
Doom metal is the slowed-down, pitched-down, doom-obsessed genre that worshippers of Black Sabbath nurtured and developed. It’s the soundtrack to the universe slowly grinding itself into dust. The genre quickly expanded beyond mere attention-grabbing formulas. Some of the best albums in the whole of metal music can be found in the doom subgenre.
That’s why today, I’m preparing for the worst, losing all hope and ranking the best doom metal albums of all time.

Blue Cheer – “Vincebus Ereptum” (1968)
Most rock fans must’ve initially heard Blue Cheer and met the sounds coming out of the speaker with the phrase, “Is this thing even legal?” Years later, unprepared listeners may still get a similar idea. Indeed, at the tail-end of the 1960s, few bands felt as extreme as this power trio.
The fact is that Blue Cheer is as nearly important as Black Sabbath for the development of heavy music. Unlike Sabbath, the American trio had little ambition for rock stardom and an almost maniacal desire to take rock to its heaviest extreme. And unlike power trios like Cream or Rush, the members of Blue Cheer weren’t trying to prove its musical sophistication. They just wanted to rattle your nerves and your eardrums.
“Vincebus Ereptum” isn’t as obsessed with the slow tempos and nihilism that would otherwise characterize doom. But for pure guitar distortion and near-atonal sound qualities, Blue Cheer deserves mention on our list. “Summertime Blues” has never been played the same again.


Black Sabbath – “Master of Reality” (1971)
Black Sabbath‘s “Master of Reality” is without a doubt the reference point for most of the bands playing doom metal. It’s the rule book, the holy text, the manuscript from which all others are copied. It’s the album that we know all of the other groups on our list must own.
Tony Iommi’s heavily detuned riffs and the booming rhythm section of Geezer Butler and Bill Ward gave the dark fantasy lyrics sung by Ozzy Osbourne the perfect backdrop.
“Sweet Leaf” and “Into the Void” may just count as the starting point for doom metal and stoner rock or sludge. And there are some who might argue that it’s never been bettered.
The fact is that few would-be musicians heard “Master of Reality” and remained unchanged.

Witchfinder General – “Death Penalty” (1982)
The BWOCHM group Witchfinder General was intrigued with all things dark and occult. “Death Penalty” sees the group often venturing into dark, secluded valleys once walked by Black Sabbath.
Not all of the songs feature the detuned, slowed-down riffs that fans of doom might be looking for. But “Burning a Sinner” or “Invisible Hate” certainly paved the way for that kind of style. And, the fact that Witchfinder General gets so little love nowadays, outside of the circle of true metal enthusiasts, is a crime in itself.

Candlemass – “Epicus Doomicus Metallicus” (1986)
It didn’t take long for the Nordic European countries to firmly adopt metal and remake it in their image. As it turns out, six-month winters will do that to people. Sweden’s Candlemass is one of the definitive doom metal bands.
“Epicus Doomicus Metallicus” is the band’s crowning achievement. And, for many, it is doom metal’s manifesto. Hell, it’s the name, for God’s sake.
The album starkly contrasts with the trendy, fast-paced thrash and speed metal genres and bands like Metallica. The songs are moody and Black Sabbath-inspired. The press even labelled Candlemass as “Epic doom metal” on account of Johan Längqvist’s theatrical singing.
It didn’t make the band trendy, but it endeared them to a particular kind of listener. Candlemass likes to paint on a large canvas. “Solitude” and “A Sorcerer’s Pledge” exemplify the grandeur and despair of the genre.

Pentagram – “Day of Reckoning” (1987)
Pentagram was to Black Sabbath what Kingdom Come was to Led Zeppelin. On a regular day, it was hard to separate the original from the tribute. Scoff not! This was before the days of AI and even before the time when streaming through Spotify could guarantee ownership over any band’s full catalog.
On “Day of Reckoning,” the American group recreates much of Black Sabbath’s magic. Their love of evil imagery and creepy guitar riffs help create a particularly eerie, evil atmosphere. It’s the kind of theatre of the mind that is best enjoyed with the lights turned low, the candles lit, and your parents scared out of their wits.
With songs like “Broken Vows” or “Day of Reckoning,” like Candlemass, Pentagram approximated the Black Sabbath sound but ended up with its own unique variation. And, indeed, there are many bands that have knowingly copied Pentagram and not the more famous quartet from Birmingham.

My Dying Bride – “Turn Loose the Swans” (1993)
British band My Dying Bride crafted a modern-day classic for doom metal. “Turn Loose the Swans” confirmed their status as one of the most important groups in the entire genre. Just as rare, the title was funny, with humor being a very rare commodity in this genre.
But there were no laughs when it came to the actual songs. My Dying Bride stays true to its moniker. “Turn Loose the Swans” deals with sorrow and melancholy in all forms. Just listen to “The Crown of Sympathy” for a worthy example. Funeral doom metal, a variation on the cheerful genre, was just around the corner, of course.
Still, once the seven songs have ended, the listener is left with a sense of hopefulness. They’ve just experienced it all and lived through it.

Saint Vitus – “Born Too Late” (1986)
As it turns out, Saint Vitus may have actually been too ahead of their time. Not that many listeners were on to the fact at the time. The group produced its own highly influential doom masterpiece with 1986’s ironically titled “Born Too Late.”
The guitar riffs are sludgy and overwhelming. They dominate the album, with legendary singer Scott Wino Weinrich delivering the restrained but ominous vocals over those. And if you think that nobody was listening to this and thinking they could appropriate this sound, well, think again.
The title track and “Clear Windowpane” make it easy to understand why Saint Vitus ended up being such a profound influence on so many bands including grunge and Nirvana.

Trouble – “Trouble” (1990)
Chicago’s Trouble entered the 90s with a renewed sense of confidence and crystalized their doom and classic heavy metal blend on their self-titled album.
If anything, what “Trouble” proves is that there are endless ways for artists who possess enough imagination to retell Black Sabbath’s story. Having excellent musical chops certainly does not hurt, either.
“At the End of My Daze” and “The Misery Shows” guarantee a headbanging time for all. It’s also, perhaps, the high-water mark of Trouble’s singer Eric Wagner and his career, whom the world sadly lost in 2021.

Paradise Lost – “Icon” (1993)
In the early 1990s, Paradise Lost had its finger on the pulse of alternative rock and metal. With “Gothic,” they blended their doom metal and post-punk influences into a potent mixture. Frankly, for a while, it looked like Paradise Lost was going to do for metal what Nirvana and Pearl Jam had done for alternative.
“Icon” is one of their most accomplished releases. But it’s hardly the only one worth paying attention to. The theatrical set of songs sees the band incorporate baroque musical elements, Gregorian chants, aggressive metal, and dark romanticism.
“True Belief” and “Shallow Season” turned Paradise Lost into a band whose music surprisingly crossed over into the mainstream for a while.

Anathema – “Eternity” (1996)
Anathema may have started out as the brimming hope of death metal enthusiasts. But by the release of “Eternity,” the band had reimagined itself as a doom metal band. Thankfully, metalheads are, for the most part, willing to tolerate such transitions provided the band doesn’t sell too many records.
The sound certainly fits the group’s worldview and the anti-religious themes present on the album. It’s a top release. Even Candlemass might have been envious of Anathema around this stage in the bands’ careers.
“Sentient,” “Cries on the Wind,” and “Radiance” did enough to persuade fans to stick around for this new direction. It’s one of the greatest doom albums.

Katatonia – “Brave Murder Day” (1996)
Like Anathema, Katatonia is another group that slowly migrated from their death metal beginnings to an atmospheric, doom-laden conclusion. It didn’t hurt that playing a guitar riff at half speed automatically extends a live set. The mathematics of metal are unbelievable.
“Brave Murder Day” is one of the band’s most imaginative efforts. Featuring Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt, the album revels in an abysmal murmur throughout. Fine music, indeed.

Earth – “Earth 2” (1993)
Earth presented itself as the doom-metal version of the “grunge era.” Dylan Carlson’s project revels in absurdly heavy, slow, menacing guitar noises.
At best, this is a worthwhile experiment taking minimalist doom metal to artsy new places. Critics might call this stoned rambling. Perhaps name it as post-doom-metal if they’re feeling charitable.
I rather believe that it’s the former and include “Earth 2” gladly on my list. One can see why Kurt Cobain held Carlson in such esteem. Decades later, the album has developed a small but dedicated cult of its own. You can even hear the impact on a band like Sunn O)))).

Cathedral – “The Ethereal Mirror” (1993)
Cathedral was interested not only in creating a booming, lumbering sound. The band was also out to bring the audience into an entirely new world through fantasy-inspired doom presentations. It was meant as an experience for the senses. Call it psychedelic doom metal should you so feel inclined.
The band’s second length, “The Ethereal Mirror,” is arguably their most accomplished release. As you might expect, trudging guitar riffs guide the songs in another Sabbath-inspired tribute.
Songs like “Ride” and “Midnight Mountain” are among the best in doom metal’s nasty 1990s repertoire.
I am simply here to say that Paradise Lost is a great band! I enjoy some of the others, too, but PL are my #1
A lot of good band’s on this list. I probably would change some of the albums. But the one thing I noticed was there’s nothing past 96. There are some really great doom metal bands around now but not even a mention of them