Finally, the weekend is upon us. What better way to kick it off than with the latest installment of "Funeral Doom Friday". For those who are new to this column; each week features a new or classic album from the realm of extreme doom. Much of funeral/death doom's might comes from an oppressive emotional weight and the use of death or black metal motifs (played at a trudging pace, of course.) Pioneers like Mournful Congregation, Evoken, and Esoteric have mastered this blend of dirge and destruction. For 25 years, they have methodically built compositions that stretch for dozens of minutes all while keeping fans enthralled. Time has elapsed since the days of Thergothon and much like the world around us, the genre has evolved. Today's modern bands contort the very construct of the genre, breeding darkly refreshing new work. Their work thankfully gives this column plenty of material to share.
Enjoy this week's post and check out prior features here. Feel free to also share thoughts or suggestions for future installments in the comments section below.
It has been a couple weeks since the "Mount Rushmore" poll went up. A huge thank you to everyone who voted. We received quite an array of votes and the results are interesting, to say the least. The final results looked like this:
Bell Witch
The Seattle-based duo of Bell Witch received the most votes in our poll. Dylan Desmond and Jesse Shreibman have been working together since 2015 and are currently working on new music. Shreibman replaced Adrian Guerra (RIP) as the drummer for the band. Him and Dylan, who plays bass, have become a leading light in modern funeral doom. They have been able to craft haunting epics through minimal instrumentation. Their 2015 album, Four Phantoms, was Funeral Doom Friday's album of the year. We can only hope for something similar when the time for new music comes.
Mournful Congregation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQsOPDdm-8k
The legends. Austraila's own Mournful Congregation are in a league of their own when it comes to funeral doom. Masters of the despondent atmosphere, Damon Good and company continue to produce the gold standard of what funeral doom should be. Like Bell Witch, they are currently working on new music. Their process is meticulous, but the patience in their craft is the reason why they are one of a few bands that serve as a benchmark.
Ahab
This one was a bit of a shock, personally. The Germans are a mainstay in extreme doom. Their full-length debut, The Call of the Wretched Sea, is still seen as one of the genre's biggest highlights. Their subject matter was atypical compared to the likes of Esoteric or Evoken. Ahab focuses on the vast oceans and classic literature. A welcomed and refreshing change from the standard discussions of death and despair.
Evoken
Rounding out Mount Rushmore is the Titanic, American force of Evoken. The New Jersey-based band is partly responsible for bringing funeral doom to the United States. They too are currently working on putting out new material by the end of this year. Each release over their historic, 25-year run has been lauded by critics and fans alike. Evoken reigns supreme.
Did your favorites make the cut? Though my top four varies slightly, I quite like the results of this poll. This is an intriguing final four choices. Funeral Doom Friday will be back next week with a new feature for you all to enjoy. Have a great weekend!
