Death-doom is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It combines the slow

tempos In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...

and pessimistic or depressive mood of doom metal with the deep

growling vocals A death growl, or simply growl, is an extended vocal technique usually employed in extreme styles of music, particularly in death metal and other extreme subgenres of heavy metal music. Death growl vocals are sometimes criticized for their ...

and double kick drumming of death metal. The genre emerged in the late-1980s and gained a certain amount of popularity during the 1990s, but had become less common by the turn of the 21st century.Tracey, Ciaran (March 2006). "Doom/Death: United in Grief" , ''

Terrorizer Terrorizer is an American grindcore band formed in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. After disbanding, its members gained recognition by playing in influential extreme metal bands, such as Morbid Angel ( David Vincent, Pete Sandoval), Napalm ...

'' #142, pp.54-55. In turn, death-doom gave rise to the closely related genre of

funeral doom Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...

as well as to the more melodic, gloomy and romantic gothic metal.

History

The first signs of the death/doom genre originated in the mid-1980s when early progenitors like Dream Death began to mix traditional doom metal with the sounds of the nascent death metal scene.Bardin, Olivier (May 2006). "Forgotten Doom: Raiders of the Lost Art", ''Terrorizer'' #144, p.56 Early records in 1990s by such bands as Autopsy,

Winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultur ...

, Paradise Lost,

My Dying Bride My Dying Bride are an English doom metal band formed in Bradford. Since their inception in 1990, they have released 13 studio albums, three EPs, one demo, one box set, four compilation albums, one live album, and one live CD/DVD release. Alo ...

and

Anathema Anathema, in common usage, is something or someone detested or shunned. In its other main usage, it is a formal excommunication. The latter meaning, its ecclesiastical sense, is based on New Testament usage. In the Old Testament, anathema was a cr ...

combined the doom sound of mid-1980s Celtic Frost and Candlemass with the use of growling vocals, female vocals, keyboards and, in the case of My Dying Bride, violins. The influence of these bands has been acknowledged by the likes of gothic metal bands

Within Temptation Within Temptation is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded in April 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. They have been classified by critics as gothic metal and symphonic metal, although each album contains other inf ...

, Lacuna Coil, The Gathering, Celestial Season and Saturnus. The tag of death/doom seemed to become less popular towards the end of the decade as many of the scene progenitors abandoned their early sound to embrace a more accessible or palatable direction. However, the style persists in the form of

, a genre that crosses death-doom with funeral dirge music. It is played at a very slow tempo, and places an emphasis on evoking a sense of emptiness and despair. Typically, electric guitars are heavily distorted and dark ambient aspects such as keyboards or synthesizers are often used to create a "dreamlike" atmosphere. Vocals consist of mournful chants or growls and are often in the background. Funeral doom was pioneered by

Mournful Congregation Mournful Congregation is a funeral doom metal band from Adelaide, South Australia, which was founded in 1993, and has included members of Chalice A chalice (from Latin 'mug', borrowed from Ancient Greek () 'cup') or goblet is a footed c ...

(Australia),

Esoteric Western esotericism, also known as esotericism, esoterism, and sometimes the Western mystery tradition, is a term scholars use to categorise a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas ...

(United Kingdom),

Evoken Evoken is an American funeral doom metal band from Lyndhurst, New Jersey, United States. Evoken is one of the earliest U.S. doom/death metal bands that are still active today, along with Novembers Doom and Rigor Sardonicous. History Founding ...

(United States), Funeral (Norway),

Thergothon Thergothon was a Finnish doom metal band which lasted from 1990 until 1993 and pioneered the funeral doom subgenre. They only released one demo, ''Fhtagn nagh Yog-Sothoth'' (1991), and one album, '' Stream from the Heavens'' (1994). Their sound ...

(Finland)Hinchcliffe, James (April 2006). "Funeral Doom / Dron Doom: Hearse Play", ''Terrorizer'' #143, pp.44-45. and

Skepticism Skepticism, also spelled scepticism, is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the p ...

(Finland).James Minton, Kim Kelly, and Jenn Selby, "Filth Parade", ''Terrorizer'' #188, September 2009, p. 56.

References

{{Goth subculture 20th-century music genres 21st-century music genres Death metal Doom metal Extreme metal

History

See also

References