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Black Metal MMXVI: How We Got Here, And Where We're Going


Written by: Auntie Sahar
Published: 04.01.2016


When one takes the past 15 years into account, perhaps no other subgenre of metal has expanded and diversified to the point and the manner in which which black metal has. Emerging from a tight circle of orthodoxy, this child in the metal family now seems bent on branching out in every possible direction, and incorporating every stylistic influence it can get its hands on. But how did it reach this point? And what does this current atmosphere of innovation and rule breaking mean for the future of black metal as a whole? Let's find out.

There have been multiple documentaries, books, etc. that cover the early history of black metal, over the 80s, the early 90s and the development of the Norwegian scene, and so forth. But very few (if any) have taken the time to dissect its evolution and maturation of sound in the 21st century. So consider that as the purpose of this article. I don't think of it as a "Third Wave black metal chronology" as much as I do an investigation of the things that I feel have been crucial for black metal in this new time period, and how those things will affect it moving forward.




THE ROOTS: IMPORTANT SEED PLANTERS

It's important to start this discussion with consideration of bands who began to experiment significantly with the overall sound of black metal back in the 90s. They were relatively few in number, but their roles should nonetheless not be denied. Of course, the degree to which the particular releases of these bands have left influences may be debatable, but in our increasingly globalized, interconnected world, the potential for anything to reach anyone eventually is a lot more likely, so I'd like to think it's safe to say that these albums have all left impacts on the international black metal community in their own ways.






The criminally unknown debut from Ved Buens Ende, which set many important precedents for black metal's future.


Essential, and an incredibly forward-thinking band, was Norway's Ved Buens Ende. Bursting onto the scene suddenly in 1995 with their Written In Waters debut, this band had a sound that virtually no others at the time were employing. Their production was far cleaner than was usual at the time for black metal, they employed clean vocals and an almost proggy-type bass extensively, and they had a peculiar dissonance about them, that combined with their more moderate tempo, made for a hypnotizing, almost surreal listening experience. One could argue that much of the "slow and dissonant" black metal that we see today, even the mighty Deathspell Omega, is carrying on the legacy of Veds Buens Ende.

Another band of note, I believe, would be Greece's Necromantia. These guys are pretty obscure in the larger spectrum of black metal, but back in 1993, with Crossing The Fiery Path, they too were doing something little to no other bands were. First of all, the band had no guitar; instead, they added in a second bass, distorted the hell out of it, and went from there. The result was black metal of a much denser and more enveloping variety than average. But perhaps more notably, Necromantia also employed many dark atmospheric effects throughout this album, which may have been fundamental towards ambient black metal developing as a solid style later in the 2000s.

Finally, we should look at a band that's considerably more well known: Enslaved. There was something about this band that was more inclined towards thinking outside the box right from the start. Even though their debut EP and 1994's Vikingligr Veldi were quite raw and aggressive, as most of the black metal flock was at the time, there was still a distinct air about them. They were more melodic, atmospheric, and had an epic, Viking-influenced tone about them few other bands were replicating. And this differentiation would only grow with Enslaved over the years, culminating in 2001's peculiar, psychedelically drenched Monumension, and developing further into the material that you see the band purveying today. Without a question, Enslaved's consistent reinventions of their sound would end up being a massive influence on the development of progressive black metal, and perhaps even on some of the more Avantgarde rulebreakers who would come later as well.




FROM THE 90s TO THE 00s: THE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL SCENES

Scenes are always important for the development of music, no matter the genre. They're like little laboratories of a sort, where bands from different countries get to test out different compositional approaches, and, provided they leave a big enough impression, those approaches can in turn become the standard for new styles. Metal has had its share of movements that've displayed this trend in motion: NWOBHM, Swedish death metal, etc. Black metal first saw this really kick off, as everyone knows, with the development of the Scandinavian scene in the early 90s, particularly in Norway. Yet it certainly didn't stop there, and as we broke into the 2000s, a few other countries would also come to be highly important in the further development of black metal. Now who might those be?




AMERICA IS HUNGRY: THE YANKEES JOIN THE FRAY

Other than a few cult status bands, the U.S. had been relatively quiet on the BM front in the 90s. There were, of course, a few exceptions to this, such as Andrew Harris's one man Judas Iscariot, which took off in 92, had already dropped 7 releases by 2000, and would go on to gain a considerable degree of recognition in the international black metal community. Yet in the mid to late 90s, a few black metal bands were founded in America that would go on to considerably tinker around with the overall atmosphere of their music, in some cases making those atmospheres more mellow, airy, and transcendent, and in others making them more haunting and nightmarish, and coming to incorporate many dark ambient influences.

On the "haunting and nightmarish" end, one of course can't forget about Leviathan. Founded in 1998 by Jeff Whitehead, AKA Wrest, this one man band would become known for its oppressive, unrelenting delivery, complemented by a wide array of eerie ambient and electronic effects straight from the tenth sub level of suicide. This was an important stepping stone: occult themes and a seething air of nihilism and misanthropy were still there, but this time the music wasn't all aggressive, and there was a deeper layer that had been added to it, that, while still terrifying, was also a bit more mesmerizing and hypnotic than had been usual for black metal.

On the other hand, with the second group I mentioned, the U.S. also began to see the development of bands who preferred a lighter approach. This was a trend arguably started by Weakling, who were also founded in 98. Though only releasing one album, 2000's Dead As Dreams, the impact of said album would be enormous. Featuring a heavy, wall of sound sort of approach to their black metal, as well as a bit cleaner production, and more melodic and pronounced guitar sections, the Weakling debut would prove to be massively influential for a slew of atmospheric black metal bands to come, most notably Wolves In The Throne Room, who would expand upon its sound immensely in the years to come.

Moreover, while it's debatable as to whether or not American bands "pioneered" atmospheric black metal, one thing is certain: if they didn't, they certainly took the sounds that other bands had been playing with, capitalized upon them, and helped to cement the standards for what atmospheric BM commonly is today.

*Others of note: Krohm, Xasthur, Agalloch, Nachtmystium.




THE RISE OF FRANCE



Deathspell Omega were without question one of the most important black metal bands for the 2000s


It's impossible to discuss innovation within black metal in the past 15 years without mentioning that which has taken place within the pastry and lingerie capital of the world. There's not exactly a clear date for when France decided to take the global black community by storm with a number of forward-thinking bands inclined towards pushing the envelope as far as it could go. Somehow, some way, it just happened, as if foretold by an oracle. Towards the mid 2000s, two unofficial "leaders" of this new trend had emerged: Blut Aus Nord and Deathspell Omega.

Blut Aus Nord came from humble traditions, centered around a mysterious individual known only as Vindsval, and initially playing in a style that was more or less standard fare black metal, albeit slightly more melodic than some of their contemporaries. It was their now widely hailed fourth album, however, The Work Which Transforms God, however, that displayed the band's eagerness for trying new things. It was aggressive, it was slow, it was harsh, it was hypnotic, it had black to it, it had a dissonant, industrialized edge to it, and it was all of these things that combined into a beast that was easily one of the most unique BM albums anyone had heard up to that time. Blut Aus Nord have proven themselves to be chameleons, however, both continuing on in their bizarre, industrial black metal adventures with albums such as MoRT and their 777 trilogy, yet also going back to more conventional territories with their second and third Memoria Vetusta albums. Their experimentation, combined with their tendency to consistently redefine themselves, has unquestionably left an impact.

Deathspell Omega, meanwhile, have been shrouded in mystery virtually since their start. Although there have been rumors as to who's actually in the band (with good info to support them), the band themselves have never issued any official information, save only a few interviews here and there to elaborate upon their artistic concepts. Like Blut Aus Nord, Deathspell Omega didn't really drop their watershed album until they were already a ways down the road. It came in the form of 2004's Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice, which had many features about it that separated the band from the rest of the pack, such as the dissonant, somewhat atonal sound about it, the complexity of the composition, which could almost be called "technical," and most notable of all, the lyrics. Black metal bands had played around with anti-Christian, Satanic themes virtually since Day 1, but with Deathspell Omega, this overdone mantra was taken to the next level with a very insightful approach that sought to examine God and Satan from a metaphysical level. One only needs to look into some of their lyrics to notice how much more advanced they are from bands such as Bathory and Mercyful Fate.

Of course, the weirdness of French black metal was not merely limited to these two bands. And as the 2000s decade progressed, more would emerge, that would all have a simple rule to offer to the black metal community: make your own rules. Yet why did Blut Aus Nord and Deathspell Omega rise to particular prominence more so than the others? The answer could really be as simple as the fact that they were essentially the first French black metal bands to push boundaries in the way that they did. But they certainly weren't the last.

*Others of note: Peste Noire, Diapsiquir, Glorior Belli, Murmuüre.




ICELAND: THE NEXT BIG THING?



The new face of Icelandic black metal, represented here by Misþyrming: Icy, haunting, and mysterious.


This choice is more speculative than anything else, and some may disagree with it, but with recent developments, I really do think that Iceland is the next country to look to as far as the development of a tightly-knit black metal scene united by bands with similar styles is concerned. When one thinks "Iceland" and "black metal," probably the first band that comes to mind would be Sólstafir, who just cracked their 20 year mark last year. Yet with Sólstafir now seemingly bent on exploring more mellow music more inclined towards post metal and less towards black metal, a new generation of bands, most formed in the late 2000s - early 2010s, seems intent of getting the black metal ball rolling again.

It's not necessary to elaborate in detail on some of these bands and their histories, as most are still quite young. But suffice it to say that Icelandic black metal has already created an air about it that is inclined towards highly aggressive, almost ravenous composition, often slower, almost trance-like tempos, and dark, eerily mysterious atmospheres. Somehow it all seems to be a reflection of the Icelandic landscape itself: harsh and desolate, yet also strangely beautiful and attractive, as if some brilliant secret hiding deep within is pulling you towards it. This is perhaps best exemplified through bands such as Carpe Noctem, Misþyrming, and Svartidauði. Yet there's also a "black sheep" of sorts in the Icelandic BM family in the form of Wormlust, the one man band of H.V. Lyngdal, that deserves mention for its unique, psychedelically-tinged black metal, which is more like Leif Erikson tripping on acid than anything else.

One of the big criticisms of Icelandic black metal, and something that may be standing in the way of its evolution, is the observation that much of it sounds strikingly similar to Deathspell Omega. This comparison is somewhat both valid and invalid; personally I think that while the influence is there in many of the newer Icelandic BM bands, none of them are outright Deathspell clones, and a few, particularly Wormlust and Carpe Noctem, are showing signs of having developed their own particular sounds. Nevertheless, the DsO influence does run heavier with a number of other bands, and it's something that the Icelandic scene may have to eventually move beyond if it's looking to create a definitive sound to leave a mark on the black metal world with. But hey, in the meantime, there are certainly far worse bands to be imitating than Deathspell Omega, right?

*Others of note: , Sinmara, Azoic.




THE MAGIC SPARK: EXPERIMENTATION AND BM IDEOLOGY

Now here's where things get a little more interesting. Up til now, we've been taking a look at a (very simplified) overview of stylistic evolution within black metal over the past 15 years: what new sounds have risen to prominence, which bands defined them, etc. But why did all of this occur, exactly? Why has black metal been seeing an increasing shift towards bizarre, uncharted waters in the past 10 years or so? Did edgy little hipsters just suddenly start their own intifada and rewrite everything we knew about our beloved black metal one day? Or is this new evolution perhaps the culmination of traits that black metal possessed from the get go? I'm gonna go with that second one.

This isn't some Liturgy-esque manifesto here where I'm about to write a dissertation on the philosophy of black metal. But I do think there's a general ideology, an ethos of sorts, that has been there in it virtually from Day 1, and that continues to shape it to this day. What am I talking about, exactly? Well, I think that the "spirit" of black metal, so to speak, is a core attitude of opposing mainstream conventions that one sees as oppressive, unfounded, and delusional. This type of opposition at first manifested itself in the form of anti Christian and Satanically themed black metal bands in the 80s and 90s. And through that lyricism, as well as the extravagant stage performances that often went with it, the foundational sound and image of black metal was more or less cemented.



"Black metal is an artistic movement that is critiquing modernity on a fundamental level." - Aaron Weaver, Wolves In The Throne Room.


But why Satanism/anti Christianity? Why was that the focus? Let's go back to that attitude I mentioned of opposing oppressive and illogical mainstream conventions. If one goes into making music with that in mind, what would be one of the obvious first targets? Organized religion, of course, simply due to how much of a widespread, corruptive, and destructive influence it has had upon society over the centuries. And thus, black metal started out with taking on Christianity. In part this was due as well to the influence from earlier Satanically-themed bands such as Slayer and Possessed, yet I believe it also reflected a desire to oppose mainstream conventions in general, not merely Christianity in particular. For example, the fact that nowadays we have seen the emergence of anti-Islamic black metal bands in the Middle East demonstrates that black metal isn't specifically an anti Christian movement. It's an anti oppressive majority movement, and one could even say that it's somewhat punk-like in that respect.

Eventually, the black metal ethos of giving a huge "fuck you" to oppressive mainstream conventions would evolve, however. It would evolve from an attitude of simply challenging and mocking those conventions, to taking things a step farther and developing and promoting one's own conventions as an alternative. And that's exactly why black metal went from bands like Venom and Bathory to ones like Enslaved and Wolves In The Throne Room. It evolved, essentially, from people saying things like "man, this Christianity thing really sucks, we should make fun of it" to people saying "we need to show people something that is better than this that can provide a way out." And the door was thrown open from there.

Once interviewed, Aaron Weaver from WITTR said that "black metal is an artistic movement that is critiquing modernity on a fundamental level, and saying that the modern world view is missing something." And in many ways, that is what it's all about to me. Black metal is about saying that there is emptiness to the current world we find ourselves in, spiritual emptiness, moral emptiness, emotional emptiness, and so on, and it attempts to compensate not only by criticizing the things perceived as draining that spirituality, that morality, and that emotion, but also by promoting things seen as having the potential to replenish them once more.




WHAT RULEBOOK? INTO BLACK METAL'S FUTURE



Bands such as Botanist would arguably not exist today if not for the powerful "do your own thing" mindset that lies at black metal's core


If one has been devoutly following black metal in the new millennium, and paying close attention to new developments within it at an underground level, a question probably arises: what the hell is going on, and where is black metal going from here? It's 2016 now. We've got atmospheric and ambient black metal, we've got blackened doom and sludge, we've got folk black metal, psychedelic black metal, industrial black metal, Avantgarde black metal, post black metal, drone and noise-influenced black metal, and I'll be damned if there isn't just about anything and everything in between out there right now. The only rule for the future seems to be... that there are no rules.

Again, why? Why have a considerable number of black metal bands in recent years seemed hell bent on fusing seemingly every non-metal genre that they can get their hands on into black metal? Really, I think it just reflects, once again, that attitude of "challenge conventions, and come up with your own." The days of "stay kvlt and trve and sound like Darkthrone" in black metal are over (that is, they are for the bands and fans that actually want to be taken seriously... at least in this guy's book). Because perhaps most ironic of all is the fact that, at some point or another, black metal had to turn on itself in a way. It had to begin going against the standards set for it by the BM bands of the 80s and 90s. An art form that was structured around challenging conventions one day had to challenge its own conventions to keep its ideology alive and healthy, and that is the ultimate paradox. Due to the very nature of the anti-authority, anti conventions nature of black metal, it was only inevitable that one day, some guy in some black metal band would say "wait, why are we doing all this lo fi Satan crap? Black metal can be so much more than this. So let's make it more than this!" And indeed, the whole reason why black metal is as diverse, bizarre, and inclined towards trying new things as it is today is because it outgrew its conventions, but also because, more than anything else, it's very ethos perhaps made that destined to happen in the first place.

Where is black metal going from 2016 onwards? What new bands, styles, and scenes will emerge? Your guess is as good as mine, guys, because the door quite honestly seems to be wide open at the moment. But wherever it goes, I'm confident about one thing: the black metal spirit I mentioned is alive, real, and in full force. It has arguably led to black metal being the most diverse subgenre of metal at this point in time, and nothing seems to be standing in its path. With each boundary smashed, with each new combination of black metal + X genre, the possibilities only increase.




SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

I'm sure you've had about enough of my loquacious black metal analysis by now. So here are some excellent sources for you to follow up on, either if you didn't quite get the point of this article and would like further reinforcement of what I'm talking about, or if you found yourself very interested and want to know more.

1. The Best Of Unorthodox Black Metal: Over three years old, this list of mine is still a work in progress, but I think it's still a pretty good guide for what's in it thus far.
2. One Man Black Metal documentary: It's a good one, but I think this should be watched more for the parts with Wrest than anything else. To me he's easily the most talented musician out of the three people interviewed, and he has the most interesting comments about what black metal is.
3. The Meads Of Asphodel: Life In The Shadows: A wonderful documentary on The Meads Of Asphodel, an Avantgarde black metal band from the U.K. Recorded around the time of The Murder Of Jesus The Jew, it gives great insight to their musical and lyrical inspiration.
4. Volahn - Eduardo Ramirez interview: Mr. Ramirez is the "leader" of sorts of the Black Twilight Circle, a new-ish collective of American black metal bands based in Southern California. They all revolve around themes of Mayan history and mythology, and are quite important for innovation in American BM at the moment.
5. Oranssi Pazuzu - Ontto interview: Good interview with a guy from a band that are definitely one of the strangest in the international BM scene at the moment.

Nurture self knowledge. Resist imposed norms. Create your own rules. Eat, sleep, and breathe black metal.










Written on 04.01.2016 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013.


Comments

Comments: 73   [ 1 ignored ]   Visited by: 480 users
04.01.2016 - 03:03
Maco
Pvt Funderground
Good read.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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04.01.2016 - 03:22
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Maco on 04.01.2016 at 03:03

Good read.

Thanks bud
I had been thinking of doing something like this since mid 2013 or so, so it definitely feels nice to have finally pulled it off!
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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04.01.2016 - 11:51
Nimlot
A. Reader
Good stuff, seeing as I've never been big on black metal (mostly because of the adolescently standardized lo-fi sound, and the corpse paint, spikes and leather, "Hail Satan" gimmickry) I've listened to a very few of the bands you've discussed, but I've got a good mind to change that now. So thanks!

My only concern is with this bit: "Black metal is about saying that there is emptiness to the current world we find ourselves in, spiritual emptiness, moral emptiness, emotional emptiness, and so on, and it attempts to compensate not only by criticizing the things perceived as draining that spirituality, that morality, and that emotion, but also by promoting things seen as having the potential to replenish them once more."

I wouldn't single out black metal as the only artistic form expressing societal dissatisfaction, nor would I even say that rebelling against a culture perceived as vacuous or fractured is what defines black metal. I think most art is an expression of discontent, either with society or personal strife. The difference lies in the approach to the subject rather than the subject itself. It is encouraging, however, to see black metal grow from being another incarnation of simplistic rage and disillusionment as an artistic tool, into a more mature art form that deals with issues thoughtfully.
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04.01.2016 - 13:40
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Man you're wrote best article for ms in ages... like old days is back. You should change profession and do it professionally

Old Norway BM scene is overated, but it works now, band also has bands as Fanjfäll (fuck I swedesized its name) and has potential.
classic bands as immortal. emperor, old ulver, never will die.... new will rise and be damn good, if we look from supgenres perspective

US is larg, basically we need write and look state scene not whole country

France had good bands, but now more they need develop from being French, but turn to more English dominated, if someone speaks, French, Spanish, info is in their languages I ignore then, Why dutcues and scandinavs can use just English? Otherwise there nothing wrong

Iceland has poetantial, but how many people lives there? And new band smust learn use img wghit faces m men whit long even short hair and women whit long looks better as non faceless, masked figures, I ignore bands as Gwar , Slopknit korppain is what I can stand ....

BM ideology changes slowly still it has roots and FTW attitude , its accepted im Scandinavian society
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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04.01.2016 - 14:28
Karlabos
Meat and Potatos
I still have for myself that even today France is the biggest factory of experimental black.
But if you are saying Iceland will rise, well... I hope so. That means more experimental bands =p
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"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
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04.01.2016 - 15:12
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Nimlot on 04.01.2016 at 11:51

My only concern is with this bit: "Black metal is about saying that there is emptiness to the current world we find ourselves in, spiritual emptiness, moral emptiness, emotional emptiness, and so on, and it attempts to compensate not only by criticizing the things perceived as draining that spirituality, that morality, and that emotion, but also by promoting things seen as having the potential to replenish them once more."

I wouldn't single out black metal as the only artistic form expressing societal dissatisfaction, nor would I even say that rebelling against a culture perceived as vacuous or fractured is what defines black metal. I think most art is an expression of discontent, either with society or personal strife. The difference lies in the approach to the subject rather than the subject itself. It is encouraging, however, to see black metal grow from being another incarnation of simplistic rage and disillusionment as an artistic tool, into a more mature art form that deals with issues thoughtfully.

The way I worded that probably did make it seem as though I was singling it out as the only art form that does that. But of course I know that's not the case, like note how I said black metal is very punk like in that respect, so I acknowledging that there's other stuff out there that does as well!
I just thought it important to mention that that is a strong ideological foundation for the genre, whether it's an attitude present in other genres or not.

"The difference lies in the approach to the subject rather than the subject itself"... that's interesting, though. What do you mean by that exactly?
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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04.01.2016 - 15:17
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Karlabos on 04.01.2016 at 14:28

I still have for myself that even today France is the biggest factory of experimental black.
But if you are saying Iceland will rise, well... I hope so. That means more experimental bands =p

That's because it probably still is!
As for Iceland... I dunno. The seeds have been planted there for some really good shit, but not necessarily experimental. Really 〇 and Wormlust are the bands that differ the most from what else is being done in that scene right now, and even then there really aren't that many of these younger Icelandic BM bands like the ones I mention. I think it may take another 5 years or so before one can really say whether or not that scene is going towards its own special thing or is just going to stay trapped in a lot of the Deathspell emulation.
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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04.01.2016 - 15:34
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Bad English on 04.01.2016 at 13:40

US is larg, basically we need write and look state scene not whole country

France had good bands, but now more they need develop from being French, but turn to more English dominated, if someone speaks, French, Spanish, info is in their languages I ignore then, Why dutcues and scandinavs can use just English? Otherwise there nothing wrong

Iceland has poetantial, but how many people lives there? And new band smust learn use img wghit faces m men whit long even short hair and women whit long looks better as non faceless, masked figures, I ignore bands as Gwar , Slopknit korppain is what I can stand ....

BM ideology changes slowly still it has roots and FTW attitude , its accepted im Scandinavian society

Some... interesting comments you make, some of which I disagree with. But for U.S., you do seem to be right, BM scenes are indeed developed by state, not really on a national level, just because of our size. Examples would be the scenes that've developed in Portland, in Chicago, kind of out West in the Cascadia region, and most recently the Black Twilight Circle Collective in California.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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04.01.2016 - 16:17
Nimlot
A. Reader
Written by Auntie Sahar on 04.01.2016 at 15:12

Oh no, of course it isn't the only art form that does that. Note how I said black metal is very punk like, in that respect, so I'm acknowledging that there's other stuff out there that does as well!
"The difference lies in the approach to the subject rather than the subject itself"... that's interesting, though. What do you mean by that exactly?

You're quite right in pointing out the similarities with the punk attitude. My point is simply that black metal, far from being the only diagnostician of current social maladies, is following an established tradition of centuries of socially concerned art, whether it be literature, painting, film, or music. It is not noteworthy in wanting to say something about the problems it sees in the world, and, as far as I'm aware, has not chosen problems that haven't been brought up by many others before. What sets black metal apart is the way it handles expressing these issues.

Aaron Weaver saying that "black metal is an artistic movement that is critiquing modernity on a fundamental level, and saying that the modern world view is missing something" is at best stating that black metal is simply another culturally-minded art form. It says nothing about how black metal's treatment of its chosen issues is different from, say, post-modern literature's irony-clad finger-pointing, which can be funny and clever but is arguably impotent. No one with a grasp on black metal would mistake Tool for a black metal band just because they have a song in which fisting serves as a metaphor for criticizing the desperate attempts of satisfying vain urges and desires, or because they promote a critical examination of norms and morals. The tortured sounds of anguished screaming, the drums boiling with rage, that's the uniquely black metal style of indignation.
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04.01.2016 - 18:17
flightoficarus
Stamp Tramp
Interesting stuff. For my money, this is perhaps the genre most ripe for creativity and freshness.
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Daily underground metal recommendations at Metal Trenches.
Watch metal content on the Metal Trenches YouTube Channel.
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04.01.2016 - 19:55
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Auntie Sahar on 04.01.2016 at 15:34

Written by Bad English on 04.01.2016 at 13:40

US is larg, basically we need write and look state scene not whole country

France had good bands, but now more they need develop from being French, but turn to more English dominated, if someone speaks, French, Spanish, info is in their languages I ignore then, Why dutcues and scandinavs can use just English? Otherwise there nothing wrong

Iceland has poetantial, but how many people lives there? And new band smust learn use img wghit faces m men whit long even short hair and women whit long looks better as non faceless, masked figures, I ignore bands as Gwar , Slopknit korppain is what I can stand ....

BM ideology changes slowly still it has roots and FTW attitude , its accepted im Scandinavian society

Some... interesting comments you make, some of which I disagree with. But for U.S., you do seem to be right, BM scenes are indeed developed by state, not really on a national level, just because of our size. Examples would be the scenes that've developed in Portland, in Chicago, kind of out West in the Cascadia region, and most recently the Black Twilight Circle Collective in California.


US is way to big whit equal population , so its hard judge I mean really underground scene , big bands we will know.

Iceland has small population maybe 250 000 its small for metal community , Swe has 9 milj and those Iceland bands you mentiond half img are like maksed people , I don't like it even studio works is OK,

France has more less dominated whit French language , its from database job , I see many bands hardly update English news unless ist big even they know
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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04.01.2016 - 19:59
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
My favorite arm of black metal, of course, post-black. I am absolutely in love with the sounds created by Downfall Of Gaia, Fen, Lantlôs, Alcest, Altar Of Plagues, Regarde Les Hommes Tomber and many more. I cannot wait to see where this sub-genre heads in the future. Great article and thanks.
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rekt
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04.01.2016 - 20:57
Neachy

Nice article.
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04.01.2016 - 21:16
FYA
Destroyer
I would show it to my 9yo nephew. He's kinda "Old Mayhem, Old Burzum, old everything" GUy.
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04.01.2016 - 23:51
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Nimlot on 04.01.2016 at 16:17

Aaron Weaver saying that "black metal is an artistic movement that is critiquing modernity on a fundamental level, and saying that the modern world view is missing something" is at best stating that black metal is simply another culturally-minded art form. It says nothing about how black metal's treatment of its chosen issues is different from, say, post-modern literature's irony-clad finger-pointing, which can be funny and clever but is arguably impotent. No one with a grasp on black metal would mistake Tool for a black metal band just because they have a song in which fisting serves as a metaphor for criticizing the desperate attempts of satisfying vain urges and desires, or because they promote a critical examination of norms and morals. The tortured sounds of anguished screaming, the drums boiling with rage, that's the uniquely black metal style of indignation.

Aaah, so you're talking about the particular formula(s) used for expressing that social dissatisfaction. Yes, they are indeed unique to black metal. I don't think any other art form once found distaste with, say, ecological destruction and expressed it with blast beats, shrieks, etc. I could be wrong though, maybe there was some ancient civilization that did too that we just haven't uncovered yet

Another interesting thing to note is the overall hypnotizing and slightly ritualistic nature of black metal. Granted, there are definitely some bands out there that tap into that more so than others, but I still think it's something inherent in black metal to some extent. The Volahn guy even says something along those lines in the interview I clipped on the end of this. It makes sense in a way, because since black metal is "critiquing modernity," as Aaron Weaver noted, the value systems that I mentioned, that BM artists often look to instead as an alternative or a solution to what's going on to day... are often things of the past. And that fascination with days bygone is something that can't be overlooked if you're talking about BM ideology and aesthetics. As a result, maybe almost subconsciously, the music takes on a very minimalistic, sort of primal aura about it, that I think creates that ritualistic vibe. If you listen to black metal paying close attention to compositional structures, it's not too hard to notice that the large majority of it is not what one would refer to as "technical music." It's very chord-based, and structured a lot around repetition.
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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04.01.2016 - 23:53
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by flightoficarus on 04.01.2016 at 18:17

For my money, this is perhaps the genre most ripe for creativity and freshness.

Most creative and fresh genre within the entire spectrum of music? That's highly debatable, and jazz could easily give BM a run for its money on that front. But if you mean that black metal is the most creative and fresh area within metal, I wouldn't disagree with you, because I think that's pretty hard to argue.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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04.01.2016 - 23:55
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by tea[m]ster on 04.01.2016 at 19:59

My favorite arm of black metal, of course, post-black. I am absolutely in love with the sounds created by Downfall Of Gaia, Fen, Lantlôs, Alcest, Altar Of Plagues, Regarde Les Hommes Tomber and many more. I cannot wait to see where this sub-genre heads in the future. Great article and thanks.

I need to get on more of those bands, admittedly. I don't necessarily not care for them, it's just that that's not really my favorite area of BM compared to other things such as psychedelic BM and black/doom fusions especially. Of the bands you listed though, I do greatly enjoy Downfall Of Gaia, Fen, and of course RLHT
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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05.01.2016 - 06:13
flightoficarus
Stamp Tramp
Written by Auntie Sahar on 04.01.2016 at 23:53

Written by flightoficarus on 04.01.2016 at 18:17

For my money, this is perhaps the genre most ripe for creativity and freshness.

Most creative and fresh genre within the entire spectrum of music? That's highly debatable, and jazz could easily give BM a run for its money on that front. But if you mean that black metal is the most creative and fresh area within metal, I wouldn't disagree with you, because I think that's pretty hard to argue.


Yeah, within metal. Jazz is jazz.
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Daily underground metal recommendations at Metal Trenches.
Watch metal content on the Metal Trenches YouTube Channel.
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05.01.2016 - 08:49
Dinruth

Very good read! thank you for the tremendous efforts it must have taken to compose that article
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05.01.2016 - 13:57
Karlabos
Meat and Potatos
Speaking of jazz, I honestly don't think it is very much of a genre of creativity.
I mean, I know in jazz there is a lot of bands creating different song structures, also a lot of that improvisation stuff and all. But for someone who doesn't understand about musical structures very much (like me) when he hears different bands they all sound a bit samey...

Unless there are a lot of subscenes I'm not aware of... ?
----
"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
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05.01.2016 - 15:12
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Karlabos on 05.01.2016 at 13:57

Speaking of jazz, I honestly don't think it is very much of a genre of creativity.
I mean, I know in jazz there is a lot of bands creating different song structures, also a lot of that improvisation stuff and all. But for someone who doesn't understand about musical structures very much (like me) when he hears different bands they all sound a bit samey...

Unless there are a lot of subscenes I'm not aware of... ?

Jazz is almost impossible to define, really it evolved out of blues and ragtime, with just a very big emphasis on improvisation, syncopation (off beat notes), and swung notes. I would say that the genre as a whole has been extremely creative, as there's also a very "do your own thing" mindset that runs at the center of it. If you study the history, much like black metal there have been various "movements" that've sprung up in jazz over the years that've all helped to consistently redefine the genre: swing in the 20s/30s, bebop in the 40s/50s, people fusing jazz with rock and soul music, and the subsequent creation of the funk genre in the 70s, and so forth and so on. So yes, there are many subgenres to it
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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05.01.2016 - 15:29
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Dinruth on 05.01.2016 at 08:49

Very good read! thank you for the tremendous efforts it must have taken to compose that article

Thank you actually, because I think it's actually a bit lacking, believe it or not! I showed this to a friend yesterday for his input and he mentioned that there were a lot more bands I could've mentioned as far as the overall post-2000 progression of black metal is concerned: Sigh, A Forest Of Stars, perhaps some Mories bands, etc. And he's partially right, that's why I feel as though this article may be a bit incomplete.... but really, I wasn't trying to name drop a ton of bands like that in reference to experimental BM you can see today. I just wanted to look into why that experimentation is happening, and who some of the bands who first started pushing BM towards new territories were
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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05.01.2016 - 15:36
Dinruth

Written by Auntie Sahar on 05.01.2016 at 15:29

Written by Dinruth on 05.01.2016 at 08:49

Very good read! thank you for the tremendous efforts it must have taken to compose that article

Thank you actually, because I think it's actually a bit lacking, believe it or not! I showed this to a friend yesterday for his input and he mentioned that there were a lot more bands I could've mentioned as far as the overall post-2000 progression of black metal is concerned: Sigh, A Forest Of Stars, perhaps some Mories bands, etc. And he's partially right, that's why I feel as though this article may be a bit incomplete.... but really, I wasn't trying to name drop a ton of bands like that in reference to experimental BM you can see today. I just wanted to look into why that experimentation is happening, and who some of the bands who first started pushing BM towards new territories were


of course it's incomplete .. you'd have to write something like an encyclopedia to make it complete and even then some people would find their favourite band missing..

In my opinion, it is what it aims to be: a good outline of the progression of a genre with colorful descriptions of examples of these progressions .. entertaining to read and I, for my part, found some new bands for me
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05.01.2016 - 15:39
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Dinruth on 05.01.2016 at 15:36

of course it's incomplete .. you'd have to write something like an encyclopedia to make it complete and even then some people would find their favourite band missing..

In my opinion, it is what it aims to be: a good outline of the progression of a genre with colorful descriptions of examples of these progressions .. entertaining to read and I, for my part, found some new bands for me

Indeed! Purpose is served then, and I'm glad I could help with you discovering some new goodies
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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05.01.2016 - 15:40
Dinruth

Written by Auntie Sahar on 05.01.2016 at 15:12

Written by Karlabos on 05.01.2016 at 13:57

Speaking of jazz, I honestly don't think it is very much of a genre of creativity.
I mean, I know in jazz there is a lot of bands creating different song structures, also a lot of that improvisation stuff and all. But for someone who doesn't understand about musical structures very much (like me) when he hears different bands they all sound a bit samey...

Unless there are a lot of subscenes I'm not aware of... ?

Jazz is almost impossible to define, really it evolved out of blues and ragtime, with just a very big emphasis on improvisation, syncopation (off beat notes), and swung notes. I would say that the genre as a whole has been extremely creative, as there's also a very "do your own thing" mindset that runs at the center of it. If you study the history, much like black metal there have been various "movements" that've sprung up in jazz over the years that've all helped to consistently redefine the genre: swing in the 20s/30s, bebop in the 40s/50s, people fusing jazz with rock and soul music, and the subsequent creation of the funk genre in the 70s, and so forth and so on. So yes, there are many subgenres to it


What I always envy certain people of, is their expertise in music .. like I'd call myself very interested in music, but even in the one genre that I love the most (surprise, surprise, it's metal) I do not have a feeling that I know a big deal about .. like when I find an album and I'm like whoa sounds so fresh and many other people notice that it has been done before pretty similarily by an x amount of bands
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05.01.2016 - 15:53
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Dinruth on 05.01.2016 at 15:40

What I always envy certain people of, is their expertise in music .. like I'd call myself very interested in music, but even in the one genre that I love the most (surprise, surprise, it's metal) I do not have a feeling that I know a big deal about .. like when I find an album and I'm like whoa sounds so fresh and many other people notice that it has been done before pretty similarily by an x amount of bands

Awwww, flatterer!
I think in me it reflects a reading upbringing. My parents were always reading to me from like Day 1. My dad is a HUGE jazz, funk, and soul head. Before I started listening to metal, he got me into a ton of older artists across all three genres from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Plus he had a bunch of books on each as well, encyclopedias, biographies and autobiographies of musicians, etc., most of which I read. So you know man, when you're young your brain just soaks everything right up. So I think all of that got me very interested not only in the sound of certain genres, but the overall history behind them as well. And that continues to this day.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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06.01.2016 - 11:02
Dinruth

Written by Auntie Sahar on 05.01.2016 at 15:53

Written by Dinruth on 05.01.2016 at 15:40

What I always envy certain people of, is their expertise in music .. like I'd call myself very interested in music, but even in the one genre that I love the most (surprise, surprise, it's metal) I do not have a feeling that I know a big deal about .. like when I find an album and I'm like whoa sounds so fresh and many other people notice that it has been done before pretty similarily by an x amount of bands

Awwww, flatterer!



It's less of flattering and more like ranting ... kinda like .. this is so unfair I wanna know my music too
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07.01.2016 - 02:03
Constantine
Account deleted
Shit, as a dude who never really got into BM, this is awesome.
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07.01.2016 - 04:37
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Dinruth on 06.01.2016 at 11:02

It's less of flattering and more like ranting ... kinda like .. this is so unfair I wanna know my music too

Read, my friend! Plenty of books out there on virtually every genre/subgenre you could think of, and knowledge is power!
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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07.01.2016 - 07:59
no one
Account deleted
I'm glad there wasn't really much new to me there, shows how much far i have come in my 3 years listening to it........well not really, anyone can read up on it and be knowledgeable. I guess i'm glad that i have heard and know of some of the main bands in the movement i guess.
Good article anyway, got me amped for black metal. At first i was like but what about this band and this band, i can't believe he didn't mention thist band! but then it's good that he didn't because then it would've become a fucking book.
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