Top 30 Depressive Black Metal albums
This Week I’m Covering: The Best Depressive Black Metal Albums
Depressive black metal is a sub-genre of black metal, in which the music creates a dark, depressing atmosphere that coveys an apathetic, nihilistic or depressive attitude and mood. Although is it a bit difficult to define the general rules of the music, one could say depressive black metal is characterized by long tracks, monotonicity and a raw sound quality. Vocals can range from hysterical and painful howls to the more traditional black metal vocals.
Additionally, dark ambient influences are not rare either and can be incorporated together with depressive black metal or as independent tracks.
1. Lifelover “Erotik”– this is a extremely weird album for me to listen to. Mainly because I don’t speak the language it sung in and secondly because of the eeriness that sounds it. Their debut album which I thought was superb has been surpassed by this album. The sheer darkness here is wonderful.
2. Austere “To Lay like Old Ashes” – With this album Austere have created one the best atmospheric black metal releases of the last five years, one minor thing I dislike is the inclusion of Clean vocals. However the emotion conveyed is really paramount in the understanding of this album. Great stuff!
3. Silencer “Death – Pierce Me” – Extremely Cold, Extremely Glum, and miserable. Considered a Classic within this Genre.
4. Thy Light “Suici.De.pression” – When I first listened to this I was delightfully greeting with superb production and everything polished to a sheen. Truthfully though I had low expectations because of this but I then got really engrossed in the 45 minute album. 'This work is a Tribute to the memory of Everaldo Dolensi Junior - committed suicide at September, 18th of 2006.
5. Xasthur “The Funeral of Being” – excellent in every way. From the beginning where fair warning is instigated of things to come to the end where you’re left ground to dust. Xasthur will always have a small little space on the darkest reaches of my heart. However many consider them overhyped but I don’t get that really.
6. Shining “V - Halmstad” – if you have any inclination of exactly what this album is about find this band and find a picture of their singer. It will basically sum up their sound, but this is by far their superior album.
7. Krohm “The Haunting Presence” – the problem with most of depressive black metal is the inability to convey melodic sounds while creating a soundscape of depression around it. Many artists have found this to be difficult but Krohm I believe has had some luck in this sector. Spellbinding to say the least
8. Burzum “Hvis Lyset Tar Oss” – This needs no explanation, but if you don’t know who Burzum is I say you go read Mr. Varg Vikernes biography on what he did in the 1990s up till present day. Essentially Created Depressive Black Metal
9. Beatrik “Requiem of December” - The music is depressing but the message is uplifting. The general sound of influence is Burzum in the arrangement but the style is all their own.
10. Blutklinge “Reflection of a Bleak Mind” – One man Black Metal, normally its junk but this album retains a great amount of emotion.
11. Sombres Forets “Royaume De Glace” - Another great album that’s hard to forget after listening to it. The only problem with this is that is cannot defeat the next album on the list…..
12. Gris “Il était une forêt...” – By far my favorite Album on this list that is has more emphasis on atmosphere, particularly the beauty it conveys instead of the actual pain the artist is feeling. This album is depressing in that it only lasts so long…Long.
Make a Change…Kill Yourself “Make a Change…Kill Yourself” – a lot of people give this band a hard time because of their name. Granted it is sort of silly but there again have you found significance in specific genres having specific names? Black metal is all about BLACK EVERYTHING BLACK THIS, BLACK THAT. Then of course death metal is all DEATH THIS, KILL YOU THIS WAY, STICK YOU LIKE THIS. Either way this album absolutely owns, just throw it on and listen away!
14. Bonjour Tristesse “Par un Sourire” – I remember coming across this album I believe 3 months ago or so, I really enjoy it. For a one man band, it is executed well I think and the production is pretty good, for the genre I suppose.
15. Urfaust “Drei Rituale Jenseits Des Kosmos” – Pure Darkness to Its Core, but the clean vocals stink.
16. Leviathan “Tentacles of Whorror” – Related to Xasthur because of singer. Sounds like the albums been played through a megaphone.
17. Lurker of Chalice “Lurker of Chalice” - ^^See above description ^^
18. Woods of Desolation “Toward the Depths” – After listening to this album I wanted more which I got this year with “Torn Beyond Reason”. This album is a masterpiece because it is a very unforgettable yet extremely unique experience that is often overlooked in this genre.
19. Life is Pain “Bloody Melancholie” – They’ve only released this Demo in 06’ but it’s a great one I think. I think sometimes they sound similar to Austere.
20. Hypothermia “Veins” – production is muddy as expected but captures the feeling of what it would be like to have fallen off the side of a mountain and have contracted Hypothermia and be utterly lost and alone.
21. Nargoroth “Rasluka Part II” – extremely raw sounding, but what you would expect by now If your still reading this
22. Hypomanie “Hypomanie EP” – Depressive in the sense that emotions fluctuate quite frequently at a moment’s notice. Often depressing however Upbeat about being Depressed.
Nortt “Galgenfrist” – Super dark if you ask me. Listen to this alone
I’m In A Coffin “One Final Action” – Depressive elements are all here. Sometimes it sounds like whining though which is unfortunately a turn off.
Livsnekad “Den Sociala Vanförheten” - More like doom metal but retains the depressive black metal elements. Good stuff!
Happy Days “Happiness Stops Here” – more of my kind of vocals on this one because they’re not as whiny sounding, but I guess take what you can get with this genre of music.
Forgotten Tomb “Love’s Burial Ground” – considered one of the better bands in Depressive black metal. Good stuff!
Nocturnal Depression “Four Seasons to a Depression” – makes you contemplate, and is a complete masterpiece all by itself.
Wedard “Wo die Ewigkeit die Zeit berührt” – SAD….that’s all I can say really.
Nyktalgia “Peisithanatos” – Really Epic Depressive black metal, I really enjoy the depth it takes you to understand. The production is superb as well.
After Thought:
I know this is going to probably come as a shock after all these albums, but I’m not depressed in the slightest. Typically people assume you’re reflection is that of music you listen to. For example, take this genre “Depressive Black Metal” also known as Suicidal Depressive Black Metal. I listen to it quite a bit, not for the feelings of someone else and how they feel but how it makes me feel when I listen to it. For far too long people have assumed that by listening to a particular genre it denotes you’re a bad person. Granted I don’t get in my car and listen to the top 40 radio stations, go to star bucks and buy an overpriced coffee, and then go out with my buddies to some party because that’s not who I am. I listen to this music not as an expression of who I am but to seek, if you will an “atmosphere” to surround myself in. That being said, yes these albums are DEPRESSING AND BLEAK but they also unrelenting and “graphic” I suppose. These are for people who are slightly more experienced in the “Black Metal” genre. I am not a Troo or Kvlt fan because I enjoy other things but one thing is for sure, I enjoy this genre and I am hopefully someone besides me might learn of something new they haven’t ever heard before and enjoy it. If not then I am sorry for wasting your time.
