Shit You Shouldn’t Be Missing: The Death-Doom Edition
Welcome, peasants, to the first segment of “Shit You Might Be Missing,” where we will be discussing some shit that you might be missing this year. We’re going to be diving into some death-doom today, so moody metalheads and sobbing sad saps give heed! All of you cheerful people (i.e., posers) probably ought to pay attention too, because after listening to the three crushingly depressing albums featured here today, KSOFM will never reasonably be able to call you a “cunting lifelover” ever again.
Of Lachrymose Grief – Weightlessness
If you’re not aware of this album yet, then you need to grow a pair. Of reading glasses. Because our good pal Tyree brought it to our attention days ago in the highly esteemed RHRC and he’s given you no reason not to trust his plentiful recommendations. Weightlessness is heavy. It must be one of those ironic titles like the huge guy named “Tiny” or Axl calling himself a metalhead. Mournful growls flow over slow, lethargic riffs that seem to rumble in the distance, almost Thergothon-like but with less flanger-spamming and more variety in tempo. Somber, funereal interludes regularly break up the Doom with some much needed Gloom and give you ample time to ponder your meaningless existence before the riffs come back to crush your bitter soul into bitter soul dust. They even give Black Sabbath‘s “Solitude” the death-doom treatment, and while it may not be as good as Ulver‘s cover, it sure beats the original (because FLUSH). Get over to their Bandcamp and jam/buy this now.
Eye of Solitude – Canto III
Interested in 66 more minutes of unflushable Doom? Eye of Solitude has your probably hairy back with Canto III. This relatively young UK-based outfit know their way around writing music heavy enough to crack your skull and melodic enough to hit you right in the feels. You’ll be banging your head and weeping like a little peasant bitch simultaneously. Check out the mid-section of “Act III: He Who Willingly Suffers.” The slow build of the spoken-word sample, the chilling piano, and the tactful addition of drums all gradually intensify and eventually collapse into a squall of wistful riffing and echoing howls. Turn off the lights, close your shades, light some candles and pull the trigger on this thing.
Doom:VS – Earthless
Ok, folks – last one. Doom:VS is the solo funeral death/doom project of moody Swede Johan Ericson. As he is also the guitarist/founding member of the mighty Draconian, the quality of the Doom here really isn’t up for debate. Need more convincing? Thomas Akim Gronbaek Jensen of Saturnus is handling the vocals on this one. Still not onboard? THEN PISS OFF, YOU POSEUR. The leads are what really get me here. Listen to the title track and you’ll know exactly where I’m coming from. They wind evocatively through the otherwise suffocating music with serious poignancy. I’m contemplating suicide just writing about it. It’s pretty powerful stuff. Do you sometimes feel happy? Well, cut that shit out and snag this for only $5.00.
That’s it for now. Tell me what death-doom I’m missing out on this year in the comments section, and make sure you check back soon for the Atmospheric Black Metal Edition of “Shit You Shouldn’t Be Missing!”
