Before about 2005, I did not prefer the growls, groaning, and screams (outside the few delivered by Phil in Pantera). However, I remember the first time I pondered the crossroads of interest. I was listening to "Full Moon Madness" by Moonspell off of "Irreligious" and thoroughly enjoying the music until near the end the harshness began. Having to face, I could finally branch out and get the "Intelligent man's 'Death Metal' of Opeth, I threw in the towel rejecting it. It led to me getting into Graveworm, Estatic Fear, and countless others in the Gothic Metal genre. I realized at some point that the characterization of the growls, screams, groans, has a narrative reason as to why they are there in some songs, and not others.
