The Dark, atmospheric side of metal

Edited by The Ryan - July 19 2006 at 05:31

Aahhh... you have come to the right place.   

There's a growing genre that is starting to become known as "post-metal", a sort of mixture of experimental/post-rock and metal.  A few bands are at the forefront of this movement.  If you like Kayo Dot, you will probably like some of these:

Isis - Panopticon, a progressive sludge metal album, very slow songs that build like a storm to unbelievable climaxes.  the vocals are screamed, but they are in the background and really only serve as another layer on the massive soundscape.

Pelican - The Fire in Our Throats will Beckon the Thaw, instrumental post-metal.  Giant metal riffs mixed in with Explosions in the Sky-style textures and harmonies.  awesome.

Cult of Luna - Somewhere Along the Highway, again more progressive sludge, a balancing act between powerful sludge and ambient-post-rock

Maudlin of the Well - Bath, if you like Kayo Dot, explore the band's roots with this fiercely experimental album.

... and there's plenty more where that came from.

Hmm well, maybe I can juggle up a few names D:

As far as albums go, I might recommend Zero Hour's The Towers of Avarice, Opeth's Blackwater Park or Still Life, Edge of Sanity's Crimson and Crimson II, Arcturus' The Sham Mirrors, Anthemon's Kadavreski and Agalloch's The Mantle or Ashes Against the Grain.

Eh, maybe you don't like growling or aggressive vocals that much, you could try one of the highly rated albums by Anathema, Katatonia or Chroma Key (although both Anathema and Katatonia started out producing grinding doom metal :p)

Ok, well how about

Novembre - Materia, very atmospheric, (almost) no growling, no post-rock.  No US release either

I agree with the Anathema recommendation too.

Dangit Opethdude!  Agalloch was going to be my suggestion!   It came  immediately to mind when I saw the thread title.  Not much Doom or Goth in that band, nor Darkness really....somber is a good adjective for 'em.  Damnation is also incredible - I like "acoustic" Opeth more than most of their extensive catalogue!

Edited by scottmetal666 - July 21 2006 at 23:20

Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor from Agalloch is also very good!  I haven't really absorbed the new one yet - this music, like good prog often does, takes time to absorb and realize.  I will warn that they are somewhat consistent in their mellowness, and their are no instrumental acrobatics in Agalloch..it's all about the mood and songs.

Also, hamham and aapatsos seem to refer to bands I've read about that might fit your description.  They are obviously more informed about the actual music than myself. 

Edited by scottmetal666 - July 21 2006 at 23:28

Agalloch for sure. Pale Folklore and The Mantle are brilliant, and I am eagerly awaiting their new release in a couple weeks.

Since everyone is recommending "post metal" bands try a band called Callisto.

You like spacey prog rock check out Oracle at the website below. They space me out, havn't stopped listening to em for two yrs!

oh yeah, Beyond Twilight's Devil's Hall of Fame and Section X are great albums :)

also echoing riverside and green carnation