|
|
Post by reigninbloodygore on Jan 7, 2021 1:57:00 GMT -5
Hey guys, I'm a really open minded metal fan. One subgenre I don't spend much time with anymore however is black metal. Considering I liked a couple of black metal albums in 2020 enough to enter my top 10 records list, there is indeed proof that I don't dislike it altogether. I just don't love it. I find the repetitiveness of black metal far too tedious, and more so than other genres that get the same criticism, I just feel so damn much of it sounds the same. It was probably the subgenre that got me into metal the most as a junior high school student, actually, when a friend copied and gave me a copy of Cradle of Filth's Damnation and a Day record. I was blown away by the album, and I later found myself purchasing Dimmu Borgir's Death Cult Armageddon. While I don't care for those two records much nowadays, they were extremely pivotal for me and got me into a long path of black metal discovery that reached its ultimate peak for me with Watain.
Fast-forward to now. I just don't think I've really enjoyed black metal much for the last 8-10 years. I don't seek it out, and when I see albums I can sample on YouTube or whatever, if I see the black metal tag, I tend to ignore and avoid listening. Havukruunu and Inquisition have both showed me I'm wrong though. Here is a list of black metal albums I think are amazing:
The first three Watain albums
Marduk's latest work
Havukruunu's discography
The last two records from Inquisition
And in a way, that's about it. I remember liking Funeral Mist's Hekatomb a bit, but I didn't listen to it long enough to call it a favorite.
I can't find much to like about early Darkthrone material, despite dedicated listens to the key first few albums a few times recently. Would anyone like to share some albums/bands that get you hyped for black metal that I haven't mentioned above? As you can see from what I liked, I don't like only one sound in black metal. I tend to find atmospheric black metal the most obnoxious. I like riff-first, rawer black metal more than atmospheric stuff. If the whole song only has one single tremolo riff for 9 minutes, I don't see the point of listening to it.
|
|
|
|
Post by reigninbloodygore on Jan 8, 2021 2:25:08 GMT -5
Or better yet, can anybody point me in the direction of black metal that has more in common with the latest two Inquisition records? I just now began listening again to their 2016 album, and when that big lead comes in a little after the one minute mark on "The Flames of Infinite Blackness Before Creation," I just cannot describe how awesome that feels. I want more stuff like this band has put out. Metal-Archives's similar bands tab for Inquisition leads to Immortal as the first most related band, if my memory is correct, but I did not find that to be a very accurate comparison when I consider the emphasis on slower tracks late Inquisition have had.
|
|
|
|
Post by metalcrypt on Jan 8, 2021 16:41:28 GMT -5
I’ll see if I can activate some brain cells soon. It’s been a crazy few days.
|
|
metalmike
Staff
We need it as a liquid in our veins instead of blood
Posts: 298
|
Post by metalmike on Jan 8, 2021 19:41:49 GMT -5
Not a huge black metal fan myself but there are some awesome albums in the genre, at least for me
Most of Immortal's albums, though Northern Chaos Gods, Sons of Northern Darkness and At the Heart of Winter are particular favorites Summoning - Oath Bound, Old Mornings Dawn - I know you said you didn't like atmospheric, but these albums kick ass, as does Caladan Brood's Echoes of Battle Finsterforst - Rastlos
Kvaen - The Funeral Pyre Ages - Uncrown
That's all I can come up with spur of the moment, if I think of others, I'll add to the thread
|
|
|
|
Post by reigninbloodygore on Jan 8, 2021 23:54:36 GMT -5
Not a huge black metal fan myself but there are some awesome albums in the genre, at least for me
Most of Immortal's albums, though Northern Chaos Gods, Sons of Northern Darkness and At the Heart of Winter are particular favorites Summoning - Oath Bound, Old Mornings Dawn - I know you said you didn't like atmospheric, but these albums kick ass, as does Caladan Brood's Echoes of Battle Finsterforst - Rastlos
Kvaen - The Funeral Pyre Ages - Uncrown
That's all I can come up with spur of the moment, if I think of others, I'll add to the thread
Thanks for those. I do appreciate Immortal a bit, and actually did listen to At the Heart of Winter a couple days ago. And Northern Chaos Gods was a pretty impressive album I heard once it came out. I do need to hear their other albums though. Summoning, yeah, I got one of their latest albums a few years back after it got high praise on this site, but I hated it. However, a random track came on a shuffle play I didn’t know I was on two days ago and I didn’t hate it. It was just extremely repetitive and didn’t really go anywhere in my opinion. I should at least sit through an album now. Thanks for those others as well. Never heard those others you listed. Gonna stream them on Xiami later. |
|
luxi
Staff
"What does not kill you, makes you more pissed off..."
Posts: 319
|
Post by luxi on Jan 9, 2021 2:20:26 GMT -5
I found both Abbath's albums pretty entertaining as well, the self-titled album released in 2016 and its follow-up record, Outstrider, released in 2019.
|
|
|
|
Post by reigninbloodygore on Jan 9, 2021 3:34:52 GMT -5
I found both Abbath's albums pretty entertaining as well, the self-titled album released in 2016 and its follow-up record, Outstrider, released in 2019. I was actually considering heading into those albums earlier this morning. I think your additional mention will secure that direction for me. I’m really hoping to find a spark of interest in black metal again because I come across so much new black metal every year, and I’d love to be able to dive in and appreciate at least some of it instead of ignoring it like I usually do. |
|
|
|
Post by metalcrypt on Jan 9, 2021 7:46:19 GMT -5
Not a huge black metal fan myself but there are some awesome albums in the genre, at least for me
Most of Immortal's albums, though Northern Chaos Gods, Sons of Northern Darkness and At the Heart of Winter are particular favorites Summoning - Oath Bound, Old Mornings Dawn - I know you said you didn't like atmospheric, but these albums kick ass, as does Caladan Brood's Echoes of Battle Finsterforst - Rastlos
Kvaen - The Funeral Pyre Ages - Uncrown
That's all I can come up with spur of the moment, if I think of others, I'll add to the thread
Thanks for those. I do appreciate Immortal a bit, and actually did listen to At the Heart of Winter a couple days ago. And Northern Chaos Gods was a pretty impressive album I heard once it came out. I do need to hear their other albums though. Summoning, yeah, I got one of their latest albums a few years back after it got high praise on this site, but I hated it. However, a random track came on a shuffle play I didn’t know I was on two days ago and I didn’t hate it. It was just extremely repetitive and didn’t really go anywhere in my opinion. I should at least sit through an album now. Thanks for those others as well. Never heard those others you listed. Gonna stream them on Xiami later. The ones before At the Heart of Winter are more "extreme", but the ones that follow are roughly in the same vein, thankfully without being identical. I really like Nocternity from Greece: nocternity.bandcamp.com/ |
|
sargon
Staff
Rising from the deep...
Posts: 45 
|
Post by sargon on Jan 9, 2021 8:56:44 GMT -5
Hmmmm, let's see, stuff that might fall in your zone:
All 3 Nehemah albums, if you can find them. Light of a Dead Star and Requiem Tenebrae are the best ones.
Nightbringer, especially their debut Death and the Black Work
Glorior Belli are a highly varied band with some really stellar albums, just don't expect them to sound like one another.
Blasphemous Creation are a really excellent band that gets overlooked.
The Ruins of Beverast. At least look into their debut Unlock the Shrine.
Nokturnal Mortuum's The Voice of Steel is pretty impossible to argue with.
|
|
mjolnir
Staff
Your observations of my nonsense fail to excuse your bad sense
Posts: 319
|
Post by mjolnir on Jan 9, 2021 11:24:59 GMT -5
Time to throw my hat into the ring
Yellow Eyes are pretty varied and interesting, with Immersion Trench Reverie and especially Rare Field Ceiling being superior releases. They do rely on tremolo, but rather than buzz along they tend to go for the bell-like melodic approach, and it can be stunning
Melechesh are a consistently great band, with Sphynx and Djinni being their peaks
Gaerea are arguably one of the best Black Metal bands working today. Unsettling Whispers is a modern masterwork, and their latest Limbo is more nuanced and detailed, though a bit less immediately gratifying because of it.
Blut Aus Nord are one of those bands that never releases the same album twice. As such, their discography has ups and downs, but their debut and the Memoria Vestuta trilogy is pretty excellent
|
|
|
|
Post by metalcrypt on Jan 9, 2021 13:45:04 GMT -5
My name is Michel Renaud and I approve these recommendations. 
|
|
|
|
Post by reigninbloodygore on Jan 9, 2021 19:31:03 GMT -5
Good stuff, guys! Thanks for sharing those. It’s going to take a me a while to get through these but I have that in the listening plans. Started Abbath’s latest album last night and I really did enjoy what I heard of it. I never disliked anything of Immortal, so I’ll check out the other albums. And all these other names I’ll definitely get to as well.
|
|
luxi
Staff
"What does not kill you, makes you more pissed off..."
Posts: 319
|
Post by luxi on Jan 10, 2021 11:59:24 GMT -5
I also found Finland's symphonic Black Metallers VARGRAV's both albums very entertaining for myself...
|
|
|
|
Post by reigninbloodygore on Jan 14, 2021 0:55:27 GMT -5
The Ruins of Beverast. At least look into their debut Unlock the Shrine.
It's crazy that I forgot about this band. I must have been listening to this band about 7 years ago or so. I remember the last album I listened to was Foulest Semen. Really great band, I must say! I did listen to Unlock the Shrine for the first time last night actually, and it was a very unique album, although I don't know if I like it as much as the other two albums I used to listen to. However, one listen is never enough. I will jump back into it again for sure. Thanks for reminding me about this band. I am now quite eager to check out Exuvia. |
|
|
|
Post by larmer28 on Jan 14, 2021 15:38:01 GMT -5
I had a black metal phase back in the 90's, mostly for the aesthetic and atmosphere and angst and whatever true kult Norwegian church burning shit that was hip back then. Until I decided life is too short to listen to music with bad singers, questionable song-writing and that damn repetitive bass.
Since I moved on, I understand black metal has also moved on from the primitive beginnings of the Norwegian scene, but I only ever listened to those bands back then. Satyricon and Immortal being my favourites then. I saw Immortal in 2009 and it was cringe-worthy. My favourite Satyricon record was Nemesis Divina. I liked it a lot. But I don't even own it anymore. Gave it away I think. Or lost it when moving. I should play it again one day.
But I don't think I could get into newer bands. The music is just noise to me now, and the vocals are just ass.
I do like Sabbat, who some call a pioneer of black metal. But that's like blackened thrash metal or just thrash metal with Martin Walkyier, essentially. I love that stuff. But to each their own. I do know that I am getting less open-minded about music the older I grow. When I'm 80, there's probably only one song I like.
|
|
