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Pellinore
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:58 am
Posts: 58
Location: United States
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:15 am 
 

I'm interested in getting into Black Metal, since there's apparently a lot of cool shit there, but I'm not sure where to start, as everywhere I go points me in a different direction. I also don't want to listen to Mayhem or Burzum, for reasons.
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ReignInBloodyGore
Metal newbie

Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:53 pm
Posts: 59
Location: China
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:38 am 
 

Well, I’ve got lots of problems with black metal as I find much of it is way too repetitive to hold my interest for long, but here are some great lesser repetitive options:

Watain- Lawless Darkness
Dissection- any album will do honestly.
Havukruunu- Kelle Surut Soi (repetitive but sonically and atmospherically breathtaking at times)

Yeah, I mean, start there isn’t a bad idea. It helps us more if you can tell us what styles of metal you do like, as black metal is highly varied. If you like great riffs or prefer more static atmospherically centered albums, prefer melodic or less melodic, this all helps. The ones I posted above are on the melodic side, although not on the extremely melodic side.

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PaganiusI
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Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 3:49 pm
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Location: Germany
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 4:48 am 
 

One word: Darkthrone
Start with the first three, if that's to rough, listen to Swedish bands, if it's not raw enough dig deep into the underground spheres, if it's not brutal enough listen to Finnish bands and if you miss the bass, move on to Greece. Once it start to bore you move to the more melodic, experimental stuff from Germany.
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DecemberSoul
Mirties Metafora

Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:46 am
Posts: 1399
Location: Switzerland
PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 4:31 am 
 

Pellinore wrote:
I also don't want to listen to Mayhem or Burzum, for reasons


A somewhat questionable mindset. Either you see this though or you don't get into "it". Otherwise you're depriving yourself of essential constituent parts right from the start. As I said, questionable.
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ZeroHunter
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:53 am
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 7:36 am 
 

I will tell you, how I did it because after hearing Darkthrone for the first times, my ears literally hurt (but now I'm a fan). I started with the "mixture" genres, for example, Dimmu Borgir (Symphonic Black Metal, because I really enjoyed Symphonic Death Metal and Death Metal in general), Behemoth (Blackened Death Metal) or Rotting Christ (Something between Melodic Black Metal, Dark Metal and Gothic Metal). I would recommend you their latest stuff because the more you go back in history, the more Black Metal/Black Metal influences you'll find. From there you may go to those so-called "Cvlt Bands" (Darkthrone, Mayhem etc.).

Other Bands with Black Metal influences, I would recommend you: Belphegor (Black/Death), Cradle of Filth(Symphonic Black/Gothic), Carach Angren (Symphonic Black), Old Man's Child (Melodic Black), Bathory (Viking)
Some other Black Metal Bands: Dark Funeral, Immortal, Abbath, Der Weg einer Freiheit, 1349, Satyricon, Emperor, Gorgoroth

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Amerigo
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Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 11:30 pm
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Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 1:42 pm 
 

Depends on what you're already into. Honestly, I never got into many of the classics (i.e. Darkthrone, Immortal, Emperor, Burzum, Mayhem), but I'd stumble onto a song that I really liked, which eventually led me to a number of lesser-known bands/regional scenes.

If you like slow-paced ambient-y electronic-influenced music, Beherit's Drawing Down the Moon would be a good option. If you want something melodic and fairly catchy Bethlehem or early Eisregen are good options. If you want something more like the Norwegian classics but better production and much better vox, Urgehal and Beastcraft are primo options. If you want something warmer, more bass-focused and less noisey, you got the whole Greek scene (Necromantia, Varathron, Thou Art Lord, etc.). If you're into post-metal stuff or just hate harsh vox, you got stuff like Secrets of the Moon's SUN. Weird psychedelic stuff (like Mr. Bungle but much more clearly black metal)? Oranssi Pazuzu is the band for you.
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Pellinore
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:58 am
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Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 4:38 pm 
 

DecemberSoul wrote:
Pellinore wrote:
I also don't want to listen to Mayhem or Burzum, for reasons


A somewhat questionable mindset. Either you see this though or you don't get into "it". Otherwise you're depriving yourself of essential constituent parts right from the start. As I said, questionable.


I don't think it's questionable at all to not listen to music by killers and assholes. I mean, you probably wouldn't call it a questionable mindset to not want to listen to Chris Brown, and Varg fucking killed a man.
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DecemberSoul
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Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:46 am
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Location: Switzerland
PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 5:03 pm 
 

Pellinore wrote:
DecemberSoul wrote:
Pellinore wrote:
I also don't want to listen to Mayhem or Burzum, for reasons


A somewhat questionable mindset. Either you see this though or you don't get into "it". Otherwise you're depriving yourself of essential constituent parts right from the start. As I said, questionable.


I don't think it's questionable at all to not listen to music by killers and assholes. I mean, you probably wouldn't call it a questionable mindset to not want to listen to Chris Brown, and Varg fucking killed a man.


OK then:
Watain: used to be labelmates with Funeral Mist, who openly advocated various crimes against humanity (violence, rape, torture etc.)
Dissection: Mainman behind it went to prison for murder
Darkthrone: their most famous album came along with antisemitic statements, both in promotion and layout
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FuneralDoomed23
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 12:52 am
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Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 5:27 pm 
 

Getting into black metal is a journey in itself, if I were to recommend good starting points I would look into Ulver's first three albums: Bergtatt, Kveldssangr, and Nattens Madrigal. I would dive into some of the Cascadian Black Metal too: Wolves in the Throne Room, Agalloch, and Ash Borer. Some other good starting bands would be Borknagar, Enslaved, and Immortal. Hope this helps and let me know if you want more recommendations.

Cheers!

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Opus
Metal freak

Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2002 11:06 am
Posts: 4266
Location: Sweden
PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 7:26 pm 
 

DecemberSoul wrote:
Dissection: Mainman behind it went to prison for murder

Accomplice to murder
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ReignInBloodyGore
Metal newbie

Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:53 pm
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Location: China
PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 6:06 am 
 

Although I previously mentioned Watain, Dissection, and Havukruunu, I agree much with ZeroHunter’s suggestion of listening to hybrid black metal bands first if you’re trying to get into black metal.

Reflecting on my past, I got into black metal by first hearing Cradle of Filth (more symphonic at the time) and Dimmu Borgir (also symphonic black metal), which both were more easy on the ears than some of the more raw and traditional black metal bands. I later got into Vesania (blackened death), Behemoth (also blackened death), and Chthonic (folky melodic black metal).

I’d start with some of these. Cradle of Filth’s middle period material (maybe Damnation and a Day), Dimmu Borgir’s “Death Cult Armageddon,” Vesania, Behemoth, Chthonic, and maybe something like Belphegor.

If you want something good that was recent, you can’t go wrong with the latest Funeral Mist record, or Immortal’s latest.

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~Guest 285196
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2012 7:11 pm
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 12:17 pm 
 

For the Norwegian style you cannot go wrong with the first 3 Gorgoroth albums: Pentagram, Antichrist, Under the Sign of Hell. Infernus just knew exactly how to write the riffs that captured the feelings.

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OlioTheSmall
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 2:52 pm 
 

Pellinore wrote:
I don't think it's questionable at all to not listen to music by killers and assholes. I mean, you probably wouldn't call it a questionable mindset to not want to listen to Chris Brown, and Varg fucking killed a man.


If that's seriously an issue for you, here is a list of bands you should avoid:

Spoiler: show
Image


This list is incomplete, you can help by expanding it.
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Amerigo
Metalhead

Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 11:30 pm
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Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 5:38 pm 
 

OlioTheSmall wrote:
If that's seriously an issue for you, here is a list of bands you should avoid:

Spoiler: show


This list is incomplete, you can help by expanding it.

:lol: Better add Nightwish to that list. They're from Scandanavia and they mentioned wolves in one of their songs once!
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Pellinore
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:58 am
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Location: United States
PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 11:19 pm 
 

OlioTheSmall wrote:

If that's seriously an issue for you, here is a list of bands you should avoid:

Spoiler: show
Image




Lol I'm not like that at all, I just don't want to listen to Varg. I've heard his side of the story and know that he's been very important in Black Metal, but I just don't think I really want to listen to music by him at this point in time.

That list is hilarious too. I would really like someone to go through and count how many of them have absolutely nothing to do with Facism. I'd wager it to be a sizable part.
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MARSDUDE
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Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2005 8:17 pm
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 7:55 pm 
 

You really should listen to Mayhem and Burzum. Give a listen to De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas by Mayhem, Burzum's self-titled, both Soulside Journey and A Blaze in the Northern Sky by Darkthrone, Immortal's Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism, and Necromantia's Crossing the Fiery Path. You'll hear all kinds of different sounds and it should give you an idea as to where you want to go first within black metal.
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OlioTheSmall
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 10:55 pm 
 

No right way to get into any genre of music really. The reason you get pointed in a lot of different directions is because black metal can go in a lot of different placess and everyone has their own taste. The hybrid black metal idea is probably a good way to go. Lets you know if you like the sound and can progress into purer stuff as you go. Dissection is a pretty good rec, as their more melodic style isn't as abrasive as a lot of other black metal bands. I rec Myrkgrav a lot, because they are fucking stellar blackened folk metal and like wise get you into the realm of black metal without having to commit to corpse paint and low production qualities. If you're more of a thrash guy, look into blackened thrash; Destroyer 666 are excellent at that. If you like death metal, I've never really listened to them but Behemoth are the biggest name from that genre blend so maybe check them out.

Vinterland's Welcom My Last Chapter was one of the first black metal albums that hooked me, but that doesn't mean much since you aren't me.
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TheLoneForest
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 3:16 pm
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 11:38 pm 
 

I literally started with Burzum and Windir in the 5th grade, solely listening to Rush, Yes and Iron Maiden previously, I'm sure you'll do fine. Just jump in. Don't meddle around with finding entry points, honestly, from my perspective, I dove headfirst, and figured what I liked and didn't right off the bat, and some shit still grows on me. I used to think Gorgoroth was horrible, but now I love the first two albums. Fumble around in the dark and catch what sticks and be open to changing your mind down the road. Same with doom, I ventured into Funeral Doom immediately and Skepticism remains my favorite band to this day, then I got into Candlemass and Electric Wizard.

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droneriot
cisgender

Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2004 1:17 pm
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 11:46 pm 
 

Pellinore wrote:
That list is hilarious too. I would really like someone to go through and count how many of them have absolutely nothing to do with Facism. I'd wager it to be a sizable part.

A lot are in there for sharing members with bands that have a connection with NSBM and similar things. Summoning members have been in Abigor with members of Grabesmond which appear on the Absurd tribute, for example. Antifa logic.
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DecemberSoul
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Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:46 am
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 3:11 am 
 

Is there a demand for safe space (un)black metal?
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BloodUponTheStage
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:21 pm
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 5:44 pm 
 

Nothing wrong with being into Black Metal purely for the sound. There's a lot of "problematic philosophy" to use a lefty buzzword, but you'll find a line you're comfortable with. The more pure Black Metal nerds will take issue with that but they can go be evil in a cave somewhere and I'll still enjoy their records.

My gateway to BM was Emperor. Didn't really click until I heard "Cosmic Keys to My Creation and Times" and "Ye Entrancemperium"

If your beef with Burzum is purely one of Varg being the worlds biggest douche-nozzle (because he is) and not of the music there's plenty of clones out there that do it just as good. Check out Keres- Eternal Wake. Big ol Burzum synths all over that record.

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droneriot
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:21 pm 
 

I can relate in a way, I don't really have much interest in Burzum post-prison albums because he was starting the flood the web with his idiocy the same time they came out. I'm fine with the first six, though, because thankfully there was no Youtube back then for his clownish performances to drag everything down. Varg has really eclipsed Immortal's "Call of the Wintermoon" video, 666: At Calling Death performance and Abbath's open zipper in terms of buffoonery the last decade or so.
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RattEurope
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Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2019 8:59 pm
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:09 pm 
 

If by "getting into" black metal you might mean getting used to the style and tones, I would begin with something like Immortal's At the Heart of Winter or Enslaved's Eld that uses black metal tones but more familiar styles.
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Sick6Six
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 12:01 pm
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 12:56 pm 
 

I agree with the first 3 Gorgoroth and pretty much any Immortal except All Shall Fall. I still think Urgehal is horribly understated for Norwegian bands, so I would give them a shot too. They started out extremely primitive and kept progressing, but stayed raw and awesome the whole time. Check out Horna's first Demo/album Hiidentorni for some really kick ass ugly riffs, and you can't go wrong with their Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne and "Sanojesi äärelle" albums either. Also Sargeist - Let the Devil In and the 2 albums after, and Behexen - By the Blessing of Satan, Split with Horna, From the Devil's Chalice <- one of my favorite, and The Poisonous Path was a great "return" album. You can always message me if you want more specific styles.
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Thexhumed
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Joined: Tue Jun 22, 2010 2:26 pm
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:23 pm 
 

If you're into Power Metal, go for Dimmu Borgir's "Enthroned Darkness Triumphant". If you like riff-heavy songs, go for Immortal's "Sons of Northern Darkness". If you're already familiar (and like) extreme metal bands, let's say Death Metal or Doom, jump right into Taake's "Noregs Vaapen". If you don't like any of the albums I recommended you, you'll get your money back.
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DecemberSoul
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Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:46 am
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 8:12 am 
 

Thexhumed wrote:
If you're into Power Metal, go for Dimmu Borgir's "Enthroned Darkness Triumphant". If you like riff-heavy songs, go for Immortal's "Sons of Northern Darkness". If you're already familiar (and like) extreme metal bands, let's say Death Metal or Doom, jump right into Taake's "Noregs Vaapen". If you don't like any of the albums I recommended you, you'll get your money back.


The money's mine! I've always disliked all 3 of those albums, so...
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~Guest 285196
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 10:33 pm 
 

No you haven't.

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DecemberSoul
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Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:46 am
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 4:33 pm 
 

raumr wrote:
No you haven't.


I sure wasn't kidding. Have always enjoyed the first 3 by Immortal and the debut by DB. Used to like Taake's debut a lot, but not that much anymore.
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RichardDeBenthall
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2016 2:46 am
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 9:23 am 
 

My entry points where basically Enslaved (Below The Lights album), Dissection (Live Legacy album) and Wolves In The Throne Room.

The first ostensibly Black Metal track I ever heard was 'In The Shadow Of The Horns' by Darkthrone which was a little too raw for me at the time. I found Darkthrone infinitely more rewarding when I went back to them.

I in hindsight I'd recommend the following songs:

Immortal - Son's of Northern Darkness
Bathory - A Fine Day To Die
Dissection - Nights Blood
Emperor - I Am The Black Wizards
Satyricon - Mother North
Ulver - I Troldskog Faren Vild

That's a pretty broad spectrum of 90's black metal right there and if one of them tickles your fancy then try that particular band!

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Underworld666
Metal newbie

Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2019 4:24 pm
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Location: United States
PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 11:30 am 
 

I have never been able to get into Black Metal as others have stated, but early Bathory was a staple in my listening and as they progressed, I followed. Bathory would be a good place to start. Black Metal is an acquired taste for sure

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hmi
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 2:24 am
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 24, 2019 1:22 am 
 

I'd start with the early/classic albums from the well-known Scandinavian bands: Darkthrone, Immortal, Marduk, Gorgoroth, Dark Funeral, Emperor, Satyricon, Enslaved. They're classics for a reason and they're all unique in their own way. I'd add lesser known but equally amazing bands Taake, Rotting Christ, Maniac Butcher, and Profanatica. All of them are also top-notch and have their own unique sound.

Mayhem and Burzum are worth a listen if you can get past the other stuff. Euronymous' guitar sound is the quintessential black metal sound. And Burzum basically created a huge sub-genre of black metal from so many bands imitating/being influenced by Burzum's unique sound.

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Sidewalker
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Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2019 8:44 pm
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 11:01 am 
 

Pellinore wrote:
DecemberSoul wrote:
Pellinore wrote:
I also don't want to listen to Mayhem or Burzum, for reasons


A somewhat questionable mindset. Either you see this though or you don't get into "it". Otherwise you're depriving yourself of essential constituent parts right from the start. As I said, questionable.


I don't think it's questionable at all to not listen to music by killers and assholes. I mean, you probably wouldn't call it a questionable mindset to not want to listen to Chris Brown, and Varg fucking killed a man.
.

You're really missing out. I suggest at least listening to "Freezing Moon" by Mayhem, a version of that song where Dead is the vocalist. It really captures a vivid moment of death itself. Be brave, and tread upon those forbidden soils, listen to those forbidden bands.

I'd also suggest anything Bathory made in the 80s, though most, if not all, Bathory albums are pretty good. I'd also suggest Venom and Sodom. If you're looking for something more modern with a captivating atmosphere, I suggest The Great Old Ones' Al Azif album. If you're looking for something modern and raw, I'd suggest Hraesvelgr's Becoming Wolf album.

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RichardDeBenthall
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 4:30 am 
 

To be fair, if he's put off by things like that then he probably won't "get" black metal anyway. The scenes full of wankers, you've got to be able to separate music from the personality or you're basically writing off the whole genre.

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Dhoulmagus69
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Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2019 5:30 am
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 7:32 pm 
 

I don't get the point of this. Wants to get into black metal but not listen to the original bands and bands with "assholes"? Most of these bands had ridiculous personas and actual scandal. Just pick up a Winterfylleth album and listen to something modern with a level of studio production that will make most of the "trve kvlt" people vomit IMO. Unless that's too nationalist. Then go with Dimmu Borgir, at least there's tons of half naked girls in make up at their shows!

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RichardDeBenthall
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2019 4:46 am 
 

Tbf Winterfylleth are peng though

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Buried Dreamer
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Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 7:11 am
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:52 am 
 

This is how I got my eyes on Black metal:

[*] Venom - Welcome to Hell
[*] Venom - Black Metal
[*] Venom - At War with Satan

As anyone in this forum will be happy to tell you, Venom isn't considered Black Metal by most standards. But it's a very strong influence to all heavier styles, so it's 'compulsory.'

Then try some stuff closer to Thrash Metal / Death Metal spectrum:

[*] Sodom - Obsessed by Cruelty
[*] Destruction - Infernal Overkill
[*] Sarcófago - I.N.R.I
[*] Sarcófago - Laws of the Scourge

Sarcófago is said to have influenced the guys of Mayhem. It's a bit in the Death Metal area. Sodom and Destruction started up as one of these bands leaning towards Black Metal, but not quite. They are Thrash Metal bands by today's standards.

Then take up some of the real thing:

[*] Bathory - Bathory
[*] Bathory - The Return...... (with six dots!)
[*] Burzum - Burzum
[*] Burzum - Aske
[*] Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
[*] Bathory - Under the Sign of the Black Mark
[*] Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky
[*] Darkthrone - Under a Funeral Moon
[*] Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger

I know you said you don't want to listen to Burzum and Mayhem. They are mad, but it doesn't mean mad people can't do music. If you want some Black Metal, you are missing out by not listening to Mayhem and Burzum. If you are concerned about your principles endorsing these bands, just don't buy anything from them. I'll keep them in the lists in case one day you change your mind. Meanwhile, focus on Darkthrone if you want some quality Norwegian Black Metal.

Darkthrone started up with Death Metal music. Their first album "Soulside Journey" is pretty much Death Metal. Listen to it if you'd like, but when people tell you to listen to the *first* three albums of Darkthrone, they mean albums 2, 3 and 4.

Then there is this list. Try some of the albums and see what's your poison:

[*] Mystifier - Goetia
[*] Tormentor - Anno Domini
[*] Hellhammer - Satanic Rites
[*] Bathory - Hammerheart
[*] Immortal - Pure Holocaust
[*] Emperor - In the Nightside Eclipse
[*] Burzum - Det som engang var
[*] Rotting Christ - Passage to Arcturo
[*] Dissection - Storm of the Light’s Bane
[*] Ulver - Bergtatt
[*] Ved Buens Ende - Written in Waters
[*] Summoning - Minas Morgul
[*] Master's Hammer - Ritual
[*] Root - Zjeveni
[*] Mortuary Drape - Secret Sudaria
[*] Necromantia - Scarlet Evil Witching Black
[*] Rotting Christ - Thy Mighty Contract
[*] Varathron - His Majesty at the Swamp
[*] Bestial Summoning - The Dark War Has Begun
[*] Samael - Worship Him
[*] Nokturnal Mortum - Goat Horns
[*] Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion
[*] Barathrum - Eerie
[*] Impaled Nazarene - Ugra-Karma
[*] Rotting Christ - Non Serviam
[*] Darkthrone - Panzerfaust
[*] Beherit - Drawing Down the Moon
[*] Archgoat - Angelcunt
[*] Blasphemy - Fallen Angel of Doom
[*] Abigor - Nachthymnen
[*] Demoncy - Joined in Darkness
[*] Grand Belial's Key - Mocking the Philanthropist
[*] Weakling - Dead as Dreams
[*] Moonblood - Blut & Krieg
[*] Katharsis - 666
[*] Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta I
[*] Deathspell Omega - Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice
[*] Antaeus - Cut Your Flesh and Worship Satan
[*] Xibalba - Ah Dzam Poop Ek
[*] Vlad Tepes/Belketre - March to the Black Holocaust
[*] Marduk - Those of the Unlight
[*] Dissection - The Somberlain
[*] Dawn - Nær sólen gar niþer for evogher
[*] Ofermod - Mystérion Tés Anomias Malign - Fireborn
[*] Dark Funeral - The Secrets of the Black Arts
[*] Graveland - Following the Voice of Blood
[*] Sabbat - Envenom

If you want some sick Norwegian Black Metal gold, (and if you change your mind about Mayhem) I recommend Mayhem's 'Live in Leipzig.' In that one you can hear Dead himself.

I particularly think Rotting Christ is awesome, but many would argue it deviated from Black Metal some time ago. If you enjoy Rotting Christ, check Thou Art Lord as well. Some people say that Hammerheart from Bathory deviates from Black Metal too. And some people recomment 'Blood Fire Death'. It does get into the realm of Viking Metal, but doesn't mean these aren't good.

Then if you like some.. more accessible 'black metal' bands, try Dimmu Borgir and Satyricon. Satyricon's 'Mother North' is nice. Where the black metal starts and ends is always open to debate with these bands. But I would argue that their first records were pretty much black metal. Some people might recommend Cradle of Filth's old records, but at this point I drop out of the conversation.

If you think that's a lot of work, start with Bathory and Darkthrone. Black Metal is sort of an acquired taste for most people, so get their respective first black metal discs and listen over and over.

I hope this helps. Let us know.

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projectfear22
Metal newbie

Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2015 2:22 pm
Posts: 75
Location: Croatia
PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:12 am 
 

Tried listening to Black Metal and Doom Metal but I just can't like the sound. The ultra low quality and the vocals are problematic in bm and in doom metal it just feels like they want you to sleep instead of enjoy. Even Black Sabbath the song had fast parts yknow. Hell the doom metal band sounds great, but when you focus it begins to sound like a mish mash of sounds and I lose the enjoyment of listening to it.

So yeah, haven't found the correct bands.

I do like Cradle of Filth, but it's gothic bm not the standard sound. And also this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHp4BdpJhVY but it doesn't sound like standard black metal either. I don't think I will ever like the standard styles, and I don't even care about that. My problem is that the subgenres don't sound alike. It's like there's more subgenres than we know. If I like the 2 bands mentioned I want to be sure that I like the subgenre, but when I research more I find that nothing in the subgenre sounds alike so it leaves only those 2 bands.

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RichardDeBenthall
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2016 2:46 am
Posts: 354
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 11:19 am 
 

It's okay not to like something that other people do. I've always been way more into Black Metal than I have any other sub-genre of Metal and find it hard to get on with a lot of Death Metal. There comes a point I think where you just have to accept that something isn't for you.

The anti-production and vocals are a key part of the Black Metal sound so if you don't like them you're going to have a really hard time with the genre.

Having said that most modern Black Metal is far better produced than the "classic" sound so you may want to try some of the more popular modern stuff like Immortal, Watain or Mgla. I got into Black Metal via Enslaved initially who were a good entry point to quite an inaccessible genre. Their Below The Lights album in particular was what really caught my interest!

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Buried Dreamer
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 7:11 am
Posts: 27
Location: UK
PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 11:00 am 
 

projectfear22 wrote:
Tried listening to Black Metal and Doom Metal but I just can't like the sound. The ultra low quality and the vocals are problematic in bm and in doom metal it just feels like they want you to sleep instead of enjoy. Even Black Sabbath the song had fast parts yknow. Hell the doom metal band sounds great, but when you focus it begins to sound like a mish mash of sounds and I lose the enjoyment of listening to it.


Try Rotting Christ. Yeah, it's a matter of opinion and I'm a bit biased towards RC, but they do interesting, unorthodox stuff. Most discs are clear-sounding, they have a beautiful guitar work and some seriously good lyrics; they are not as obsessed with anti-christianity as the name suggests (just a little bit), many lyrics approach mythology subjects (nordic, greek, even babylonian), some use quotes from English literature (Edward IV by William Blake comes to mind), some philosophical matters, some work with horror stories, some are just silly. Some musics are fast-paced, some are slower. I'd recommend their album Theogonia and, if you would like some experimental stuff, AEALO. In the latter they hired a choir that performs traditional music from the Epirus and it sounds great. Some people might argue they aren't black metal, but they figure on my BM collection anyway.

Check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed6O6M0IoQQ

Something faster:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q04IrCaJ_aU

Then there's stuff like Bathory, which is one of a kind. The quality of sound is not massively great, but the fact that most of the music is from one man is quite remarkable. Blood Fire Death and Hammerheart are a step away from Black Metal, but they illustrate the general idea quite well.

I can't defend Doom Metal very well as I also think it's boring as hell. The only Doom band I find nice-ish is Candlemass, and I only know their older records. There's some interesting material I heard from Type O Negative, but I'm not a fan.

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The Ardbeg Wizard
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 6:57 am
Posts: 1114
Location: Netherlands
PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:32 am 
 

Black metal is not for you
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The world is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind.

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