Pegah
Throughout 2024, I didn’t listen to many albums. I still haven’t explored most of the major releases of the year, choosing instead to immerse myself in underrated Doom Metal bands—those overlooked and forgotten in the vast waves of social media. I dedicated my time to reviewing these bands, striving to introduce them to a wider audience. Ranking them wasn’t easy, as they all hold a nearly equal place in my estimation. Still, I’ve done my best to assemble a top-10 list. Let’s dive into what I’ve brought together!
10. Shattered Hope – Memoire
Memoire is a three-track EP by the Greek atmospheric Death/Doom and Funeral Doom Metal band Shattered Hope. The cover art hints at a connection between ethereal, spirit-like figures and the EP’s title. This bond unfolds across the tracks, inviting listeners to uncover its meaning. The interplay of growled and clean vocals adds emotional layers, while subtle Black Metal elements enrich the composition. With its somber tones and powerful crescendos, Memoire delivers a haunting yet cathartic conclusion.
9. Föhn– Condescending
Föhn, an Avant-Darde Funeral Doom Metal band from Athens, Greece, made its debut with Condescending. Formed in 2016 by Georgios Schoinianakis (formerly of Αρχή του Τέλους) and Nikos Vlachakis (of Ocean of Grief), their music blends heavy, atmospheric soundscapes with diverse vocal tones, synths, and ambient effects. Tracks like “Bereft,” “A Day After”, “The Weight of Nothing”, and “Persona” showcase their ability to innovate within classic Funeral Doom frameworks.
8. Witnesses – Joy
Joy is the latest release from Witnesses, a US-based Doom Metal band often associated with Post-Metal. The album’s clean vocals set it apart from conventional Doom Metal. The theme of joy—drawing on Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy—runs through the lyrics, particularly in the opening track. Recurring motifs of spiritual freedom, liberation, and self-affirmation make Joy a refreshing departure from the genre’s norms. It’s a risk-taking album that ventures into profound, uplifting depths.
7. Pillar of Light – Caldera
Pillar of Light’s debut album, Caldera, is a rich exploration of destruction and renewal through a post-metal and sludge doom lens. Its title and imagery evoke transformation, both in the world and within the human spirit. Caldera stands out in its genre by retaining the weight and intensity of sludge doom while incorporating melodic structures, evocative solos, and introspective lyrics. Thoughtfully integrated monologues add narrative depth, immersing the listener in the album’s emotional journey.
6. Drownship – Tidal Passages
Drownship, a five-piece Doom/Post-Metal band from Hamburg, debuted with Tidal Passages. Formed in 2018 by members of Ophis, Todtgelichter, and Caleya, the band offers a deeply emotional exploration of human fragility amid global catastrophe. The album opens with an epic intro, its powerful vocals emphasizing atmosphere and raw emotion, complemented by dynamic shifts and a blend of doom rhythms with raw, corrosive black metal elements. A standout track, “A Tomb Between Stars”, provides a mesmerizing, atmospheric interlude, easing the intensity before the final two songs. Each track is a unique experience, making for an engaging journey full of poignant moments.
5. Ghostheart Nebula – Blackshift
Blackshift is the second full-length album from Ghostheart Nebula, following their debut, Ascension. Known for their melodic doom/death metal style, the band also incorporates elements of blackened death metal. The title, Blackshift, suggests an otherworldly theme, linking cosmic imagery with human emotions. Lyrically, the album explores introspection, despair, and melancholy. Each track presents a distinct atmosphere, guiding listeners through an imaginal journey from darkness to light, fostering deep introspection and connection to something greater.
4. Invernoir – Aimin’ for Oblivion
Aimin’ for Oblivion is the second full-length album by the Italian band Invernoir. Inspired by the iconic Doom sounds of the 1990s, Invernoir captures the coldness and decadence of existential despair, the emptiness of unanswered questions, and the burden of apathy. This album offers a rich variety of sounds, blending diverse vocal styles, captivating melodies, evocative solos, and heartfelt Italian monologues.
3. Lying Figures – Inheritance
The French melodic Death/Doom Metal band Lying Figures returns after a long hiatus with their new album, Inheritance. This time, Frédéric Simon (vocals & bass) and Matthieu Burgaud (guitars) lead us on an introspective journey, confronting emotions long buried or ignored. The album’s themes are deeply personal, exploring self-alienation, frustration, inner conflict, despair, and disorientation. Featuring both clean and growling vocals, the album creates unique textures, while its monologues—delivered in both English and French—are standout moments, evoking the intimacy of a heartfelt conversation with a friend.
2. Counting Hours – The Wishing Tomb
Counting Hours is a melodic Death/Doom metal band from Helsinki, Finland, founded in 2015 by guitarist Jarno Salomaa (Shape of Despair, ex-Rapture) and vocalist Ilpo Paasela (The Chant). Their second album, The Wishing Tomb, released via Ardua Music, is a compelling blend of clean and growling vocals, supported by melodic yet heavy riffs that define their distinctive sound. The album opens with an instrumental intro that sets the tone for the journey ahead—a beautifully haunting prelude, perfectly suited for a doom metal record. Another hallmark of this album is its atmospheric depth, capturing the essence of Nordic melancholy.
1. Ataraxie – Le Déclin
Ataraxie’s Le Déclin (The Fall) is the sixth full-length album by the French Funeral Doom Metal band. However, its style transcends doom metal subgenres, with some tracks veering into progressive death metal territory. My first experience with Ataraxie was exhilarating—its sudden shifts in rhythm, from calm, low-tempo, doom-like passages to high-speed, Death Metal blasts, left me thrilled. As a Funeral Doom fan, you’ll find it startling how, in an instant, they pull you from a dreary, depressive atmosphere and thrust you into a harsh, unrelenting reality.
These are the bands I enjoyed most in 2024. Though there are countless others I haven’t yet explored, I’m hopeful that 2025 will bring more discoveries and opportunities to write even more reviews!
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