1. Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus 2. Trouble - Psalm 9 3. Pentagram - Relentless 4. Cathedral - Forest of Equalibrium 5. Saint Vitus - s/t All of these band's 2nd albums are my favorite
1. Candlemass- EDM: hailed as a classic for a reason. Agreed with Karen, the double bass drumming gives it a big boost. While not the first doom album (most of these records came before it), it was the one that put thrash on notice and said playing slow and heavy still matters. 2. Pentagram- Relentless: A Sabbath knockoff? That's the glass half empty way of looking at it. The glass half full way is making the best Black Sabbath album they never made. Bobby does remind one of Ozzy but seeps of his own personality seep in. Plus the songs, 20 Buck Spin, Death Row, The Ghoul and SINISTER (the best Pentagram song ever). 3. Trouble- Psalm 9: Axl Rose singing for Black Sabbath! Actually it's 3 years before Axl. What makes this album special is the ability to throw in the perfectly placed thrash break, even though the thrash break is still faster than the rest of the song. YOU FUCKING BASTARDS ARE GONNA PAY! 3. Saint Vitus- Saint Vitus The songs all kind of run together and there's no real standout song, but the Alice Cooper spookiness of Scott Reager's voice gives it a charm. 5. Cathedral- This is more death/doom than anything else and honestly, it's no Dance of December Souls. I'll take Ethereal Mirror over this anyday.
Great topic, but I've added three albums and removed one. 1. Trouble - Psalm 9 (1984) 2. The Obsessed - The Obsessed (1985/1990) 3. Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986) 4. Pentagram - Relentless (1982) 5. Pagan Altar - Judgement Of The Dead (1982) 6. Witchfinder General - Death Penalty (1982) 7. Saint Vitus - Saint Vitus (1984) Other 80s bands with some doom elements - Angel Witch, Mistreater, Ritual, Cirith Ungol, Paul Chain Violet Theatre. Cathedral belongs in a discussion of second wave 90s bands along with Solitude Aeturnus, Blood Farmers, Sleep, Electric Wizard, Solstice, Penance and Count Raven just for starters all of which I'd rate over Cathedral.
For my money, St. Vitus is the best debut, followed by Trouble's Psalm 9... That Vitus debut is DARK, it's eerie and unsettling, The Psychopath and Burial At Sea are Black Sabbath and Hand of Doom level classics... Saint Vitus the song is a rager and that bass? Fuck
The Saint Vitus albums with Scott Reagers are my absolute favorites. I can take or leave 99% of their material with Wino. The albums with Reagers are so dramatic and dark, while being raw at the same time.
Same here, with Pentagram going 3rd. I was surprised that SV didn't get more love from the panel. I don't particularly care for either Candlemass or Cathedral so it's a toss up on 4th and 5th.
1. Trouble 2. Candlemass 3. Pentagram 4. Saint Vitus 5. Cathedral First two are among my 15 favourite metal albums. Pentagrams debut is awesome. Saint Vitus is very solid, but Born to late is their best and I also love their second album and the Hallows victim EP for their underground sound. Cathedral is also great but the two follow ups are even better.
Whatta shame Pentagram couldn't get the right deal or themselves together to have a proper release in the mid-late 70's. The stuff they recorded then was so good - raw, edgy, stoner rock...heavy, sludgy, but loose and undisciplined.
For me it would be....... 1. Pentagram 'Relentless' 2. Candlemass 'Epicus Doomicus Metallicus' 3. Saint Vitus 'Saint Vitus' 4. Cathedral 'Forest of Equilibrium' 5. Trouble 'Psalm 9'
OH and btw yes Lee was one of the last ones to start a label and to take a great advantage, as he came from the punk scene, during the Thatcher years, where SO many DIY H/C punk bands starting with Crass and so on in the early 80's to start a label like in that way, Peaceville too earlier as Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw initially had Peaceville Tapes were he mainly put out official live boot tapes of the legendary Instigators where he played drums...and i think Digby also along with Heresy's Reevsy started Earache based on the same merits, and as way to put out Heresy's legendary debut 7" flexi EP; Never Healed", which i FINALLY treated myself to buying the original press of and in great condition as an old 2 side flexi, which bac in the day were thicker than now, as they were 2 sided and round, now their square, and the sound quality isn't exactly great, BUT it's STILL cheap way of getting your music out DIY style, and it plays great, and the recording in itself is very raw, but hey, the music rips, fast H/C punk and amazing riffs, and this was released in '86 , pre Mosh, hence Ear 1, though because of Manic Ears records, which were another DIY H/C pun label from the UK in those days had, their catalog id's as Ache-0000 for LP's and Ear-000 for EP's, Digby had to come up with something on the spot over a telephone call concerning this, so Mosh became the Earache's well known catalog ID, starting with the European release of The Accused's Classic debut album proper; The Returh Of Martha Splatterhead, co-released with another great DIY H/C punk label; Children Of The Revolution, who also released the first press of Onslaught's classic debut album, and Sacrilege's GODLY debut too, another nerdy thing from mr. detail freak from Norway hehe 🙂
You can't go wrong with any of them, honestly. I love all these records, but Saint Vitus (with Scott Reagers) are really special to me, so I really only had to rank the other 4.
WOHOO! finally a top 5 list i CAN do, and well Peter's introduction were mine, how i would've counted them down, though no 1 WERE VERY DIFFICULT as must say, me and some of people in the "know" or gate keepers over here including musicians who've changed music history which happens to be my close freinds are ALL doom metal fans, and some of us that are older, and the oldest DO know even better still, that regardless of the thrash movement, doom metal was NOT popular in the 80's, come the early 90's and what was a VERY anticipated debut featuring the singer from the fastest band to know slowest, namely; Cathedral's might debut and at the end of the day, their ONLY true classic, personally i've had some issues with it over the years as the production is a bit whatever and felt a bit dated as OPPOSED to the TIMELESS and PERFECT and tasteful both musically and arrangements of the MASTERPIECE that is Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Pentagram imo wins this battle. Not familiar with Candlemass (don't chide me please) and I don't gravitate to those other bands. So Pentagram wins cause.. 1. I love it. 2. I'm most familiar with it.
Cathedral for me, far and away. I actually like them much less when Lee started actually singing. Pentagram is #2, very spot on description of them from Skow.
Candlemass Cathedral ...focusing on the music the same way some would, myself included on early Sabbath albums..makes for a Better overall listening experience. Lee And Ozzy both t present very little vocally...IMO Pentagram The Trouble album is good however under the "Doom" Moniker it lingers on the fence for me. Saint vitus is 🗑️ The woman Holding Saint Vitus to a different standard than a garage band, within the Doom genre; in contrast to the others mentioned in this screening..was a very decent approach. Respect!
5. Trouble - Id actually prefer to not even rank this, cant stand the vocalist. 4. Candlemass 3. Pentagram - Not a huge fan 2. St Vitus - This could be #1, LOVE THIS ALBUM. Reagers is a GOD! 1. Cathedral - Amazing.
