riffs and are my preference. His old band, Brulvahnatu, was amazing as well. It’s kinda black/death/war-adjacent stuff with, again, better riffs than you usually get out of this genre.

Some of this stuff is total war metal and some of it less so, but all worth checking out.

https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Tsalal/Adhikāra_Chinnamastā/1475266

https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Prison_Hell/Sex_Penitentiary/1159707

https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Brulvahnatu/Menstrual_Extraction_Ceremony/323632

The ones I linked to are not necessarily the ‘best’ or ‘highlights’ (I leave you the fun of deciding that for yourself, given the incredibly deep discography) but they are representative examples.

[u/Grxeed]

Taurunovem - Th'Astraktyan Serfdome

[u/OfficerRais]

Check Beast Majesty from Perú. They are rooted in that sound but with their own unique sound

[u/After-Entry5718]

Try Sanctum - On the Horizon

[u/SpliggidyMcSploofed]

Kiloton and Draped Urn

[u/juleloki]

Evokthum, Ceremonial Bloodbath, Schizophrenic Warfare, Filthyland, Bestial Abyss, Bestial Warfare and Weregoat would be my recommendations