Just imagine you're cast away on a desolate island and all hope of being rescued is long gone. Here are seven doom songs you need to hear before your iPod battery dies.
Evoken, "A Caress of the Void," from A Caress of the Void (I Hate, 2006)
A Caress of the Void is a classic funeral doom album every fan of the genre needs in their collection. Evoken crafted masterpieces enshrouded in true darkness and hopelessness.
The Smiths, "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me," from Strangeways, Here We Come (Sire/Rough Trade, 1987)
While this may not be a doom song by genre, this song is depressing both tonally and lyrically. The intro is bleak, the lyrics are isolating, and the melodies are dreadful. This song is doom.
The Fall of Every Season, "From Below," from From Below (Aftermath, 2007)
Combining brutality, serenity, and atmosphere, "From Below" is one of the most perfect offerings within the doom metal genre. Mastermind Marius Strand presents a gray window into his soul with this one man project, The Fall of Every Season.
Swallow the Sun, "The Ship," from Ghosts of Loss (Firebox/Spinefarm, 2005)
"The Ship" gives me a feeling of being left behind as my only opportunity of getting back to civilization fades away into the horizon. As the last track on Ghosts of Loss, "The Ship," is the perfect swan song for this epic work of doom.
Woods of Ypres, "Distractions of Living Alone," from Woods III: Deepest Roots And Darkest Blues (Krankenhaus, 2007)
"Distractions of Living Alone" focuses on the feelings of being lonely and depressed, a theme Woods of Ypres incorporated into their sound throughout their career. Woods of Ypres didn't become a "doom band" until Woods 4: The Green Album, but on Woods III, you hear the clear transition from melodic black metal to black/doom.
Daylight Dies, "Dismantling Devotion," from Dismantling Devotion ( Candlelight, 2006)
"Dismantling Devotion" is one of their most beautifully depressing songs, the guitar melodies cry, the chord changes are chilling, and the song brings on a sense of bereavement as if you're on your death bed awaiting the end. Daylight Dies has always been a band that knew how to toy with my emotions.
Ahab "Below the Sun," from The Call of the Wretched Sea (Napalm/Irond, 2006)
I could have made this list with nothing but Ahab songs, but what fun would that be? Ahab specializes in writing songs that make you feel isolated, as if you're stranded in the middle of the ocean with no sign of being rescued. Next time you plan a vacation, add some Ahab to your mp3 player, just in case...
