After searching for various recommendations/suggestions threads, I was unable to find one directly related to this. I have a friend who is borderline into metal, but she doesn't enjoy the extreme music. I offered her my (as of yet) three "Top 25 of 20xx" lists, but less than a handful of those albums interested her.

Some bands she enjoys are as follows: Anathema, Be'lakor, Black Sun Aeon, Daylight Dies, Katatonia, Novembre, Swallow the Sun

Harsh vocals aren't the problem, in fact she enjoys them as much as anyone else. The problem seems to be the degree of extremity. I for one enjoy black/death/doom/etc. and cannot for the life of me recommend more "mainstream" or "soft" bands like the ones listed above (this is in no way an assault on those bands). I'm looking for minimalism (without repetition), emotion (without extremity), and skill (without wankery) I guess. She's very bored of her media library and I'm hoping MSers can help me help her!

Hmmmm... sounds like she might like My Dying Bride (maybe start her with 1999 onwards albums)... maybe some of the Tiamat stuff ("skeleton skeletron" to start or maybe "prey")... and also some recent Fields of the Nephilim (Mourning Sun)

Agalloch
rapture
amorphis
"enthrone darkness triumphant style" dimmu borgir
mastodon
"the dreaful hours style" my dying bride
while heaven wept

dunno why i chose those haahah...hope it helps

Written by Stuart on 05.03.2010 at 01:07

Hmmmm... sounds like she might like My Dying Bride (maybe start her with 1999 onwards albums)... maybe some of the Tiamat stuff ("skeleton skeletron" to start or maybe "prey")... and also some recent Fields of the Nephilim (Mourning Sun)

I sent her For Lies I Sire as a test for some of their newer stuff and it bored her, but I suppose I could send some mid-era MDB. Thanks for that. /I didn't even think of Tiamat!

Written by JÄY on 05.03.2010 at 01:08

Agalloch
rapture
amorphis
"enthrone darkness triumphant style" dimmu borgir
mastodon
"the dreaful hours style" my dying bride
while heaven wept

dunno why i chose those haahah...hope it helps

She has almost every Agalloch album so far, and a few Amorphis albums (a good recommendation as it suits her style perfectly). The Dimmu Borgir-style music really doesn't appeal (keyboard abuse? Not sure...) Mastodon proved too "obscure" but I'll definitely give While Heaven Wept a shot. I didn't like the album, but now that you made me think about it she should definitely appreciate it.

Thanks guys.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.03.2010 at 01:14

I sent her For Lies I Sire as a test for some of their newer stuff and it bored her, but I suppose I could send some mid-era MDB. Thanks for that. /I didn't even think of Tiamat!

I might try Like gods of the Sun, I know its my fav MDB album along with Turn Loose the Swans.

Just a few suggestions based upon some of my faves and based upon what you listed above.

Shape of Despair "Shades Of..." - like STS but vastly superior.

Primordial "To The Nameless Dead" - it does get a bit harsher as it develops, but it is a slow development. emotive vocals really help strengthen that album.

Warning - "Watching From A Distance"

Enslaved - "Vertebrae"

Candlemass - "Nightfall", "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus", "Death Magic Doom"

Type O Negative - "October Rust"

Mar De Grises - "Draining the Waterheart"

Alcest - "Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde"

Jesu - "Jesu", "Conqueror"

And if you want to try to test her tolerance to more extreme stuff, i'd suggest:

Wolves In The Throne Room - "Two Hunters"

Ulver - "Bergtatt"

both start out rather pleasantly before building up... but the extremity fits with an overall concept, so those might be gateway albums.

Written by Stuart on 05.03.2010 at 01:17

I might try Like gods of the Sun, I know its my fav MDB album along with Turn Loose the Swans.

That might be going back a bit far, but it's worth a shot. I'm thinking more along the lines of The Light... to Songs of Darkness....

Written by BitterCOld on 05.03.2010 at 01:20

Just a few suggestions based upon some of my faves and based upon what you listed above...

Awesome stuff man! Thanks for all the suggestions. I think she'll definitely dig Ulver; it'll be interesting to hear her reaction to Wolves in the Throne Room.

Quote:
I'm looking for minimalism (without repetition), emotion (without extremity), and skill (without wankery) I guess.

That's a tall order right there...

How about Devin Townsend (Synchestra), Green Carnation (Light of Day..), Orphaned Land (Mabool), Riverside (Second Life..), Tool (Aenima), Ayreon (01..)

Not sure if she'll like those but they have emotion without too much extremity, skill without wankery, not too sure about the minimalism. That Devin Townsend has some crazy walls of sound so maybe not him.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.03.2010 at 01:23

Written by BitterCOld on 05.03.2010 at 01:20

Just a few suggestions based upon some of my faves and based upon what you listed above...

Awesome stuff man! Thanks for all the suggestions. I think she'll definitely dig Ulver; it'll be interesting to hear her reaction to Wolves in the Throne Room.

no problem. while WIITR is harsh, it has a sort of shimmering hypnotic side to it... and that album in particular has the really entrancing, atmospheric, soft beginning that will hopefully snare her. six minutes of "serenity now" before the severity kicks in.

Hmm, my friend had the same problem with me. I liked bands like Porcupine Tree and Anathema, but didn't like death growls or really fast guitars. But my friend showed me the bands: Maudlin of the Well and Opeth. They got me into extreme metal because they are only "extreme" in sections, then it goes sort of mellow, so it gives you a chance to sink your teeth into it. After that, I began to like more and more extreme bands. So give her something in that is "extreme" in doses.

I don't know how she wouldn't enjoy Opeth (Watershed, Ghost Reveries, and BWP would probably be the most accessible for her) or Gwynbleidd (Nostalgia) considering she likes Novembre, Katatonia, and Be'Lakor. Novembers Doom - The Pale Haunt Departure would be another good one. Those are the main ones, but others I'd suggest:

The Foreshadowing - Days of Nothing
Funeral - From These Wounds
Hanging Garden - Inherit the Eden
Inborn Suffering - Wordless Hope
Ghost Brigade - Guided By Fire
Barren Earth - Our Twilight
Depressed Mode - Ghosts of Devotion
In Mourning - Shrouded Divine
Doom:VS - Aeternam Vale
Draconian - Arcane Rain Fell
Daylight Dies - Dismantling Devotion

For the Agalloch side of things:

Empyrium - Songs of Moors and Misty Fields
Falkenbach - Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty
SIG:AR:TYR - Sailing the Seas of Fate
Drudkh - Autumn Aurora
Farsot - IIII
Helrunar - Baldr Ok Iss
Myrkgrav - Trollskau, Skrømt og Kølabrenning

And if she likes the acoustic (neofolk) side of them especially, she should look into these as well:

Vali - Forlatt
October Falls - Marras
Svafnir - The Heathen Chapters

I'd be thoroughly shocked if she didn't end up liking at least half of those. Another thing she should probably do is join a music site like here or last.fm where she can get recommendations based on what she listens to.

Hoped that helped man.

I would recommend early Paradise Lost.. particularly the song 'As I Die', which I remember some people I knew who weren't really into Metal would still really appreciate 'back in the day'. BitterCOld's recommendation of Ulver - 'Bergtatt' is also totally appropriate - I remember the first track in particular appealing to a 'not-usually-into-much-Metal' person I knew.

Also, she might like Dan Swano - 'Moontower'. In places it's vaguely reminiscent of Amorphis' later kind of feel, with a melodic, progressive touch, but not really technical, and has mostly death growls but with some melodic singing.

This is great guys. Thanks for taking the time to provide these suggestions; she'll definitely have a busy weekend ahead of her.

Mmm emotional you say and melodic.

Warning has already been suggested.

I would also suggest more traditional doom bands such as:
Revelation
Saint Vitus
Place Of Skulls
The Obsessed
Las Cruces
Leather Nunn
Pale Divine
Iron Hearse
Iron Void
Orchid
Pentagram
Northwinds
Death Row
Iron Man

those sorts of bands, so bands that are emotional but still rock it out with a great sense of melody as well

Burzum

I would say:

Shape Of Despair - Angels Of Distress. A friend who doesn't hear any kind of extreme music liked it, even with Pasi's growls and stuff, the melody and the deepness of the songs got her, also I would recommend it over any other Shape Of Despair album because I like this the most.

Forest Of Shadows - Where Dreams Turn To Dust. If she likes Katatonia and Agalloch, this will blow her away.

Klimt 1918. Any album. It isn't extreme at all and for many it won't be metal, but it's great melodic stuff.

Least, but not last. Mourning Beloveth - My Sullen Sulcus. Great epic solos, great melody, excellent drumming, excellent growls, superb lyrics. I think this would be something to hook her up with the most "extreme" metal, it worked for me.

Ulver - Shadows of the Sun

Perdition City

Listen, and be blown away....

How would she react to bands such as Alcest, Amesoeurs and Klimt 1918?
Other than that its pretty much been said, with her liking Novembre / Katatonia I would think its natural to suggest both Amorphis and Opeth.
Oh wait, maybe Barren Earth (They have just released an EP so far though) or Insomnium would do some damage?
EDIT: Paradise Lost.... Just because it owns.

Based on what she enjoys...I'd say Insomnium is a band she might like.

I would recommend some Metallica songs for a start ... all metalheads like Metallica when they start to hear Metal so songs like Nothing Else Matters .. The Unforgiven I-II-III... Fade to Black and Master of Puppets are good for her
and then you may try the MetalCore like Trivium .BFMV and Lamb of God
or even better get the symphonic in her mind ... Epica,Nightwish,Haggard and Therion
hope u enjoy and sorry 4 my bad English :$

Ikuinen Kaamos
Forest Stream
Bloodbath

and of course as "~Ask" said, Doom:VS

Draconian, first three albums of Theatre Of Tragedy, Porcupine Tree, Amorphis, Opeth Damnation.

Most of the bands I would suggest are already suggested but those came to my mind: "Dark Tranquillity", "Estatic Fear", "Hollenthon" and "The Vision Bleak", maybe she likes one of those bands

Amesoeurs - Ruines Humaines
someone already mentioned Amesoeurs... But the emotion can be a bit intense though

Thy Catafalque - Róka Hasa Rádió
not on this site, but v worth checking out imo and it meets all three criterias of minimalism (without repetition), emotion (without extremity), and skill (without wankery). They are avantgarde post black-ish (i think)

As silly as it sounds, In Flames - Come Clarity was one of the main albums responsible for getting me into metal, so I have to suggest that. I also suggest Baroness - Blue Record, and Oceans of Sadness - The Arrogance of Ignorance. Hope these suggestions help!

Written by Richard on 05.03.2010 at 02:28

I would recommend early Paradise Lost.. particularly the song 'As I Die', which I remember some people I knew who weren't really into Metal would still really appreciate 'back in the day'.

...and earlier Paradise Lost as well. "Gothic " could do the trick.
Others I can think of: Ancient and Limbonic Art (maybe not for the minimalism)
Later Samael?

Written by Guest on 05.03.2010 at 12:21

Arcturus has the right mood and keeps interesting.

+1 , First one that I came up with

Samael - Reign of Light and/or Above

Reign of Light to get the person hooked and Above to lead the way to even greater things

This is a fun one. I'm sure some of these have already been said and are obvious, but:

Insomnium - Since the Day It All Came Down (especially the second half)
Slumber - Rapture
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Aqua de Annique - Air (and only Air! lol)
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
Keen of the Crow - Hyborea
The Mist and the Morning Dew - TMaTMD
Amorphis - Tuonela
Agalloch -Ashes Against the Grain
Eluveitie - Slania
God Is An Astronaut - Far From Refuge
Shape Of Despair - Angels Of Distress
Rapture - Songs For The Withering


and maybe if pleasant darkness surrounds her:

Reaktor 4 - Reaktor 4
Lifelover - Erotik
Joyless - Wisdom and Arrogance
Switchblade Symphony - Serpentine Gallery
In Lingua Mortua - Bellowing Seas - Racked By Tempest


also, wait a couple days and get the debut Barren Earth album online for sure. That's bound to be literally right in the middle of the few bands you mentioned at the beginning here.