Black Metal Bands That Slow The Fuck Down!

Black Metal bands that Slow the Fuck Down!

The title may confuse you, honestly I’m still not sure what to title it, but I’m essentially going to be recommending a series of Black Metal bands that hardly or don’t use tremolo, are mid-paced, have an old school first-wave approach, or some sort of doom metal influence. Assuming you’re already familiar with Bathory and its slower moments I will be avoiding the more known bands.

Root

This really fucking raw and dark approach to heavy metal that sometimes borders on thrash metal with these slower grand moments, I would highly recommend their debut “Zjevení“ from 1990.

Master’s Hammer

The evil twin of Root, even though they’re both evil. Jokingly called the first “Norwegian Black Metal band” by Fenriz of Darkthrone (the joke being they’re Czech). If you give any of their albums a try I’d recommend “Ritual” from 1991.

Mortuary Drape

I’ve talked about them before on a post about the Italian metal scene, but essentially it’s this raw and primitive form of black metal that thrashes about. You may enjoy their debut “All the Witches Dance” from 1994. I feel I must clarify, my use of the word “primitive” here is more so in reference to the sound of the Old School, and not meant to imply anything that would give you the impression this is a Bestial Black Metal/War Metal or otherwise noisey band.

Barathrum

Black/Doom Metal band from Finland, their first few albums sound cavernous and yet fuzzy (God I wish they were on Spotify), but their later stuff is alright. Check out this song if you so dare.

Negative Plane

I’m not exactly sure how to describe this one, they’re definitely a unique band. I would definitely recommend them though.

Born for Burning

Specifically, the Swedish band that released “The Ritual” in 2019. Since they’re named after a Bathory song, you’d assume I’d recommend them to fans of Bathory, and you’d be right! Check this one out!!

Amen Corner

Root’s Brazilian cousin. I would recommend most highly their debut “Fall, Ascension, Domination”.

Decayed

I think this might be one of my favorite bands from the Portuguese scene, the speeds of their songs vary but I’d recommend this one.

Countess

This band is difficult to navigate through bc they have a lot of stuff that’s just eh. Surprisingly, the album I recommend most highly is not going to be their debut but their eighth album “Heilig Vuur”, I would also recommend this song.

Deinonychus

Oooo this is the juicy stuff. I would highly recommend “The Silence of December” and “The Weeping of a Thousand Years”, because texturally they’re some of the most interesting in all of extreme metal, at least in my opinion.

Samael

I’m not recommending all of this band’s discography, but particularly their albums “Worship Him” and “Blood Ritual”.

Diabolical Masquerade

The speed of their music varies and they have more traditionally second wave-esque songs, so I would recommend most highly this one.

Hades/Hades Almighty

For fans of Bathory, especially “Blood Fire Death” era. The double name is because they were formerly known as Hades but changed their name to Hades Almighty to differentiate themselves from an American band of the same name, but despite that they’re still known as “Hades” on some streaming platforms. I would recommend most their first two albums, “...Again Shall Be” and “The Dawn of the Dying Sun”.

Acheron

Sometimes closer to Death Metal, I would recommend “Rites of the Black Mass” on the warning that there’s really annoying and unnecessary intros to each song.

Ancient

While varying in speed, they don’t tend to rely on tremolos and blast beats as often as, say, Marduk. I would like to highlight their third album, “Mad Grandiose Bloodfiends” in particular, which has a flavor of vampirism and necromanticism and an excellent cover of Mercyful Fate.

Tyrannic

I would most highly recommend their sophomore release “Mortuus Decadence”, generally just some excellent black metal with influences from doom and traditional heavy metal.

Rotting Christ

Pioneers of the Greek-style of Black Metal, a style that blends more traditional heavy metal grooves with Black Metal. To recommend one album out of their discography, check out “Thy Mighty Contract”.

someone do this with Death

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My Death Metal Playlist !!!

Another Metal Playlist, this time mainly Old School Black Metal and a few songs from other genres that I find adjacent enough to the vibe of the playlist.

So, you want to find Type O Negative soundalikes?

As someone whose explored a fuck ton I have recommendations, I can't promise that they're necessarily good or live up to the original but I can tell you that they have elements that may sound similar. I'll list each of them and say my personal opinion on them. Frown They're just eh, following the stylings of the more mellower parts of Type O with none of the memorability of them. October Noir This would be my highest recommendation, I’d suggest you hear them for yourself. A Pale Horse Named Death Really really boring. Would not recommend. The comparison is mainly because it has former Type O members in there but it’s missing all of the oomph and hooks the band had. Maybe if you’re really into grunge-y alternative metal-type stuff you might like it, but it’s certainly not for me. Pist.On Their debut was produced by Josh Silver of Type O fame, and has an excellent cover of a Smiths song. I would only really recommend their first album. Wicked Sisters New and obscure band from Australia. I'd recommend giving a listen to their single "Necromantic" or their “We Suck” EP, the texture and riffing definitely reminds me of Type O. Carnivore Peter Steele’s previous band before fronting Type O. Sonically, it would be my favorite thrash band if not for the lyrics. Avoid at all costs if you're sensitive to misogynistic lyrics. I’m serious. He may or may not have meant some of the lyrics as satire but the fact it’s a man making the point using misogynistic language makes it backfire.  Vasaria Missing any sort of Type O texture, but the singer is also the current singer of Carnivore A.D., might be interesting. I'd recommend "Ugly as Sin".

End of Recommendations I think that's most of what I've found. Honorable mentions, as in, I do not hear it at all but for some reason they get compared a lot: Danzig Eh? It's mostly just bluesy heavy metal. Dude has a deep voice and they do some Sabbath-y riffs, but that does not make a Type O. Abysmal Grief Maybe if you're really into the "doom with keyboards" aspect of Type O, but there isn’t a lot of variety or hooks. In the Colonnades Their first album reminds me more of Spinal Tap if anything. Closer to Danzig than it is to Type O imo. Stillborn Heavy Metal/Doom Metal with some Gothic Rock influence, not really sure why they get compared. Life of Agony Specifically, River Runs Red. It was produced by Josh Silver and had drumming by a former drummer of the band. I hope this helps someone!

I may or may not have copied most of this word for word from what I typed on the metal archives forum but also it’s not like I can plagiarize myself.