Best Black Metal Bands?

I was recently looking into some different types of metal, such as Drone Doom (bands like Jesu and Sun O))), and now I'm taking a look at Black Metal. So, to save some time, as well as make some interesting discussion, I would like to ask ZU who their favorite Black Metal bands of all time are, their favorite albums, and why?

gorgoroth

The only black metal band I've listened to is Krallice (I think they were black metal...), but they weren't really for me. But apparently, their self-titled album is really good if you are into that sort of thing.

My favourites are probably Enslaved (black/Viking), Emperor, Satyricon (up to Nemesis Divina), Gorgoroth, Immortal, Burzum, Dissection (first two albums), 1349, Absu (black/thrash), Negură Bunget (black/folk/prog), Melechesh (black/thrash/folk), Borknagar (black/Viking/prog), Ulver (early, black/Viking), and Leviathan (ambient/black metal).

If you want the most formative, influential, but - not necessarily best - stuff, start with Venom, Bathory (early), Mayhem, Darkthrone, Satyricon, Emperor, Enslaved, Gorgoroth, and perhaps early Dimmu Borgir.

There are really a million black metal bands out there, and many are very good, but they're also very similar (sort of like death metal). Finding good ones isn't really a challenge, it's finding ones that truly stand out that is.

Behemoth. I personally thought Barzum, Satyricon and Gorgoroth were pretty lame, despite their influences and whatever. Also, I grew out of Dimmu Borgir. Keep of Kalessin are pretty amazing, when I'm in the mood.

Originally Posted by GKANG

Behemoth.

I assume you mean their first couple of albums, because they transitioned into death metal pretty quickly. Sorry, but when you say "Barzum", I have to wonder how much you really know...

Originally Posted by sea

I assume you mean their first couple of albums, because they transitioned into death metal pretty quickly. Sorry, but when you say "Barzum", I have to wonder how much you really know...

LOLOL, sorry about that. The last time I listened to / talked about them was a good 3 or 4 years ago, and that's how I remembered their name. My point still stands with them/him though. It all sounds pure and whatever, but it just isn't my thing.

Im personally mostly a fan of 1st wave black metal. Stuff like Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, Bathory, Morbid visions Sepultura, Sacrofago, holocausto, vulcano and ofcourse the early releases of the big german bands like sodom, destruction and to a lesser extend Kreator.

As for later black metal i 2nd Enslaved, Negura Bunget, Dissection, Ulver, Absu and Melehesh.

For my own suggestions:

Drudkh, Isengard, Skyforger, Kroda and first couple albums of Aeternus for some folkish inspired black metal. Kekal, Solefald, Blut aus Nord, Arcturus for progressive/avant-garde black. Otargos, Barathrum for headbanging black. Portal, Dawn for black/death. Nifelheim, Abigail, Desaster, Bestial Mockery for black/thrash

first couple albums of Aeternus

good ****ing god THIS! Beyond the Wandering Moon especially!

I agree with Dawn too, mostly due to Naer.

Sacramentum's Far Away from the Sun is probably the best non-Burzum/Darkthrone/Bathory BM album there is. (Because really if you want THE best stuff, you look THERE before anything else)

If you're looking for good black metal I would recommend the older bands like DarkThrone or Mayhem or Satyricon. Alot of the new stuff is kinda silly. You could also try Marduk or Clandestine Blaze, but their pretty intense. Any Mayem album after "De Mysteriis Dom Satanaus" will be pretty intense as well.( album title is spelled wrong) Try to stick to the older stuff though.

They're all just terrible. Well, most of them. Mostly because as sea stated, they all sound the same.

You can find a good song every now and then. This stuff was all I listened to when I was a kid. Nowadays I usually can't stand the stuff. Most of it is just to ridiculous. I still have a few older albums from when I was younger. There are a few songs I still listen to every now and then.

Originally Posted by Xeno

They're all just terrible. Well, most of them. Mostly because as sea stated, they all sound the same.

That is perhaps the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I don't know why I didn't comment on them all sounding basically the same earlier because even all the major Norwegian acts sounded completely different from one another.

Originally Posted by CrushedHope

That is perhaps the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

You obviously haven't been on this earth for a very long time.

I don't know why I didn't comment on them all sounding basically the same earlier because even all the major Norwegian acts sounded completely different from one another.

From my experience, a lot of black metal bands sound the same. Perhaps it's just the genre itself, but I can detect a repetition in a lot of the songs I've heard.

A lot of bands are just great. Listen to which kinds of music or which song depends on the mood.

i don't really like black metal, but i saw immortal last year while i was waiting for judas priest(awesome show by the way, in trondheim!) and they were pretty good, though not much variation...

Originally Posted by Xeno

You obviously haven't been on this earth for a very long time.

Hyperbole mother****er.

Originally Posted by Xeno

From my experience, a lot of black metal bands sound the same. Perhaps it's just the genre itself, but I can detect a repetition in a lot of the songs I've heard.

Sure, there are a ton of clone bands but you see if you know **** all about the genre then you'll come to ignore the clones and useless bands and only pay attention to the bands worth your time. And for the record what is wrong with repetition within the music itself? Repetition can be used to GREAT effects, the biggest example being Burzum.

Burzum, Darkthrone, Immortal, Emperor, Ulver, Ildjarn, Satyricon, Aeternus, Thorns, Mayhem, etc. all the major names sound nothing like each other.

Originally Posted by CrushedHope

Hyperbole mother****er.

Sarcasm, yo.

Sure, there are a ton of clone bands but you see if you know **** all about the genre then you'll come to ignore the clones and useless bands and only pay attention to the bands worth your time. And for the record what is wrong with repetition within the music itself? Repetition can be used to GREAT effects, the biggest example being Burzum.

So to start liking the genre I have to already be a fan of the genre?

Repetition is alright (in moderation), but when numerous bands start to sound similar, somewhere along the line something went wrong.

Burzum, Darkthrone, Immortal, Emperor, Ulver, Ildjarn, Satyricon, Aeternus, Thorns, Mayhem, etc. all the major names sound nothing like each other.

I've only heard one of those bands. Then again, when it came to black metal, I just listened to the songs, I never cared to remember the band names.

Originally Posted by Xeno

Sarcasm, yo.

Cop out, brogurt.

Originally Posted by Xeno

So to start liking the genre I have to already be a fan of the genre?

No. You start with the bands that are known to be relevant. The classic bands and what not.

Originally Posted by Xeno

Repetition is alright (in moderation), but when numerous bands start to sound similar, somewhere along the line something went wrong.

Well black metal is a weird genre, because some bands can execute repetition with pieces lasting well over 10 minutes and using maybe at the most five different riffs and it be absolutely amazing, whereas another band can write a song that is five minutes long and use five riffs as well and just be awful.

It isn't about how much repetition is used, but how WELL it is used. That is why Burzum is infinitely better than, say, Xasthur.

There are clone bands in any genre, it doesn't bring fault to the genre.

Originally Posted by CrushedHope

Cop out, brogurt.

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

No. You start with the bands that are known to be relevant. The classic bands and what not.

I listened to the bands/songs that a acquaintance of mine recommended me. He is certainly a fan of the genre more than I am. I was slightly amused with some of the songs, but for the most part they sounded the same. I started listening to some other bands/songs of the genre on my own, but my opinion didn't change. Perhaps taking another crack at it will change my opinion.

Well black metal is a weird genre, because some bands can execute repetition with pieces lasting well over 10 minutes and using maybe at the most five different riffs and it be absolutely amazing, whereas another band can write a song that is five minutes long and use five riffs as well and just be awful.

It isn't about how much repetition is used, but how WELL it is used. That is why Burzum is infinitely better than, say, Xasthur.

There are clone bands in any genre, it doesn't bring fault to the genre.

How about some recommendations? Songs, preferably. Not just names of bands (I always seem to pick the worst).