Sooooo, Black Metal...

I like unblack metal sometimes as much as black metal.
Listened to a unblack CD last night that is as harsh and 80s feeling like early Bathory, called BLOOD FROM ABOVE - UNDER THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS

I tried to like black metal. I really did. There were soooo many times where I kept on giving that genre another chance. But in the end, I just don't like it. And I can't ever read the logos of their band names.

.

My brother is the death metal guy in our family. He was into the demo tape/zine trade scene for years 'n years. Just from seeing all these things around the house when we were growing up, I used to be quite fluent in fuzzy death/black metal logo-ese. Nowadays, not so much.

Oh, black metal, how I cannot understand thee, yet my senses doth continually betray me and I keep listening to thee. I can't find a serious place in my heart where black metal belongs. I just can't. I can't get past the harshness of it. It's just too much for me.

*looks at my playlist* Yet I listen to Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, and Emperor... *sigh*

Well, I kind of listen to Gorgoroth every now and again. I don't even really sit down and listen to Darkthrone or Emperor. No matter how hard I try, I can't do it. My brain can't just sit down and enjoy it. They're just in my playlist, wasting space. I downloaded them to see what I would think since I wanted to try a new style of metal and I haven't enjoyed what I've heard yet. I do have black metal bands that I actually like and enjoy like Gehenna of Norway, Lyfthrasyr of Germany, and Inquisition of Colombia, but that's about it. Proto-black metal like Venom I heavily enjoy, as well as second-generation black metal like early Bathory, but there's no true interest in the genre for me as opposed to death metal or thrash metal for me. I just connect with those other genres more.

Wurthless wrote:

One of the main reasons I like black metal is that it does a great job of creating a cold, dark atmosphere that can't be found in other types of music. I also usually go for black metal genre-hybrids; stuff with folk influences, electronic/ambient influences, etc.

I agree with this statement very much. The best example I can give is from a band I just heard of from the Netherlands.



And as far as electronic influences go, Lyfthrasyr added electronic elements to their second LP and enhanced upon them in their third, The Engineered Flesh. Sounds really goddamn good. 

I had a great listening session the other night of just playing through "In The Nightside Eclipse" in its entirety, something I have do sometimes.

For me I have to be in a certain mood to listen to most black metal and I usually stick to the more melodic styles. The only exception is Borknagar's Epiricism but of course it's not a pure black metal album and the least so of most of their catalog (which for me is what makes it so memorable-though I like the genre, most black metal lacks memorability for me).

For someone who has been critical of the thrash revival, I'm pretty into the new wave of Venom worship bands. Not sure that this can be classed as BM in 2014 but who cares!

I will say that despite being a massive fan of the genre it requires a certain mood to listen to. Outside of some of the ultra melodic stuff like Naglfar, Chthonic or (arguably) Cradle of Filth, its a genre that lacks that sense of memorability that brings you back for multiple listens and depends way more on the atmosphere the music creates; which in turn goes back to relying on the mood of the listener.

I had thought all music required a certain mood... I mean, I wouldn't throw on Raffi if I was going to go make a baby. Right?

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I had thought all music required a certain mood... I mean, I wouldn't throw on Raffi if I was going to go make a baby. Right?

I have to admit that i have seen a black metal porno. It was just a pretty standard skin flick, but with that music, a bit disturbing!   

Boris2008 wrote:

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I had thought all music required a certain mood... I mean, I wouldn't throw on Raffi if I was going to go make a baby. Right?

I have to admit that i have seen a black metal porno. It was just a pretty standard skin flick, but with that music, a bit disturbing!   

Well, now... That's something. I've seen a black metal porno, too. Pretty standard. like you said, but black metal isn't the type of music I put on when I want to brutally F*ck my girlfriend's brains out. I'd say Twitch-era Ministry is good for that or even old-school death metal (depending on how wild your raven is), but that's for another thread altogether! xD

Icy Grave wrote:

Boris2008 wrote:

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I had thought all music required a certain mood... I mean, I wouldn't throw on Raffi if I was going to go make a baby. Right?

I have to admit that i have seen a black metal porno. It was just a pretty standard skin flick, but with that music, a bit disturbing!   

Well, now... That's something. I've seen a black metal porno, too. Pretty standard. like you said, but black metal isn't the type of music I put on when I want to brutally F*ck my girlfriend's brains out. I'd say Twitch-era Ministry is good for that or even old-school death metal (depending on how wild your raven is), but that's for another thread altogether! xD

Or how about no thread at all.   

The best thing here is that nobody has caught who Raffi is.



Or, maybe the worst thing here. Cannot decide

DallasBlack wrote:

Icy Grave wrote:

Boris2008 wrote:

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

I had thought all music required a certain mood... I mean, I wouldn't throw on Raffi if I was going to go make a baby. Right?

I have to admit that i have seen a black metal porno. It was just a pretty standard skin flick, but with that music, a bit disturbing!   

Well, now... That's something. I've seen a black metal porno, too. Pretty standard. like you said, but black metal isn't the type of music I put on when I want to brutally F*ck my girlfriend's brains out. I'd say Twitch-era Ministry is good for that or even old-school death metal (depending on how wild your raven is), but that's for another thread altogether! xD

Or how about no thread at all.   

ditto. no thread at all.   

This is one of the more memorable black metal releases I've heard in the past few years. It's melodic and riff filled enough to keep in your head a good bit.

Also, despite the fact most would consider them "blackened death metal" I think The Satanist was enough of a black metal album to warrant a post.

Panopticon - Kentucky. A great concept album about Appalchia and the coal mines.

Black Metal fused with blue grass and folk. It's a great listen and done very well.

exanimate wrote:

Panopticon - Kentucky. A great concept album about Appalchia and the coal mines.

Black Metal fused with blue grass and folk. It's a great listen and done very well.

Listening to the album now, i like it.

exanimate wrote:

Panopticon - Kentucky. A great concept album about Appalchia and the coal mines.

Black Metal fused with blue grass and folk. It's a great listen and done very well.

I have this album and like it a lot!! Panopticon will be releasing a new album called Roads To The North pretty soon.

And Boris if you like the Venom-worshipping bands do yourself a favor and check out Midnight. I believe you'd really like them.

nevermore wrote:

exanimate wrote:

Panopticon - Kentucky. A great concept album about Appalchia and the coal mines.

Black Metal fused with blue grass and folk. It's a great listen and done very well.

I have this album and like it a lot!! Panopticon will be releasing a new album called Roads To The North pretty soon.

And Boris if you like the Venom-worshipping bands do yourself a favor and check out Midnight. I believe you'd really like them.

Stoked for the new one. Waiting for the vinyl pre-order to go up so I can jump on it. I missed out on the first pressing of "Kentucky" but the second is fine with me. Such a great album.

I NEED to check out Panopticon..

exanimate wrote:

Panopticon - Kentucky. A great concept album about Appalchia and the coal mines.

Black Metal fused with blue grass and folk. It's a great listen and done very well.

Was driving around Richmond with a friend the other day when he put this on for me. Nice to know that even in this redneck filled dump that is Kentucky, there's some talent flowing.

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

The best thing here is that nobody has caught who Raffi is.



Or, maybe the worst thing here. Cannot decide

And since i seem to be the only one who is bothered. Who is Raffi?

Not a huge fan of black metal, but I do dig some of it, usually those bands that are rooted in black metal but branch out a bit. Stuff like...







And hell, that might not even be black metal! Haha.