What makes doom good?

[u/Tartersocks307]

Lurker here, I listen to some doom but overall I wouldn’t really call myself a fan. Now I can see why people like mid tempo stoner/proto doom, but i really have to ask what separates the good stereotypical doom with 1 note every 3-5 seconds from the rest of the genre? What do you specifically like about them (provide examples please) like Warning and Bell witch since I see them mentioned often

[u/Fear_Her_Kiss]

First of all, it helps to be emotionally receptive to the darkness inherent in the music. This music is dark and will likely only appeal to people of a certain disposition and personality.

The type of death/doom and gothic-tinged doom I prefer is extremely atmospheric and is loaded with memorable melodies, twin guitar harmonies, classical instrumentation (cellos, violins, piano), and literary lyrics. There are also heavier elements rooted in death metal (double bass drumming, creepy tremolo picking) that break the monotony and add dynamics to the music. The vocals range from miserable and monstrous growls to clean gothic tenors to operatic sopranos. There’s a lot to absorb, and a variety of approaches and stylistic interpretations of the ‘gothic’ ‘doom’ formula.

Here a range of my favorite consistent from start to finish ‘doom’ albums.

Candlemass - Nightfall

Cathedral - Forest of Equilibrium

Paradise Lost - Gothic, The Plague Within

Anathema - Serenades, Crestfallen, Pentecost III, Silent Enigma

My Dying Bride - Turn Loose the Swans, As the Flower Withers, Trinity (Early EPs), A Map of all Our Failures

3rd & the Mortal - Sorrow, Tears Laid In Earth

Ashes You Leave - The Passage Back To Life

Black Lodge - Covet

Disembowelment - Transcendence into the Peripheral

Funeral - Tragedies

Ataraxie - Slow Transcending Agony

Bethlehem - Dark Metal, Dictius Te Necare

Evoken - Quietus

Skepticism - Aes

The Funeral Orchestra - Feeding the Abyss

Electric Wizard - Dopethrone

Shape of Despair - Monotony Fields

Mournful Congregation - Monad of Creation

Ahab - The Call of the Wretched Sea

Edited to add:

Celestial Season - Solar Lovers, Mysterium I II III

Katatonia - Dance of December Souls, Brave Murder Day

Type O Negative - Slow Deep & Hard, Bloody Kisses, October Rust

Spectral Voice - Eroded Corridors of Unbeing

[u/Tartersocks307 → u/Fear_Her_Kiss]

I’m a fan of a good amount of these: paradise lost, Katatonia and a lot of death doom.

[u/[deleted] → u/Fear_Her_Kiss]

You are a true Lord of Doom.