Asunder - A Clarion Call (2004)

Genre: Funeral Doom
Country: USA

I'm not really a die hard fan of funeral doom.  I love me some diSEMBOWELMENT and occasionally jam some Worship and Mournful Congregation, but for the most part funeral doom bands get caught up in trying to be as slow and plodding as possible and forget that you can still write compelling tracks that never go above 10 BPM.  Asunder is one of those bands that manage to make a 15 minute song feel like half the time.  Their arrangements and the way the riffs sort of bloom across the span of the track just makes you get lost in the journey, and that is exactly what funeral doom should accomplish.  Not to mention this record just sounds perfect.  It's so cavernous and organic, pretty much the perfect sound for this type of music.  For me this is one of the great funeral doom releases, so if you dig the style and haven't heard this yet, get it now.

shimmering doom

Misery - Miséricordes (2012)

Genre: Funeral Black Metal
Country: France


Funeral black metal project led by a French musician and poet named Tomas Bél. Misericordes is an interesting offering that eloquently amalgamates the misanthropic qualities of black metal with slow, soul-crushing requiems of funeral doom -- Not to mention. // Both of these are heavily supported by a nil ambient firmament that manages to sustain the melancholic pillars of sorrowful feedback that touch us while listening to the grievous journey that is Tomas' mournful music. Bél's fourth record is a monument of depression and despair that should not be missed by any fan of pensive, introspective music. Lament - In Pain - Absent Minded - Wistful Musical Cemetery.

Skepticism – Lead and Aether (1998)

Genre: Funeral Doom
Country: Finland

I would like to sincerely thank my good buddy Crysis for allowing me the privilege of adding to the elite ways (haha) of metalling on the internet via blog. As a token of my gratitude, I would like to grace this blog with a pioneer of the funeral doom genre. Recently acquired out of a random find at a nearby record store, I would strongly hold this up as Skepticism’s finest moment of their career. Everything after this is almost equally awesome but there’s something about Lead and Aether that adds more gloom to my doom than knowing that everyone around you is going to die a slow, agonizing death. Whatever your choice is in checking out this amazing bands discography, you can’t go wrong!

For a slow recession to your grave, click here

Worship - Terranean Wake (2012)

Genre: Funeral Doom

Country: Germany

Can't wait to listen to this thing. Worship is known for playing some seriously monolithic and bottomless funeral doom and if the cover art is any indication, this should be no exception. First full length in five years, give it a listen to see if it's worth the wait.

Download

Odz Manouk / Absum - Rotting Esophagus (2012)

Genre: Black Metal
Country: USA

What this year has been lacking in death metal it sure is making up for in black metal, and you bet your ass the Black Twilight Circle/Rhinocervs/Crepsculo Negro conglomerate are busy putting out a bunch of stuff for us to enjoy.  Probably their best output this year is this little split between the best BTC band and the most underrated BTC band.  The Odz Manouk side is on par with all the other great things they've put out so far, but the shining star of this split of this is Absum's side.  Absum is basically a blackened funeral doom band that do what they do extremely well.  Long, drawn out, mournful melodies over a thick plate of pleasently lo-fi production makes for a fucking good track. If you want some good quality black material from this year look no further than this split, it delivers on all fronts.

Worship Black Twilight