[Serow]

Hey guys, I know nothing about dark music, but for some reason have had a desire to listen to heavier music for the last while. I've read through parts of the monstrous Darkest Desires thread, but don't know where to start.

I'd like a list of 5 CDs as an introduction to best of this style of music. One condition is that so far, death vox etc are a turn-off for me; this may be something that is an 'aquired taste'. Some bands that I've considered include Opeth, Therion, and Cradle of Filth.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[minya]

Quote:

Originally posted by Serow Hey guys, I know nothing about dark music, but for some reason have had a desire to listen to heavier music for the last while. I've read through parts of the monstrous Darkest Desires thread, but don't know where to start. I'd like a list of 5 CDs as an introduction to best of this style of music. One condition is that so far, death vox etc are a turn-off for me; this may be something that is an 'aquired taste'. Some bands that I've considered include Opeth, Therion, and Cradle of Filth.

Well, you're talking about metal only. There's lots of "dark" music that has zilch to do with metal. So don't restrict yourself to just metal bands.

- Chris

 

[KR...]

Ok, everyone will have a different list, but here are my MUST HAVE top 5 (in no order) Extreme Metal List :

1. Cradle of Filth - Dusk... and Her Embrace
2. My Dying Bride – Turn Loose the Swans
3. Opeth - Morningrise
4. Ulver - Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
5. Nokturnal Mortum - Nechrist

All these bands sound quite different from each other but represent an amazing starting point for this type of music. All of them are landmark albums.

 

[KR...]

Quote:

One condition is that so far, death vox etc are a turn-off for me; this may be something that is an 'aquired taste'.

Nearly every band that we listen to have extreme vocals, so this nearly impossible to avoid. But, this music isn't suppose to be mainstream, so oh well...

 

[Mr.PD]

I started with Sentenced and Cradle of Filth. Sentenced-Down is vey mellow suicide music no death vocals, Cradle of Filth-Lovecraft and Witch Hearts, Dani vocals very interesting music. Lovecraft is a best of type cd.

 

[TimSchirmer]

just get black sabbath's "Paranoid" and you'll have the best metal has to offer.

 

[elipsis]

Quote:

Originally posted by TimSchirmer just get black sabbath's "Paranoid" and you'll have the best metal has to offer.

Wow, amazing.

In seriousness, the best COF album is definitely Dusk... but you might want to pick up the Lovecraft double CD. They're a good enough band to sustain a "best of collection".

I'd also recommend some My Dying Bride, Immortal's Battles in the North album for full on Norweigan blast metal and the Sisters of Mercy Floodlands album, so you can school yourself on the history of gloom.

 

[DarkAngel]

I'd say 95% of all groups discussed at dark music thread have death vocals of some sort. Vast majority are the mild heavy rasp variety, which are very legible but allow voice to take on an evil demonic quality which normal voice cannot acheive.

If you eliminate death vox completely you are limited to mild gothic metal, darkwave etc. Almost all dark metal employs some sort of death vocal, including the three groups you mention above.

If you liked Metallica, Megadeath in the 1980's the transition to melodic dark metal is not too much of a stretch.

Melodic Dark Metal - Mild Death Vocals

1)OPETH - Morningrise
2)DIMMU BOGIR - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant
3)CHILDREN OF BODOM - Hatebreeder
4)TRISTANIA - Beyond the veil
5)CRADLE OF FILTH - Dusk & Her Embrace


Gothic - No Death Vocals

1)SWITCHBLADE SYMPHONY - Serpentine Gallery
2)SISTERS OF MERCY - Some Girls Wander By
3)MOONSPELL - Wolfheart
4)BAUHAUS - 1979-83 Vol I&II
5)TYPE O NEGATIVE - Bloody Kisses

 

[Serow]

Thanks for the recommendations guys! I will be doing some heavy listening soon and let you know which I like.

Quote:

Originally posted by DarkAngel I'd say 95% of all groups discussed at dark music thread have death vocals of some sort. Vast majority are the mild heavy rasp variety, which are very legible but allow voice to take on an evil demonic quality which normal voice cannot acheive.

I'd be perfectly fine with anything that has vocals matching DA's description. I just don't enjoy listening to unintelligible, non-melodic screams that go on and on... Given this, keep up the recommendations!

 

[TimSchirmer]

errrm... my recommendations for "gothic" would be:

Bauhaus - In the Flat Field
The Sisterhood - Gift
Christian Death - Only Theatre of Pain
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Tinderbox
Virgin Prunes - If I die, I die
Voodoo Church - any of their old stuff
kommunity fk - Close One Sad Eye

 

[KR...]

Quote:

I just don't enjoy listening to unintelligible, non-melodic screams that go on and on...

I never heard that before

Please don't confuse Nu-Metal with actual Metal.


My recommendations for Dark Classical would be :

1. Eiji Oue - Mephisto & Co (Reference Recording)
2. Goreki: Symphony 3 "symphony of sorrowful songs" (Naxos)
3. Liszt – A Faust Symphony (Chandos)
4. Richard Wagner - Ring Without Words (Telarc)
5. Mozart - Requiem (Telarc)

Bonus : Glenn Danzig – Black Aria

 

[ArChaos]

Quote:

Originally posted by Serow Hey guys, I know nothing about dark music, but for some reason have had a desire to listen to heavier music for the last while.

TRISTANIA - Widows' Weeds & Beyond the Veil. Both albums are pretty safe bets IMO. The amount of death male vocals is not great and the female vocals are beautifull.
MY DYING BRIDE - Turn Loose The Swans & Angel and the Dark River. Both albums are safe bets IMO. "Mild" death vocals but very dark atmosphere- the violin adds a special touch - one of the best British dark bands.
CRADLE OF FILTH - Dusk & Her Embrace. Very extreme almost exclusively death vocals. I would "try before buy" before ordering this one as a starter. On the other hand they are classics and among the BEST.
OPETH - Blackwater Park & Morningrise. Among top five but pretty hard to digest as a starter because of the complexity + heaviness + vocals...
DIMMU BORGIR - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant & Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia. Both first class but same as Opeth and COF - still hard to listen as a starter IMO.

Quote:

Originally posted by Serow One condition is that so far, death vox etc are a turn-off for me; this may be something that is an 'acquired taste'. Some bands that I've considered include Opeth, Therion, and Cradle of Filth.

The first part of the post was "TOP 5", with "warnings"

here are some 5 other, perhaps more easy on the ears for the beginning:
BLACK SABBATH - Black Sabbath. First BS album Heavy, Slow, Grim - the Grandfather of Doom Metal. Still relevant after 30 years+...
ANATHEMA-Ethernity
TYPE O NEGATIVE - Black Sabbath for the Doomy advanced

... Bloody Kisses , October Rust, World Coming Down
AMORPHIS - Tales from a Thousand Lakes & Elegy. I'm not so sure about "for starters" side but Great stuff...
ARCTURUS - La Masquerade Infernale is the Easiest for starters IMO...So much for easy listening...

 

[gloco]

Quote:

Originally posted by Serow I just don't enjoy listening to unintelligible, non-melodic screams that go on and on... Given this, keep up the recommendations!

Dunno if this fits the bill, try Stabbing Westward's Darkest Days, its a very good album and doesn't have some idiot screaming.

Check out amazon to listen to some samples.

 

[TimSchirmer]

Quote:

Originally posted by KR... Bonus : Glenn Danzig – Black Aria

I'll second that!

 

[BaronJack]

I think you would really enjoy Novembers Doom - To Welcome The Fade. It is an HDCD also which is cool if your player supports it.