In light of the numerous post rock/metal threads and other related genres, I'm starting this sticky help thread.
Please refrain from making simple threads asking for "similar stuff to Alcest" or "rec me all the drone bands you know" , ask your question here.

In the meantime, I'll enforce the use of the help threads a bit more now.

Nighgaunt's thread should be a MANDATORY read for everyone who wants to create a thread

Thanks for the attention

August 21st: Edited to include more genres.

December 2nd: Edit to the name of the thread to include almost every non metal genres including Harsh Noise/EAI/Power Electronics and whatever...

Sweet, nice idea for a help thread. To start it off, anyone know anything similar to Hyatari's debut? Very full sounding drone with tonnes of samples and experimentation sometimes bordering on psychedelic. Also the drums (which I'm 95% sure are programmed) are pretty cool - almost militaristic sounding at times. Doesn't have to meet all of those criteria, but anything in the same ballpark would be cool.

To help get the ball rolling, Liam's debut and Hypomanie's new album are up for free download if any of you guys are interested. Liam, featuring Herbst of Lantlos have disbanded after making this release, they showed alot of potential in this genre, both are instrumental though.

http://liampostrock.bandcamp.com/
http://valsesinistre.com/index.php?p=bmV3cw%3D%3D

Well, if anyone can recommend drone/ambient similar to this magnificent song I'd be grateful. No guitars, no beats, no sudden bursts of static/noise. I prefer it to be longform, with songs over 40 minutes. Also the volume shouldn't be so low I have to strain to hear the nuances.

Ever heard of Zac Bents/Dirty Knobs? He usually does remixes and more techno-oriented stuff but he made a gargartuan drone/ambient album last year called "Field Recordings from the Edge of Hell". The album itself is eight hours long, with varynig song lengths from 20 to 50 minutes and it really worth a listen; simply because it is so massive in its sound. I highly recommend it.

http://zacbentz.bandcamp.com/album/field-recordings-from-the-edge-of-hell

Dirty Knobs seems pretty decent but most of the tracks are a bit too noisy for me. You see, I'm looking for music I can listen to while reading and loud drones are distracting. I know I said something about low volume in my last post but there's a middle ground there I'm keen on. And 8 hours of music is hard to digest. "Ashfall" seems to be more in the direction I was looking for though, and it's up for free download so that's perfect. I'm gonna give that bad boy a proper listen. Thanks.

What's the general opinion on Bull of Heaven and their impossibly long songs?

Some of them are good. Some of them are just okay. A lot of them are irritating.

Is Minimalism appropriate for this thread? I've been looking for something similar to Brian Eno's Ambient series and Phillip Glass.

I guess, it's in the "...". I should change the title of the thread. Haven't heard Eno's stuff, but I think Tangerine Dream is similar,

Yes, I'm aware of them already.Thinking more along the lines of Terry Riley, perhaps produced with synthesizers although that is not a direct request.

What about Robert Rich' "Somnium"? Although that might be a bit too dreamy and far-out, seeing as it is a ambient record specifically designed for helping people sleep. It is seven hours long, also.

Can anyone point me towards the direction of a good death metal band which incorporates tons of ambient and drone elements? Something really slow, with a really dense atmosphere and preferably some crushing riffs.

If you like Space-ish post rock, then check out Rogue Sounds. Their "Jupiter And Beyond Infinite" album is really good.

http://youtu.be/ws_KIYB51KQ

I've listened to "Electric Ladder" and "Ylang," I'll check out the album you posted although I think several hours is a bit more than I can handle in one sitting.

BAH BAH!

Minimalism!!!!

Yo, iAm, check out Chris Smith, later era Jute Gyte, Reiko Kudo, Sunbruend Hand of the Man, MOUNTAINS ("Choral" in particular), Oneohtrix Point Never, CHORD, Whisper Room, and my own Misty Judgement (when it's back online, ) not all of these are synths, but you'll dig.

This would be interesting indeed! Does it exist?

The first thing that pops into my mind is the "Parasignosis" album by Mitochondrion. Mostly slow and a lot of drone/dark ambient thrown in there. The same thing with "Seven Challices" album by Teitanblood. I'd say Teitanblood has more in the way of crushing riffs, and there are a lot of droney dark ambient passages.

As for the Brian Eno rec, Stars of the Lid maybe?

I'll check it out, I'm unaware of all of those.

Owl has some atmo/ambient influences : http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Owl/Owl/300320
IIRC the last song is fully instrumental.

Have you tried Stars of the Lid or Jóhann Jóhannsson? The Miners Hymn by the latter is fantastic.

I know these guys are labelled as funeral doom, but worth a try anyway as they fit some of your requirements, the keyboards have a nice ambient feel to them and create a strong atmosphere -

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mukTQxJoXeA

Ambient death metal itself seems very rare but would make an interesting combination.

I know of Stars of the Lid, yes. Not the latter however, I'll check him out.

Obligatory The Angelic Process rec.

Oh yeah, absolutely soul crushing! It's a shame the guy (allegedly/supposedly/most likely) killed himself because he couldn't play anymore. But then again I think that's what makes TAP's music so genuine in the end, his commitment to it. Haven't heard the rest of their back catalogue but Weighing Souls With Sand is marvellous.

Speaking of these guys, am I the only one who thought the vocals at the end of The Monolith by Cattle Decapitation sound like something off Weighing Souls With Sand?

For some very spacey, relaxing shoegaze, you should check out Slowdive, Tears Run Rings and Auburn Lull.

Does not compute...

Yeah, that album almost literally sucks the life out of me.

@Androdion: I know, I know. But seriously, it sounds similar. He probably did vocals in a similar way and used the same effect for that part. It was the last place I expected to be reminded of TAP.

Anybody know any Drone like Boris? By which I mean really crushing as opposed to Sunn type stuff.

Hyatari (think I already mentioned them in this thread) is definitely the most crushing drone I've ever heard. Doesn't really sound specifically like Boris though. Its a bit more active then most drone, if you know what I mean; militaristic drum sounds and lots of hard to distinguish samples in the mix as well as some cool atmospheric breaks. If you do check them out go for the first album, as the sophomore doesn't really compare.

Seconded. Also you should seek out some Max Richter if you're not aware of him already. Memoryhouse through Songs From Before are all excellent. Haven't heard his two latest yet

Anybody know of any dreamy-spacey electronica a-la Ulrich Schnauss? Thick rich synths, preferably instrumental, and I'd like some sort of soft beat to lock it all down if possible. Any suggestions?

Maybe Proton Kinoun?
Album is up for free download here.

Wasn't quite what I'm after, similar atmosphere but I'd like it to be a bit less freeform with more defined sections. Thanks anyways though.

They were a pretty awesome band, but they were almost too busy to be Drone. And not quite as crushing as Boris Drone. But hey, still good.

Carbon Based Lifeforms - VLA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwzUCW7QNPI

VLA works. Thanks!

What subgenre could you consider the slower stuff on Fates Warning's Fates Warning X album? Think of the stuff like ''River Wide Ocean Deep, ''A Handful of Doubt'' and ''Wish''. Also stuff similiar to that is welcome.

That was weird. I was actually listening Líam and then I saw this thread and your post. I second that recommendation. I love that album.