Written by VPeter on 23.03.2008 at 18:50

I find it absolutely hilarious that there are a lot of people who find heavy metal/power metal depressive
"oh no! mine poor Skuffy the dragon died " seriously do you people even now what depressive is? and have you chaps ever heard of DOOM metal?
I really laughed when some folk here mentioned Manowar, seriously!
not to mention the horrible Metallica songs "fade to black" and "one" then again Metallica always sucked.
then finaly I fail to see the depression in the whiney screams of emo black metal.
how ever these are mine picks: My Dying Bride, Type O Negative, old Theatre of Tragedy, Draconian among others.

While I definitely agree with you on your Power/Heavy metal point, I disagree about Black Metal. (unless you mean emo black metal as in new CoF).

I think Black Metal is one of the most (can be) depressive genres, right after Doom.

so you want to say Nightwish ballads arent sad?

Yes.

What people find depressive, are the things that they can relate to, or atleast feel sympathy with. So I'm not suprised that people choose power or heavy metal ballads. I'm actually more suprised of you who choose doom metal, I have allways find it hard to relate to those kind of lyrics.


Anyway, the depressive song of my choice would be My beloved's cry by Orphaned land. It's such a nice, serene song, and get so sad. The character seem so dejected by the death of the beloved.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 23.03.2008 at 19:07

Written by FAITH & MUSIC on 23.03.2008 at 13:28

Written by Vinnie R. on 07.01.2008 at 08:02

Heart Of Steel by Manowar, it makes me cry when i listen it with some beers...

Heart Of Steel is depressive? I disagree. I can only agree that it is a vary emotional songs, and like emotion-boost positively

Like 99% of Manowar songs Heart Of Steel isn't depressive but depressing And it also makes me cry when I listen to it (be it sober or drunk) because it reminds of how crap and even more cheesy Manowar became after their first three albums.
Band such as Manowar are depressing and epitomize everything bad about metal. I can understand why people who don't know much to any metal will look down upon metal when they hear Manowar. I can even understand why they then think that metal is a "male chauvinist pig dominated sexist misogynist world" dominated by fascist war glorifying braindead morons :-)

Can I call you a Powermetal Hater?

Try "Sarah Williams" from JACOB'S DREAM, a US Power Metal band...

This is simply the best ballad I know. It's a story about a man who killed a young girl (Sarah Williams) in a car accident while he was drunk. In the song he's asking / begging for forgiveness... Amazing!

Check the song at http://www.myspace.com/jacobsdream

Written by Torelli on 23.03.2008 at 23:07

What people find depressive, are the things that they can relate to, or atleast feel sympathy with. So I'm not suprised that people choose power or heavy metal ballads. I'm actually more suprised of you who choose doom metal, I have allways find it hard to relate to those kind of lyrics.


Anyway, the depressive song of my choice would be My beloved's cry by Orphaned land. It's such a nice, serene song, and get so sad. The character seem so dejected by the death of the beloved.

no it is because this site is filled with power metal fans and unfortunally and all of them fail to see the extreme repetition and cheese factor of their genre.
how can you feel sympathy for whiney high pitched vocals and over the top melodic guitars?
Doom metal is dedicated to depression and sadness, I think that says enough.

Written by Hellish Star on 24.03.2008 at 13:52

Try "Sarah Williams" from JACOB'S DREAM, a US Power Metal band...

To Chris Amber, Torelli and Hellish Star.

This song is exactly what I think is not depressive. Let me explain my thoughts:

While this song is very good, and also very sad, I don't see it as depressive. More as a tear-jerking song (in a good way, I don't mean this negative). Even if it induces tears, it is not depressive. Because "depressive" is more than that. Depression is a sick, rancid, negative and hateful feeling. It is more than simply a 'beautiful, sad' concept or story. Depression is a mindfuck, a bulldozer that destroy you till your very roots.

And for that reason, no Power/Heavy metal ballad would I deem depressive. Only (some) Black and Doom bands manage to reach such sick, disgusting levels that I get "depressed" by them.

Written by Lucas on 24.03.2008 at 14:32

Written by Hellish Star on 24.03.2008 at 13:52

Try "Sarah Williams" from JACOB'S DREAM, a US Power Metal band...

And for that reason, no Power/Heavy metal ballad would I deem depressive. Only (some) Black and Doom bands manage to reach such sick, disgusting levels that I get "depressed" by them.

IMO Today Is The Day also manages to reach this level with their Sadness Will Prevail album although it is neither black metal or doom.
Now that album as a whole (not the song as stand alones somehow) is THE most depressive and disturbing album I have ever heard

Oh yes, there are of course exceptions. But I think in general, Black and Doom are most 'likely' to reach those feelings.

Oops, and I just realised that this thread is about depressive ballads and not about depressive music in general. So, although Sadness Will Prevail is depressive and all it certainly DOESN'T contain any ballads whatsoever.

Written by Lucas on 24.03.2008 at 14:32

Written by Hellish Star on 24.03.2008 at 13:52

Try "Sarah Williams" from JACOB'S DREAM, a US Power Metal band...

To Chris Amber, Torelli and Hellish Star.

This song is exactly what I think is not depressive. Let me explain my thoughts:

While this song is very good, and also very sad, I don't see it as depressive. More as a tear-jerking song (in a good way, I don't mean this negative). Even if it induces tears, it is not depressive. Because "depressive" is more than that. Depression is a sick, rancid, negative and hateful feeling. It is more than simply a 'beautiful, sad' concept or story. Depression is a mindfuck, a bulldozer that destroy you till your very roots.

And for that reason, no Power/Heavy metal ballad would I deem depressive. Only (some) Black and Doom bands manage to reach such sick, disgusting levels that I get "depressed" by them.

I see and understand, you want songs with a free chord, obliging the listener to kill himself?

I can't help you with this kind of music and I have no plans neither, you see

Flying - Anathema

That song can make an entire army of clowns commite suicide...
At least, that's my opinion.

Hm, so no one reacted that I mentioned a doom song, despite that I claimed that doom is non-depressive? Intresting. But to the be honest, I think the live version of it is more depressive, as it feels more authentic and is a bit more "folkier".


@Tír na nog: Right, and how do you feel sympathy with 25 + minutes of low growling with the same repetative riffs, with the same boring topic as apathy and emptiness? Every gengre is full of steriotypes, remember that. Besides, people react diffrently to different subjects. A drug addict may feel depressed over the Queensryche song "the needle lies", despite being quite upbeat, as it lies close to the heart.

@Nervel: When you speak about depresssion, it can be two things. Either as a describtion of a feeling or mood, but also as a clinical term. I guess you only take the clinical term in consideration, and that I don't think you can accomplish merely by music, nor should one either.

My definition of a depressive song would be when you feel that every tone, every single string on the instrument represent the agony and the hoplessness over it AND when you are able to sympatize with it.
Something that few metal bands manage to create, regardless of gengre. Even if many metal songs are emotional, very few are depressive. So far, I have only find two that I consider to be depressive:
Orphaned land's "My beloved's Cry" and Dark Tranquillity's "Lethe".

For real depresssive music, you should try folk music instead or any other kind of music contected with the roots. Like nordic & slavic folk music and espacially gypsy music. The type of songs african slaves sunged can also be considered to be depressive music.

Written by Torelli on 24.03.2008 at 23:07

Hm, so no one reacted that I mentioned a doom song, despite that I claimed that doom is non-depressive? Intresting. But to the be honest, I think the live version of it is more depressive, as it feels more authentic and is a bit more "folkier".


@Tír na nog: Right, and how do you feel sympathy with 25 + minutes of low growling with the same repetative riffs, with the same boring topic as apathy and emptiness? Every gengre is full of steriotypes, remember that. Besides, people react diffrently to different subjects. A drug addict may feel depressed over the Queensryche song "the needle lies", despite being quite upbeat, as it lies close to the heart.

no I don't feel sympathy for crappy doom bands such as Reverend Bizzare. unfortunally power metal is the sterotype now it's all the same boring cheese power metal over and over again and people seriously need to stop hyping it. power metal and heavy metal can be moving but depressing? only Doom metal is capable of that IMHO.

Written by Hellish Star on 24.03.2008 at 15:58

I see and understand, you want songs with a free chord, obliging the listener to kill himself?

Preferably, yes.

Written by VPeter on 25.03.2008 at 15:18

power metal and heavy metal can be moving but depressing?

I find it hard to belive myself, but I have no doubt that other people can find more than emotional, boardering to depressive.

Written by VPeter on 25.03.2008 at 15:18

Only Doom metal is capable of that IMHO.

Each to their own I guess. I probably listen to music in a different way then you do, as I can't "feel" their despair. Sure, this type of metal is perhaps one of the most pessimistic gengres out there, but get I can't sense it. It is like doom try to sell thier "depressiveness" in the same vain as selling heart-shaped candy in times of valentin and call it love. It seems fake somehow.

I think they are no band or artist that can be called depressive music, I belive it's more about specific songs, were folk music happens to have most of it.

I like to hear all music in the world to answer this question.....
but until now i think "Two Dead Name" from "Rapture" is the best song for this case
song and Lyric is so sorrowful and make anybody fool especially the people that have so many dark life with so many problem like me.
if you did not hear this til now i must tell you Plz hear this song.

Doom and Black Metal the most depressing?. Dark Progressive can be depressive too. Opeth - Weakness is for me one of the most depressive songs i ever heard. The music, the lyrics are very very dark. The song is leaded with a keyboard and it sounds dark as hell.

Written by DevilishSong on 28.03.2008 at 23:30

I like to hear all music in the world to answer this question.....
but until now i think "Two Dead Name" from "Rapture" is the best song for this case
song and Lyric is so sorrowful and make anybody fool especially the people that have so many dark life with so many problem like me.
if you did not hear this til now i must tell you Plz hear this song.

It sounds a lot like in my time of need of opeth. Other depressing song. Btw great song tow dead name.

Written by Evil Chip on 28.03.2008 at 23:37

It sounds a lot like in my time of need of opeth. Other depressing song. Btw great song tow dead name.

yes you right. thanks for your compering ,
but Two Dead name has slower rythm against in my time and i prefer lyric of Two Dead Name.

Dead Leaves and No one There by Senteced.

Warning-Watching from a Distance.

Written by OneWithMisery on 08.04.2008 at 22:36

Warning-Watching from a Distance.

That song actually brings tears to my eyes every single time the vocals kick in after around 3 minutes. The emotions are SO heartfelt it's unbelievable. SO sad yet so beautiful and hopeful.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 09.04.2008 at 17:14

Written by OneWithMisery on 08.04.2008 at 22:36

Warning-Watching from a Distance.

That song actually brings tears to my eyes every single time the vocals kick in after around 3 minutes. The emotions are SO heartfelt it's unbelievable. SO sad yet so beautiful and hopeful.

The song is amazing in every aspect, but those vocals really add that special something to it. It's almost a feeling of mourning combined with a feeling of hope, like you said. Watching from a distance has to be one of the most heartbraking (doom) songs ever.

//My favorite depressing song would have to be Embryonic by Riverside. Beautiful acoustic guitars and the vocals are incredible. Also the whole damnation album by opeth. To Bid You Farewell by opeth is awesome as well. Probably my favorite song by them. Also the Anathema and Katatonia stuff mentioned in the first couple pages are pretty dead on//

I agree with what some of you are saying about Doom metal's being the most depressive. Swallow the Sun is the most depressive band I know.. songs like Too Cold for Tears, Doomed To Walk this Earth, and Through Her Silvery Body are the best IMO. Of course they're not ballads but with a band like this or Shape Of Despair we don't really need it...
Other than that, there's Opeth and Evergrey's dark progressive ballads, and some symphonic ones like Norther's and ETOS.

Probably mentioned many times before, but "Fade to Black" gets my vote.

in my time of need & hope leaves -opeth

well opeth has alot of depressive songs actually, i just picked 2

Como Estais Amigos iron maiden
fade to black metallica
Death and the Healing wintersun
brothers Yngwie j.Malmsteen
when the crowds are gone savatage
One Last Goodbye Anathema