Skepticism - Stormcrowfleet (1995)

Skepticism, along with Thergothon, are one of the founders of the funeral doom genre and, after hearing this album, are among the best. The symphonic/atmospheric parts immediately brought to my mind the epic black metal band Summoning. The key differences though are the unearthly growls, non-programmed drums, extremely slow tempos, and a bass-heavy mix. For me, the atmospheric parts sound just as good in funeral doom as in black metal. They make the music that much more epic and emotional whereas other bands such as Evoken and Esoteric rely on clean melodic leads which, while still awesome, don't quite pack the emotional punch of orchestral synths. Ahab might be my favorite funeral doom band, but Skepticism are pretty close. I would call this album an essential staple of the genre and a must-listen for any one curious about funeral doom. 
9.5/10