The Metal Thread Genre

Q: How do I get into Extreme/Experimental metal?

A: Good question. Read this long message i sent to schlotty about the very subject!

Message Title: So You Want To Get Into Metal......

well you're in luck! i have a ton of suggestions for you. these are bands that got me into extreme and experimental metal, some i got into years ago and some that i got into recently and continue to expand my love of the genre. check them all out and tell me what you think of them as you listen, and please dont take FOREVER to listen to them but feel free to pace yourself. what im saying is, if next week you havent listened to a bunch i wont be mad. if next year you're asking me for recs, ill be mad. kapeesh? without further ado...



Blut Aus Nord - 777
Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II
Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta III

So here's the deal with Blut Aus Nord. First of all, the 777 series is three separate albums that compromise a trilogy. The track titled Are Epitome I, Epitome II, Epitome III, so you'll see which album is first second and third based on that. Listen to those three in order, they are his more Avant Garde Black Metal sound. You see, Blut Aus Nord is helmed by this musician named Vindsval who comes from france, he's been running Blut Aus Nord since the 90s and has so many fucking albums theres still a few even I havent heard. I've added the second and third installment of the Memoria Vetusta series because those records have a more straightforward melodic black metal sound and are incredible, III was on my 2014 end of the year list very high up.

Wolves in the Throne Room - Diadem of 12 Stars
Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters
Wolves in the Throne Room - Black Cascade
Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage

This band was one of the very first black metal band I heard, along with Blut Aus Nord, and they are what made me instantly fall in love with the genre due to the fact that they made me realize just how much can be done with it. I started with Celestial Lineage and it is very much their magnum opus, standing leaps and bounds above the other three in terms of scope, ambition, and pure quality, but the other three records are fantastic (Two Hunters in particular is one of my favorites).

Liturgy - Aesthethica

This was also one of the very first black metal records I heard. It's very good and you should listen to it, it's very unlike what you're going to hear from any other black metal you check out and it's hard to really put your finger on why. The guitar lines are just very frenetic. Really unique stuff and their drummer is from another fucking planet.

Woods of Desolation - Torn Beyond Reason
Woods of Desolation - As the Stars

A really atmospheric and depressive black metal band from I wanna say Australia? Don't quote me on that. Torn Beyond Reason has become one of my favorite records of all time, there was a solid 6 months where I listened to it daily. As The Stars probably has better songwriting on it but the recording quality, specifically of the drums, is less than desirable. But in that respect, they fall more in line with traditional black metal while their songwriting is transcendental so the juxtaposition of this eloquent beauty and raw carnage is unendingly interesting.

Krallice - Dimensional Bleedthrough
Krallice - Diotima
Krallice - Years past Matter
Krallice - Ygg Huur

This band is amazing, their guitarist is an absolute stud and plays the sharpest, most angular riffs I've heard of any black metal band. He's also an excellent producer and engineer, having recorded records by all the bands hes in and other bands in the underground metal scene. For them, you can't go wrong with any of their albums though some are a bit lengthy. Ygg Huur, however, which was surprise released in 2015, is a super short, fiery listen and their best record yet. But your choice, I know how you like to start from the beginning with bands. They have a self titled debut that I've never heard. Let me know how it is. Lol.

Pyramids - A Northern Meadow
Pyramids - Pyramids

I beg you to listen to A Northern Meadow first even though the self titled came out earlier. Here's why: it's basically a different band. I mean, it's not but ok get this. Colin Marston of Krallice ( see above) played guitars on the record and Vidsval of Blut Aus Nord (see above) programmed the drums. Pyramids itself is helmed by Rich Balling, going by R. Loren for the band, and you may know him as an ex member of RX Bandits and the mastermind behind The Sound of Animals Fighting. Here, he makes the most atmospheric black metal music I've ever heard in my entire life. He sings clean vocals over it, and there's so much damn emotion and passion put into every inch of these recordings it makes me want to cry. A Northern Meadow hit me like few albums have ever hit me. It was in my top 10 for a reason, and my prediction is that with time I'm going to grow to like it more. Look for it in my top 10 of the decade in 4 years is all I'm saying.

Panopticon - Kentucky
Panopticon - Roads to the North
Panopticon - Autumn Eternal

This is a one man band and these three records make up a trilogy so check them out, he has a deep back catalog too but I haven't heard hardly any of it. This is a healthy mix of black metal and folk, and what's crazy is the folk he incorporates is blue grass. That's right, this is a bluegrass/black metal hybrid, and it is fucking incredible. You'll dig it if you open your mind because at first it's jarring as fuck. But the dude can fucking play, his folk guitar is wild.

Thou - Tyrant
Thou - Peasant
Thou - Heathen
Thou and the Body - You, Whom I Have Always Hated
The Body - The Body
The Body - Christs, Redeemers
The Body - I Shall Die Here

Okay, moving away from black metal here. These two bands are super experimental sludge/doom metal that borders on noise metal, they are completely unrelenting in their despair and heaviness. I like Thou way more of the two but they are both sick and their collab album is fucking incredible. The Body have a new record coming this year and Thou is about due for another full length since Heathen was 2014. I highly suggest listening to Heathen first since it is my retroactive number 2 of 2014 which means i fucking adore it but again I know how you are so make your own choices.

Altar of Plagues - White Tomb
Altar of Plagues - Mammal
Altar of Plagues - Teethed Glory and Injury

White Tomb, their debut is pretty decent. Kinda typical stuff for the style. Mammal though.....Mammal changed my life when I heard it about 5 months ago. Teethed Glory and Injury is sweet too but Mammal.....just one of the best atmospheric/depressive black metal records I've ever heard. Just listen to it and hear for yourself, it's super special.

Ash Borer - Cold of Ages
Ash Border - Bloodlands

Another atmospheric/depressive band, not much else to say besides that they are very good and you'll dig them if you dig anything else on this list. That's not to say they aren't unique because they are, they have their own identifiable sound and aesthetic. Check em out.

Agalloch - Pale Folklore
Agalloch - The Mantle
Agalloch - Ashes Againts the Grain
Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit
Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere

These guys are a veteran band in the underground/experimental scene, and over the years they've stayed true to the Agalloch formula while continuing to add new influences along the way. All of their albums are absolutely stellar, somewhat of a rarity with bands that have 5 or more records, but their blend of folk metal with black metal has only gotten better as they've added elements of death, post, doom, and sludge metal throughout the years. Their latest record, Serpent and the Sphere, came out in 2014 and was actually reviewed by yours truly on AbsolutePunk if you wanna check that out.

YOB - Clearing the Path to Ascend

An absolutely thrilling doom metal record from 2014. Check it out

 

Windhand - Greif's Eternal Flower

Another doom metal record, this one's from 2015. It's a little stoner-y too. They have a female singer. They are fucking awesome.

Torche - Meanderthal
Torche - Harmonicraft
Torche - Restarter

This band rules because they make what can only be described as sludge-pop. It's sludge metal basically written in major keys with super sugary hooks and riffs that'll get stuck in your head after half a listen.

Pallbearer - Sorrow and Extinction
Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden

Funeral Doom. So good. So depressing. They sound like super super super down classic Black Sabbath but more drawn out and epic. I love them so sososososososososo much.

High On Fire - Surrounded By Thieves
High On Fire - Blessed Black Wings
High On Fire - Death Is This Communion
High On Fire - Snakes for the Divine
High On Fire - Luminiferous

This is Matt Pike's band that he formed after Sleep broke up, they are sludge/stoner metal and are a veteran band with a discog dating back to 2000 and their last album came out last year. Pretty much everything is quality, you'll have to find your own favorite but they are an incredibly solid band

Sleep - Dopesmoker

One of the best pieces of music ever recorded, hands down. It'll blow your mind. One song. Sixty Minutes. Three kids playing music in a studio high out of their minds. Theres a crazy backstory to this record about how their label hated it and wouldnt release it and how the only versions of it that existed until 2012 were bootlegs. It got rereleased or officially released in 2012 with the band's blessing and they say it's the closest of all the versions to their original vision.

Sannhet - Revisionist

Instrumental Blackgaze. Blackened Post-Rock. Whatever it is, it rips my face off.

Russian Circles - Enter
Russian Circles - Station
Russian Circles - Geneva
Russian Circles - Empros
Russian Circles - Memorial

They have a ton of albums damn. They're post-metal/post-rock. No vocals, just a trio of bass, guitar and drums. Their bassist is Brian Cook who used to be in Botch if you know who they are. Anway, this band is incredible and they're actually recording with Kurt Ballou right now for their sixth full length this year.

Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb
Pig Destroyer - Book Burner

How do you feel about grindcore? Because this is the best grindcore band on the planet, Phantom Limb is especially sick because they sneak these southern rock riffs into these absolutely insane grindcore songs and it's amazing. But grindcore is grindcore and it's certainly an aquired taste, unless.....

Gaza - I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die
Gaza - No Absolutes In Human Suffering
Gaza - No Absolutes in Human Suffering
Cult Leaser - Lightless Walk

unles....your name is Gaza (now Cult Leader, more on that later). Gaza's three albums have grind leanings but are also really slugy and doomy, it's a nice combo and a bit easier to get into imo than something like Pig Destroyer that is just in your face rawr rawr rawr grind all the time. Now, the thing about Gaza, is that their lead singer was accused of rape so the other three member kicked him out of the band and started anew as Cult Leader with the bassist taking over on lead vocals and finding someone else to play bass. In all honesty, the Cult Leader album is better than any Gaza album. It's more along the lines of crust punk and is relentless, never lets up


Nails - Abandon All Life

If I had to pick one album as the heaviest album I've ever heard, this would be it. They can be classified as power violence (think United Nations but heavier, very heavier). Whatever they are, they rip, and just like this album they are recording their next album with Kurt Ballou and if it's even half as heavy as this it'll destroy my life.

Lluvia - Eteridad Solemne

Okay back to black metal. This band is from mexico and put out one of my favorite atmospheric black metal albums of the year, it's so good and made my list in the top 30 I believe so you know it's worth checking out, I listened to it constantly driving around in the car, albums I do that with tend to strike the biggest note with me because I get very familiar with them.

Locrian - Infinite Dissolution

Apparently this band has a huge back discog but I've only heard this album that came out last year and I think it's sick

Hope Drone - Cloak of Ash

This is this band's debut and it is a very, very ambitious record, it's worth a listen if you're into large scope experimental blackgaze records

Myrkur - M

Female fronted black metal that will send shivers down your spine, it's way spooky and eerie but often times beautiful.

Oathbreaker - Maelstrom
Oathbreaker - Eros|Anteros

More along the lines of post-hardcore but figured they deserve a mention since female fronted heavy music was on my mind. They dip into sludge a bit anyway but yeah they are absolutely incredible and one of my favorites on all of deathwish, an already stacked label.

Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss

More badass female fronted music. She actually has a bunch of albums but Abyss is all I've heard it's sick. Super dark, super ambient, super wild.




Alright this is what I would consider essential in terms of the shit I listen to on a completely regular basis and helped me get to where my taste is at now to the point where I'm very comfortable with it and can discover new bands and dive into old discogs with ease. If you have any questions let me know and remember, tell me what you think of things as you listen to them!

 

its in the twitter inbox of some people

 

alright lets kick this off with some good shit. this album is going to be amazing

 

subbin' and sludging.

 

hope drone is dope

 

happy some of my suggestions to Jake (or at least things I posted first) appear on that list, good stuff.

Just listened to Totem Skin for the first time recently, band reminds me of Oathbreaker more than any other band and I need more like that in my life

 

cwhit no one besides you cares who posted what first

 

I'm allowed to be proud of my sick ass recommendations

 

Yeah well I don't see a big ass post from you complete with albums and blurbs do I!!!!!

 

ok OP has been updated with my message to schlotty

 

I think "Damage, Inc." just finally clicked with me, 20 years later.

 

No one likes my threads

 

that is an acceptable list of music

 

+1

Both him and Ryan have introduced me to so many new artists/albums I would have never heard of otherwise.

 

folks, i do it because i love it. i love music and i love introducing people to the music that i love. thank you for listening to my recs

 

bandcamp diving tonight. here's some legit shit, i saw an ad for this on my facebook the other day actually and made a note to check it out but its listed at the top of the blackgaze tag right now. loving it so far, good shit

 

Bumpy with the subby.

I've listened to a handful of these albums and am on board. School has been wrecking me lately so It's been tough to dedicate some time lately to jump into some of these, but I'm always down for the JJ rec and have heard great things about many of these artists.

 

Obscura is still my favorite death metal record in recent memory.

 

New Killswitch Engage record is quite good, pleasantly surprised.

 

recently revisited Behemoth's The Satanist and it still slays

 

i fucking love this whole record, amazing depressive black metal. right up my alley, anyone who hears this will def think "oh wow this is def jake metal"

 

downloaded that show me a dinosaur album and will give it a listen tomorrow probably. I have a similar taste in metal to you, Jake, so I'm sure I'll love it.

 

anyone heard the new panopticon split