North From Here wrote:
This was a topic that deserved a reply. Normally I don't care about lyrics (or vocals for that matter) much at all. I think they do matter a bit more in doom metal than black metal though, because traditionally black metal is more of a white noise wall of sound, while in doom it helps if they add something to the atmosphere.
Cathedral and My Dying Bride are two good examples of both sometimes great and sometimes hilariously cheesy or easily parodied lyrics.
From the former: "Alchemist of Sorrow" from Endytime is an example of something goofy and great, a line like "I'm King Midas in Reverse" is too good to forget. And the lyrics to "The Garden" do an evocative job of reminding me of the famed Bosch painting that the song is based on.
From MDB, their lyrics have run the gamut over the years, from creepy (Turn Loose the Swans) to campy goth (The Dark Caress) to self-parody (The Blue Lotus) to story telling resembling a scene from the movie Eyes Wide Shut (Edenbeast), some have also been plain awful (Heroin Chic), but generally speaking they've gotten a bit better with time. The Barghest O'Whitby tells an effective classic horror story, while the title track to A Map of All Our Failures plus Abandoned As Christ has some very good lines.
Not sure if any bands write consistently excellent lyrics, and certainly not the case in my two examples, but I think having enough memorable lines matters most.
Though MDB is a senior member of my music folder, it has never been my favorite. So I guess that's why I haven't ever really got into their lyrics (and when I have, it was not that good). Guess now I;ll give it another try.
Thanks.