I'm sure this type of band has probably been requested ad nauseum, but I'm looking for down-tempo, rather "chill" black metal with an immersive atmosphere and acoustic touches. Examples in the more folky vein would be early Ulver, Drudkh, Negura Bunget, and Primordial. I'm also open to more post-rock influenced bands like Agalloch and Alcest. Not too much into the depressive scene, but bands akin to Hvis Lysett/Filosofem-era Burzum are encouraged. Anything in the above vein that's easy to sleep to, yet enthralling enough to take you on a journey, if you will.

You may enjoy Obsequiae - Suspended In The Brume Of Eos. Definiteley one of my top picks for 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmLdyE0PK3Y

Also, if you enjoy the above, check out Riippakivi, a band I just found a few hours ago actually. What I have heard so far is mainly instrumental BM but damn good atmosphere.

Check out Forteresse, really atmospheric and cold bm with touches of violin on some songs.

Skogen's "Svitjod" should tick some of the boxes, they hail from Sweden and are similar to some of the bands you have mentioned, mostly mid-tempo and plenty of atmosphere. Some of their stuff is quite similar to Primordial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU1HdSH2grw

If you like those two Burzum albums then try out TOBC's debut, only released this year the similarities are obvious and clear to see, very similar but still a good listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RNo11h5pnI

I have mentioned them a few times previously, Waldgefluster are worth a listen to, their lates release was a surprisingly good highlight for 2011, similar to Woods of Desolation on some tracks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in_hc63gb9o

If you like Agalloch try out Alda, their 2011 album (fuck there have been alot of good stuff this year) "Tahoma" has some stunning acoustic work on it, at present it is only released on cassette format but the band are on the verge of releasing it through the great Pest Productions label, def one to pick up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv_9jJAWfH0

Can you guys recommend me any bands with the same sound as the first track of Taake's latest? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKH1ByiMV88 I absolutely love the guitars on this track, Just listen to the first 35 sec (If I'm right). The guitars sort of flow over each other, creating some of the best BM guitar bits I have ever heard. Its a vague request I know, but I dont know how to make it any clearer

I am recommending this band a hell of alot henkkjelle, Aldaaron, think they should forfill your needs, an awesome release, am I on the right lines?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSEemYkt6oc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5W-XRVT ... re=related

That.... sounds amazing.
Thanks!

EDIT Listened to a couple more songs. Its still awesome, but I guess I'm looking for something more "catchy" like the Taake song. Maybe something a little slower and not-blastbeat ish? Or something with a little more variation? Like the guitar riff that starts at 1:20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKH1ByiMV88

Still, Aldaaron is a very good band, thanks for pointing them out.

Dissection
Windir
Thy Primordial - The Heresy... and Where only...

No prob, I see so lets try something different, if you dont mind more varied vocals from rasp to clean then Forefather are hard to pass when it comes to melody an variety, try these and see -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txi79w-g5_A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiwF23IX ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG-o7GAI ... re=related

All there albums slay, oh wait you have just reminded me their new album is out on the 19th!

That sounds more like the thing I'm looking for, thanks man. I just need to know one thing, Taake mixes the darkness of those aldaaron samples with the catchyness of those Forefather samples. Do you know another band that does that?

So, now I will bother you no longer.

Only glad to help henkkjelle, right something a bit darker then, try another band who's new release I have reccommend lately and who's latest album is a cold and evil piece, Sorcier Des Glaces, less melodic than Forefather but dark like Aldaaron, this track is a good introduction, there is blasting on it but they do mid tempo stuff also -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4QgoQhXs7I

I am going to throw something old school in here you might already be familiar with but if do check it out asap, Sacramentum's "Far Away Form the Sun", lethal band and album, often compared to Dissection but they firmly held their own, check out this track, from the 2.55 mark is awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVfVkzbj ... re=related

Another overlooked melodic gem would be Norway's Sworn, never see them mentioned much but they have many great riffs and catchy pieces -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FogFZVDR ... re=related

Again over looked, Germany's Der Weg Einer Freiheit are bursting with melody, alot of blasting in this release though, still great -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbDttnRV62A

I love how STORMM has a Black Metal rec for everybody

Can you suggest me something that has the intense sound that Mitochondrion provides? A good mix between Black Metal Darkness and Death Metal Brutality.

Maybe Grave Miasma?

Those are all great bands, thanks for the help STORMM.

Wow.! Grave Miasma really got the Dark/Brutal sound I was looking for.!! Thanks androdion!

You're welcome mate, glad I could help out.

Band with middle age nordic theme and maybe flutes and jew(?)harps ?
Like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20ZDkA-rYIs

Mitochondrion is something I have yet to check out bro, to be honest I enjoy death and black metal but was never very keen on alot of bands who mix these genres, I will check it out anyway as it is getting good reviews and see if I can think of anything similar you may enjoy, thanks mate.

On a side note, I recently have been checked out Grave Miasma myself after they were mentioned in a Scythian interview I was reading, so you may enjoy Scythian from the U.K., their debut album is an agressive piece, you can def hear black and death metal influences through it (not so much black though) with a very small does of epic Bathory here and there, might be of interest to you.

Thanks STORMM, I just read autothrall's review for their album "For Those Who Stand Against Us" and sounds pretty interesting, I'll surely check them out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL7u9VWW5HE

Just thought of another black metal debut with a heavy death metal presence, Abus's "Barathrum" might be of interest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEdj0X9l ... re=related

and maybe Thornspawn...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZmePgcxe-s

Cosmic Ekpyrosis, (assuming they haven't been mentioned yet, I'm not gonna go looking through 30 pages to check), are great.

The first thing I though after hearing the incredible riffing of that Scythian song was "This is some amazing Headbangging material"

I've seen Absu mentioned here a lot, but never really listened to them, don't know why, because they are amazing.!

Now, Thornspawn was very interesting, those leads in the middle of the song were insane, really enjoyed the way the song progressed.

Once more, STORMM has given me some nice recs, Thanks a lot!

I've checked some of their stuff in youtube, cool band, hopefully they release a full lengh soon.

Pleasure, have to agree that Scythian track does make for great headbanging material, I believe they are soon to release album number two. As for Absu I bought that album when it first came out and always remembered being hard to pinpoint as to what exact genre it fits, good album but would have to say the follow up is my favourite release by the band and also a more black metal affair. Some of their later works head in a more blackened thrash direction.

I would appreciate recs for symphonic black metal along the lines of Limbonic Art/early Emperor\Nokturnal Mortum.

Thanks.

Why do you use both forward and back slashes to separate entries in a list?

If you dont mind NS bullshit Kataxu should be of interest to you, try out their "Hunger of the Elements" album, they have not been very active since this release -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dvb9QE9kTE

Darkestrah - Khagan (t/t) is very symphonic. Nazxul - Oath Fides Resurrection from Iconoclast.

does anyone know of any bands that sound similar to Goatreich-Fleshcult by Belphegor?? Closest thing I've found is the band Insignium. . . advanced search hardly brought up exactly what I was looking for.

I listen mainly to the more "brutal" and raw side of Black Metal normally - the 1349s, Funeral Mists et al. But recently I have been interested in getting a little more into DSBM and what it's all about. I have checked the Swedish Shining (I love both, before a shitstorm hits) and Xasthur who aren't so hot. I feel as though they're a little too ambient for me, but enjoyable when in the appropriate mood. I have also listened to Silencer, but I am really put off by the frankly ridiculous vocals, which I could probably get used to. My question is: is all DSBM based around ambience like Xasthur or are there more bands like Shining (Swe) that utilise a more to-the-point approach? Can some links be made available to me please if possible? Thanks in advance.

Really good brutal and dark black metal band - Devilry (Swe).
Good DSBM - Wigrid, Be Persecuted, Abyssic Hate with "Suicidal Emotions", Nyktalgia, Anti (Ger), Gris...
These aren't very much like Shining really but still worth checking out if you're trying DSBM.

I've been listening to the Tasmanian band Thrall a lot recently - anyone got anything similar, preferably with the same style of creepy, sustained guitar wailing, slower sections, and a generally bleak but immersive atmosphere?

Deppressive black metal isn't really my cup of tea but i have to recommend Abyssic Hate's Suicidal Emotions, too. Simple deppressive melodies but effective stuff, and no annoying over-dramatic vocals.

Hmmm, if you want depressive BM that isn't Xasthur-esque the obvious go to would be I Shalt Become. Completely different ballgame. Sapthuran if you want something more traditional and Draugar for something halfway between that and archetype DSBM.

Thanks guys

been looking for something really similar to woods of desolations 'torn beyond reason'. however i'm useless at categorising bands genre wise (i should probably stress this album in particular) and have been searching for types of bands under 'melodic black metal' 'atmospheric black metal' etc... so i think i am on the wrong path, what genre would someone put that album under? unless someone can make short change of my work and list a couple of bands that have a similar 'feel' to them music wise, vocally and production as well. hope it isn't asking a lot!

Atmospheric black metal should be your best route to dive into foul body, Woods... do get tagged as DSBM but I think they are more uplifting personally, check out Waldgefluster, especially their latest album, a band I usually would recommend when people request this, I can hear alot of similarities in their music and riffs, great release all the same -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjltG67BQ5E

... and make sure you have checked out the guys in Woods of Desolation's other work with Austere, mainly their album "To Lay Like Old Ashes" -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSpWnlh2 ... re=related

cheers for the recomendation! not quite what i'm after, but i did really enjoy femundsmarka album all the same, might have to put it on the shortlist of things to buy. and am familiar with austere.

Nontinuum:

http://youtu.be/EslsYuweuP0

nice! definitely interested to see what they release next. the drumming is incredibly boring on the demo though. but plenty of potential.