Part_6

As death metal rose from thrash metal, and playing as fast as possible became the vogue for the heaviest bands, some musicians decided to take things slowly and revive doom metal, a branch of metal that had practically died with the end of Ozzy's stint in Black Sabbath. Witchfinder General, Trouble (leader of the white, or Christian, metal movement), and Saint Vitus were probably among the best bands since Black Sabbath to take a slow approach to metal, with heavy riffs and the occasional bluesy influence being a main part of their approach. Unfortunately, despite its innovative style and original twin guitar approach, the quasi-religious Trouble never quite obtained the recognition it deserved, and the rest of the scene did likewise.
Later on, more bands would continue with the advances of Witchfynde, Angel Witch, and the dying scene of doom, and would eventually join the ranks and introduce a more operatic style in singing, as evidenced in the output of Candlemass after its legendary and innovative Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. Pentagram was there too, along with others like the Obsessed and Dream Death (to later turn into Penance), but the doom metal movement was not to flourish until the coming of two bands composed of former members of death, thrash and punk bands: Paradise Lost, and, more importantly, Cathedral. Paradise Lost, on its Gothic album, incorporated haunting keyboards and guitar licks into its music while maintaining a death metal vocal influence and thus impelling the so-called "doomdeath" sound. Cathedral, meanwhile, seemed to revive a more modern Black Sabbath after its first doomdeath efforts, progressing from growling, death metal-like vocals to screeching eerie howls. With the moderate success of these two bands, a slew of new groups came to being, and doom metal was suddenly affected by several influences: orchestral movements, operatic vocals, death metal heaviness and singing, and female singers; but never losing the slow, eerie and emotional side of things. It was thus that the death-like Sorrow, Crematory, and Winter; the Sabbath-like Count Raven, Sleep, Internal Void, and Iron Man; the more orthodox Solitude Aeturnus and Memento Mori; the Louisiana scene Eyehategod and Crowbar; the evolving My Dying Bride and Anathema, and several others began to rise in the metal world.
More recently, doom metal has seen its efforts accompanied and influenced by a more gothic and atmospheric influence, in which haunting female vocals that alternate with male death metal growls have already become a standard. Theatre of Tragedy and Tristania have formed what is perhaps the measuring point for this newer approach, called doom metal by some but bearing characteristics that differentiate both styles. This, however, is far from being noticeable in just a couple of bands, as many newcomers have taken to the approach, while others, such as Tiamat and The 3rd and the Mortal, explore the use of acoustic guitars and wide atmospheres reminiscent of Pink Floyd, and Theatre of Tragedy switches gear into the exploration of electronic music intertwined with metal.
Meanwhile, back in the Eighties and out of the doom metal scene and the Misfits was Glenn Danzig, the man responsible for Samhain and Danzig. The first was much heavier than the punk music of the Misfits, yet it shared much of the aforementioned band's shock imagery. Shortly after the release of November Coming Fire, Danzig disbanded Samhain and created Danzig, which's self-titled debut album consisted of a variety of feelings which ranged from haunting to melodic to powerful, all circling about the soulful persona of Glenn Danzig. The unique musical style, reminiscent at times of early Black Sabbath, along with its openly Satanic image, lasted during four outstanding albums, only to change direction after the industrial metal revolution of the Nineties. Along with the aforementioned bands, Loudness and King Diamond, then formerly of Mercyful Fate, would also help maintain a more traditional heavy metal sound alive throughout that decade. King Diamond moved progressively away from speed metal and gradually incorporated his grunts and high-pitched squeals increasingly into his music, while the Japanese Loudness released constantly powerful albums throughout the Eighties, such as Thunder In the East and Soldier of Fortune. Others like GWAR, Haunted Garage, and Green Jelly expanded on the shock rock approach by worrying more about costumes, stage shows and videos than about music, alienating censorship organizations along with bands like the controversial and infamous W.A.S.P.