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Land Of Metal And Heavy: Portland


Do you know this feeling when you stumble across a random word, and then suddenly that name pops up just about everywhere? That specific term haunting yours truly has long been "Portland, Oregon". It seems to me that every new discovery was founded in Portland, apparently every other album was mastered at Brad Boatright's Audiosiege Studio in Portland, and every single of my favorite bands had, at some point, performed on a stage somewhere in Portland.

In the 1980s, LA was undeniably the world's glam metal capital, alongside with San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal as a counter development. Then we witnessed the death metal boom of the early 90s, with Tampa, Florida as its global hotspot. Not to forget the New York punk and hardcore scene (NYHC), the rise of sludge metal from the swamps of New Orleans during the late 80s, grunge from Seattle gaining mainstream prominence in the early 90s...
Apparently, there has always been a tendency in the US towards rapidly developing, locally restricted music scenes, in whose environment a completely new style or genre could develop in order to have a lasting impact on the global musical landscape within a few years.

So I just had to find out if my mind was playing tricks on me or if Portland really is the current capital of the US for heavy music and extreme metal - hence this list.

Inclusion criteria:
  • featured on Metal Strom and
  • established in Portland or
  • a long-term creative phase in Portland or
  • still active and currently based in Portland
    (that's why Leviathan is here but Lurker Of Chalice isn't)

    Only one album (preferably the most recent full-length album) per band.

    By the way, according to this article, Portland harbors the highest amount of active metal bands per capita in the US. Quite a surprise, isn't it?

    While we are at it, what's your favorite Portland band?

    Created by: Starvynth | 13.08.2021



  • 1. Abhorrent Affliction - Forever Will He Reign
    Death Metal
    2. Acathexis - Acathexis
    Black Metal
    3. Ænigmatum - Deconsecrate
    Black/Death Metal
    4. Ævangelist - Dream An Evil Dream III
    Black/Death Metal
    5. Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere
    Atmospheric Folk/Doom/Black Metal, Post-Rock/Metal
    6. Aldebaran - Embracing The Lightless Depths
    Funeral Doom/Sludge Metal
    7. Aleynmord - The Blinding Light
    Atmospheric Black Metal
    8. Alluvial - Sarcoma
    Atmospheric Death Metal
    9. Andacht - Chapter II - Hexerei
    Atmospheric Black Metal
    10. Arachnid - Arachnid
    Thrash Metal
    11. Aseitas - False Peace
    Experimental Death Metal/Hardcore
    12. Atriarch - Dead As Truth
    Blackened Doom Metal/Deathrock
    13. Aureole - Aurora Borealis
    Atmospheric/Ambient Black Metal
    14. Benighted In Sodom - Carrier Of Poison Apples
    Black Metal
    15. Bewitcher - Cursed Be Thy Kingdom
    Black/Speed Metal
    16. Blood Ritual - Black Grimoire
    Death Metal
    17. Burnt Offering - Walk Of The Dead
    Thrash Metal
    18. Christian Mistress - To Your Death
    Heavy Metal
    19. Cobra Thief - Animal Oxygen
    Stoner Metal
    20. Coffin Rot - A Monument To The Dead
    Death Metal
    21. Conquering Dystopia - Conquering Dystopia
    Progressive Death Metal
    22. Contempt (USA) - Skinwalker
    Black/Sludge Metal
    23. Dagger Lust - Siege Bondage Adverse To The Godhead
    Black/Death Metal, Noise
    24. Death Fetishist - Clandestine Sacrament
    Psychedelic Black/Doom Metal
    25. Decrepisy - Emetic Communion
    Death Metal
    26. Demisery - Hive Of Mutation
    Death Metal
    27. Diabolic Oath - Profane Death Exodus
    Black/Death Metal
    28. Die Like Gentlemen - Stories
    Sludge/Progressive Doom Metal
    29. Disembowel - Echoes Of Terror
    Death Metal
    30. Dreaming Dead - Funeral Twilight
    Melodic Death Metal
    31. Drouth - Excerpts From A Dread Liturgy
    Black/Death Metal
    32. Drown - Утоплення
    Funeral Doom Metal
    33. Eight Bells - Legacy Of Ruin
    Progressive Doom/Black Metal
    34. Empyrean Fire - Deliverance
    Symphonic/Atmospheric Black Metal
    35. Eosphoros - II
    Black Metal
    36. Ephemeros - All Hail Corrosion
    Funeral Doom/Sludge Metal
    37. Erroneous - Submission
    Blackened Doom Metal
    38. Fellwoods - Wulfram
    Hard Rock/Heavy/Stoner Metal
    39. Fetid - Steeping Corporeal Mess
    Death Metal
    40. Flood Peak - Fixed Ritual
    Blackened Sludge Metal
    41. Frightmare - Bringing Back The Bloodshed
    Death/Thrash Metal/Grindcore
    42. Glacier (USA-PO) - The Passing Of Time
    Heavy/Power Metal
    43. Grave Light - Grave Light
    Atmospheric/Depressive Black Metal
    44. Graves At Sea - The Curse That Is
    Sludge/Doom Metal
    45. Hellshock - They Wait For You Still
    Crust Punk/Death/Thrash Metal
    46. Hippie Death Cult - Circle Of Days
    Stoner/Doom Metal/Rock
    47. Hoaxed - Two Shadows
    Hard Rock
    48. Hulder - Godslastering: Hymns Of A Forlorn Peasantry
    Black Metal
    49. Idle Hands - Mana
    Heavy Metal/Gothic Rock
    50. Khôrada - Salt
    Atmospheric/Progressive Post-Metal
    51. Knelt Rote - Alterity
    Power Electronics/Black Metal/Grindcore
    52. L'Acéphale - L'Acéphale
    Black Metal/Ritual Ambient
    53. Last Empire - Heir To The Throne
    Progressive/Power Metal
    54. Leviathan - Scar Sighted
    Black Metal/Ambient
    55. Lord Dying - Mysterium Tremendum
    Sludge Metal
    56. Lord Gore - Scalpels For Blind Surgeons
    Death Metal/Goregrind
    57. Luctum - Ashes Of The Titans
    Atmospheric Black Metal
    58. The Lumbar Endeavor - The First And Last Days Of Unwelcome
    Doom/Sludge Metal
    59. Lumus - Bacchus' Curse
    Symphonic Power Metal
    60. Maestus - Deliquesce
    Blackened Doom Metal
    61. Magnabolt - Magnabolt
    Heavy/Power Metal
    62. Malice (US-CA) - New Breed Of Godz
    Heavy/Power Metal
    63. Mamorlis - Mamorlis
    Heavy Metal
    64. Mare Cognitum - Solar Paroxysm
    Atmospheric Black Metal
    65. Matron Thorn - Midwinter Storm II - The View From Elysium
    Black/Doom Metal
    66. Megaton Leviathan - Mage
    Drone/Doom/Post-Metal
    67. Menin - Lord Of Pain
    Stoner/Doom Metal
    68. Merrow - Reading The Bones
    Progressive Metal
    69. Middian - Age Eternal
    Doom/Sludge Metal
    70. Mizmor - Dialetheia [Collaboration]
    Black/Drone/Doom Metal
    71. Nightfell - Never Comes The Storm
    Black/Death Metal
    72. None - Damp Chill Of Life
    Atmospheric/Depressive Black Metal
    73. Ossuarium - Living Tomb
    Death Metal
    74. Phantom Hymn - Catatonic Bliss
    Black/Doom Metal/Crust Punk
    75. Pike Vs The Automaton - Pike Vs The Automaton
    Sludge Metal
    76. Pillorian - Obsidian Arc
    Black Metal
    77. Præternatura - Elysium Burning
    Black Metal
    78. Purification - The Exterminating Angel
    Doom Metal
    79. R.I.P. - Dead End
    Doom Metal
    80. Red Fang - Arrows
    Stoner Metal/Rock
    81. Sculptured - The Liminal Phase
    Progressive/Melodic Death Metal
    82. Sempiternal Dusk - Cenotaph Of Defectuous Creation
    Death Metal
    83. Shrine Of The Serpent - Entropic Disillusion
    Doom/Death Metal
    84. Shroud Of The Heretic - Unorthodox Equilibrium
    Death Metal
    85. Silver Talon - Decadence And Decay
    Heavy/Power Metal
    86. Slow (USA) - Unsleep
    Funeral Doom Metal
    87. Somatic Decay - Existential Decadence
    Death Metal
    88. Spazztic Blurr - Before... And After
    Crossover/Grindcore
    89. Spellcaster - Night Hides The World
    Heavy/Speed Metal
    90. Spirit Possession - Spirit Possession
    Black Metal
    91. Stovokor - Metal Of Honor
    Death Metal
    92. Tanagra - Meridiem
    Power/Progressive Metal
    93. Tchornobog - Tchornobog
    Black/Death/Doom Metal
    94. The Body - Leaving None But Small Birds [Collaboration]
    Experimental Sludge/Doom Metal/Noise/Industrial
    95. The Howling Wind - Shadow Tentacles
    Black Metal
    96. The Odious - Vesica Piscis
    Progressive Death Metal
    97. Those Who Lie Beneath - An Awakening
    Deathcore
    98. Thrones - Alraune
    Drone Metal
    99. Tithe - Penance
    Death/Doom Metal/Grindcore
    100. Torture Rack - Malefic Humiliation
    Death Metal
    101. Toxic Holocaust - Primal Future: 2019
    Speed/Thrash/Black Metal
    102. Tragedy - Darker Days Ahead
    Crust Punk, Sludge/Doom Metal
    103. Transient - Sources Of Human Satisfaction [Collaboration]
    Grindcore/Death Metal
    104. Triumvir Foul - Spiritual Bloodshed
    Death Metal
    105. Troll (USA) - Legend Master
    Stoner/Doom Metal
    106. Two Headed Beast - Wizard Mountain
    Heavy/Doom/Stoner Metal
    107. Uada - Djinn
    Melodic Black Metal
    108. Ulthar - Providence
    Black/Death Metal
    109. Unto Others - Strength
    Heavy Metal/Gothic Rock
    110. Urzeit - Anmoksha
    Black Metal
    111. Uškumgallu - Rotten Limbs In Dreams Of Blood
    Black Metal
    112. Usnea - Portals Into Futility
    Blackened Funeral Doom Metal
    113. Utstøtt - Járnviðr
    Viking/Epic Black Metal
    114. Utzalu - The Grobian Fall
    Black Metal
    115. Veio - Vitruvian
    Alternative/Progressive Metal
    116. Velvet Cacoon - Atropine
    Black Metal/Ambient
    117. Victory Over The Sun - Dance You Monster To My Soft Song!
    Avant-garde Black Metal
    118. Vintersea - Woven Into Ashes
    Extreme Progressive Metal
    119. Vitriol - To Bathe From The Throat Of Cowardice
    Death Metal
    120. Wehrmacht - Biermacht
    Crossover/Thrash Metal
    121. Weregoat - Pestilential Rites Of Infernal Fornication
    Black/Death Metal
    122. Where Lovers Rot - Fallen From Grace
    Symphonic Doom Metal
    123. Wild Dogs - Born To Rock Forever
    Power Metal
    124. Winter Of Apokalypse - Winter Of The Apokalypse
    Black Metal
    125. Witch Mountain - Witch Mountain
    Doom Metal
    126. Witch Vomit - Buried Deep In A Bottomless Grave
    Death Metal



    Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
    [ More lists by Starvynth ]



    Comments

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    Comments: 8   Visited by: 41 users
    14.08.2021 - 20:17
    AndyMetalFreak
    A Nice Guy
    Contributor
    Wow! I didn't realise this many bands originated from this area, and I'm pleasantly surprised to see a few Atmospheric Black Metal bands I'm familiar with here, although I'm only familiar with about 7 bands altogether from this list, my favourite proberbly being Agalloch.
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    15.08.2021 - 11:51
    Starvynth
    i c deaf people
    Staff
    Written by AndyMetalFreak on 14.08.2021 at 20:17

    Wow! I didn't realise this many bands originated from this area, and I'm pleasantly surprised to see a few Atmospheric Black Metal bands I'm familiar with here, although I'm only familiar with about 7 bands altogether from this list, my favourite proberbly being Agalloch.

    Since the primary purpose of this list was to satisfy my personal curiosity, I didn't really expect any comments here. All the nicer to get a feedback after all, thank you!

    The region had originally caught my interest because of the vivid crust punk scene, but you're absolutely right, the popularity of Agalloch has certainly contributed to the fact that atmo black is still one of the most prevalent styles there.
    ----
    signatures = SPAM
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    15.08.2021 - 23:39
    Troy Killjoy
    perfunctionist
    Staff
    Who doesn't love Portland.
    ----
    "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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    16.08.2021 - 18:49
    Bad English
    Tage Westerlund
    Portland Trail Blazers.
    Cool list whit cool bands, sortha more to my and a lit older person bands, not young peoples
    ----
    I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

    Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

    I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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    20.08.2021 - 23:24
    Starvynth
    i c deaf people
    Staff
    Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.08.2021 at 23:39

    Who doesn't love Portland.

    All the hot girls wear glasses - yeah!

    Five days later and it's still sticking in my head.
    ----
    signatures = SPAM
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    29.08.2021 - 11:42
    RaduP
    CertifiedHipster
    Staff
    Damn, I miss Agalloch
    ----
    Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
    One day there will be no heart at all?
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    16.10.2021 - 03:30
    Troy Killjoy
    perfunctionist
    Staff
    Written by RaduP on 29.08.2021 at 11:42

    Damn, I miss Agalloch

    So does John Haughm.
    ----
    "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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    16.10.2021 - 04:18
    Karlabos
    Portland is like a city of musicians or something.
    Not only there's a lot of great metal, I very much often find some good non-metal stuff from there on BC as well.
    ----
    "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
    - Reimu Hakurei
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