The power of the almighty riff is strong. While other metal genres dazzle with virtuosic guitar playing, unfathomable speed, relentless brutality, and falsetto vocals, doom metal centers around one simple thing: the riff. There's nothing flashy or complex about riffing, but there's something to be said with the old adage "sometimes less is more." Crushing guitar rhythms and sloth pacing defines the doom metal genre, but since its inception with the simultaneous birth of heavy metal, the genre has taken some wide turns.

Doom is a word that blankets a lot of the different categories of the genre, including death/doom, funeral doom, gothic doom, and, of course, traditional doom. All of the bands presented here like it low and slow, but they all have something a bit different to say. While the themes of the genre are generally that of a morose and sullen nature, some bands find time to highlight a sense of humor instead of playing it close to the vest and acting the part. Check out our list of the 10 Best Doom Metal Bands!

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