Written by pisymbol on 03.12.2011 at 14:36
@Troy (and everyone), is there any reason by Mournful Congregation's Book of Kings is getting all the press? They are wonderful no doubt about it but Esoteric is the king of funeral doom IMO.

Probably because Esoteric is more of a psychedelic extreme doom band while MC play funeral doom, and a much more melodic style of funeral doom at that. Not really like Remembrance or Ankhagram, but still definitely more accessible than Esoteric.

Although I'd be surprised if PoD wasn't getting media attention.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 03.12.2011 at 23:13

Written by pisymbol on 03.12.2011 at 14:36
@Troy (and everyone), is there any reason by Mournful Congregation's Book of Kings is getting all the press? They are wonderful no doubt about it but Esoteric is the king of funeral doom IMO.

Probably because Esoteric is more of a psychedelic extreme doom band while MC play funeral doom, and a much more melodic style of funeral doom at that. Not really like Remembrance or Ankhagram, but still definitely more accessible than Esoteric.

Although I'd be surprised if PoD wasn't getting media attention.

Psychedelic? I woudn't say that.

I suppose maybe the forefront of traditional funeral doom are represented by Funeral and Cathedral with MC and Esoteric being a niche in a niche!

I think the real issue with getting into bands like MC and especially Esoteric is their composition style. The shear length of some of these pieces is a lone daunting (but completely rewarding).

Written by pisymbol on 04.12.2011 at 14:09
Psychedelic? I woudn't say that.

You wouldn't call Esoteric psychedelic? :s

Written by pisymbol on 04.12.2011 at 14:09


I suppose maybe the forefront of traditional funeral doom are represented by Funeral and Cathedral

Cathedral have nothing to do with funeral doom and never had anything to do with it either. And the only thing funeral doom about Funeral is the bandname. Even their old work I totally don't consider funeral doom at all.
The forefront of funeral doom is Thergothon and Unholy to a lesser extent

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 04.12.2011 at 21:55

Written by pisymbol on 04.12.2011 at 14:09


I suppose maybe the forefront of traditional funeral doom are represented by Funeral and Cathedral

Cathedral have nothing to do with funeral doom and never had anything to do with it either. And the only thing funeral doom about Funeral is the bandname. Even their old work I totally don't consider funeral doom at all.
The forefront of funeral doom is Thergothon and Unholy to a lesser extent

But I had thought some of early Cathedral was funeral doomish?

Funeral is definitely funeral doom at times (heck they seem to think so).

The forefront of doom are two bands that AFAIK don't really exist and haven't made a new record in several years.....surely the word forefront was a bit bold.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 04.12.2011 at 21:22

Written by pisymbol on 04.12.2011 at 14:09
Psychedelic? I woudn't say that.

You wouldn't call Esoteric psychedelic? :s

Overall, no, not really. At least in the classical sense of what I consider psychedelic (some Pink Floyd, King Crimson, etc.).

Let me explain:

Sure, there are certainly sprinkles of straightforward psychedelia present such as the end of the track "Cipher." But overall, I feel Esoteric incorporates these elements as a sonic tool to accent the beautiful movements within a song. A great example of this device is the track "Non Being" where psychedelic effects are clearly used to demarcate different compositional segments in the song. At minute three, this device leads into the riffage about fifty seconds later only to be incorporated again as a transition to the very classical slow funeral doom progression about five and half minutes in...absolutely gorgeous.

Hope this makes sense...

Written by pisymbol on 07.12.2011 at 04:35
Overall, no, not really. At least in the classical sense of what I consider psychedelic (some Pink Floyd, King Crimson, etc.).
Let me explain...

Well that just boils down to a matter of differing opinions. I don't think of psychedelic influences as Pink Floyd/King Crimson influences, just psychedelic elements, which are apparent in Esoteric's discography. I don't consider them a psychedelic band, but a funeral doom band with psychedelic elements.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 07.12.2011 at 05:37

Written by pisymbol on 07.12.2011 at 04:35
Overall, no, not really. At least in the classical sense of what I consider psychedelic (some Pink Floyd, King Crimson, etc.).
Let me explain...

Well that just boils down to a matter of differing opinions. I don't think of psychedelic influences as Pink Floyd/King Crimson influences, just psychedelic elements, which are apparent in Esoteric's discography. I don't consider them a psychedelic band, but a funeral doom band with psychedelic elements.

Then we are in violent agreement!

I was impressed by Maniacal Vale but this album just stunned me. I'm at loss for words...

Fucking awesome, glad I finally heard it. I was quite afraid, isnt the type of music I listen usually and it's too long hehe

Funeral doom is a subgenre that I only recently started to explore more thoroughly, and given enough effort with the often times meaty tracks, it can be a very rewarding thing in the end. That is exaclty what I thought after I had taken the time to listen through Esoteric's latest album in one go.

Paragon of Dissonance is so full of interesting details and never gets boring despite its lenghty duration. It is soul crushing yet not without melody and the psychedelic elements really are the finishing touches for one hell of a wicked experience.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 11.11.2011 at 00:02

Absolutely amazing. Keep raising the bar.

I think we're finally fanboys of the same band, Troy. I've been obsessed with this shit for the past month or so. Devastatingly marvelous.

The entire build up of the first 5 minutes of Non Being is one of the most brilliant and beautiful things I've ever heard in metal in general.

Seriously... It's just extremely beautiful.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 01.07.2012 at 18:10

The entire build up of the first 5 minutes of Non Being is one of the most brilliant and beautiful things I've ever heard in metal in general.

Seriously... It's just extremely beautiful.

This and the outro of Disconsolate.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 01.07.2012 at 18:10

The entire build up of the first 5 minutes of Non Being is one of the most brilliant and beautiful things I've ever heard in metal in general.
Seriously... It's just extremely beautiful.

I hadn't listened to this in a while, and it's easy to forget the beauty hiding under the brutality. It's the subtle things, like the last few minutes of 'Torrent Of Ills', for example, that put this over the top. Brilliant

God some of the leads on this album are so stale...

^
*Holds his breath ... counts to ten ... doesn't break into a verbal rampage*

I think it didn't even take me that long to stop listening to this

Written by LeKiwi on 01.06.2014 at 18:29

God some of the leads on this album are so stale...

I think you might be missing the point of this album.

Written by Diverge on 02.06.2014 at 05:47

I think you might be missing the point of this album.

Don't worry, I didn't just rate the album based on that judgement. That was just my first observation.

Do not know where forgotten greats giants as Evoken

Urgh, so much wrong going on here but oh well...

Written by X-Ray Rod on 09.06.2014 at 20:05

Urgh, so much wrong going on here but oh well...

Complains about stale leads; gives three albums of Insomnium's and two albums each by Scar Symmetry, Amon Amarth and Wintersun 10/10.

Speaking of this album, it's my least favorite esoteric record (well I haven't heard all of them yet).

Hahahah Joe ... Ace!

Written by Guest on 09.06.2014 at 20:33

Written by X-Ray Rod on 09.06.2014 at 20:05

Urgh, so much wrong going on here but oh well...

Complains about stale leads; gives three albums of Insomnium's and two albums each by Scar Symmetry, Amon Amarth and Wintersun 10/10.

yep the irony of it all

And also Death Magnetic I see. Stopped looking at the other 130+ tens after that.

A masterpiece.

Written by Guest on 09.06.2014 at 20:33

Complains about stale leads; gives three albums of Insomnium's and two albums each by Scar Symmetry, Amon Amarth and Wintersun 10/10.

This is an example of a flawless melody:



Here's another:



...and two more!





Here's an example of how not to write a melody (4:10):



Above most of the aspects of musicianship, I value the melodic capability. The last example, is simply tasteless. Anyone with a musical ear can tell you the same.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah you are one funny dude calling melodies that have been to death a gazzilion time by all sorts of bands flawless