Hey you!
I’m coming back for a new post!
I had to stop things for a while because of a hand injury (the pain spread to my elbow). All this was on the right side and, of course, I am right-handed!
Anyway, I’m back !
We are here today, a few days from Halloween (I am more Samhain than Halloween but nevermind) to talk about a genre that perfectly matches the dark and gloomy surrounding spirit: Black Metal
I must admit that it’s a musical genre that I rarely listen to. I respect it and find some aspects of black metal super interesting but the sensitive soul in me has a hard time, at times, to get along. At least, at the time I’m writing this post. Things can change.
So, while researching for this post, I learned a lot of things at the same time. It’s a win-win!
That being said, let’s explore what Black Metal is together!
| DISCLAIMER: This post is based on some of my knowledge and is backed up and supplemented by research done before its writing. You can find the sources at the bottom of the page. |
| Note: Bands/ artists I quote in the posts, I only mention them to give you an idea of the sounds you find in the different genres. But I want to be clear that over time it has become more and more complicated to do it with style blends and so on. In addition, my goal is not to categorize artists, but to present them to you so that you discover the different possibilities that there are in rock and metal. And even make you enjoy those genres. |
| I must also warn you that there will be no drawings for now. I slowly start writing again (yes I write my research by hand 😊) but it is still painful and I have to make pauses so, drawing, let’s not talk about it for now. |
WHAT IS BLACK METAL ?
It is a subgenre from heavy metal that has emerged everywhere in Europe and the world since its appearance. It started in the 1980s and grew in the 1990s.
It’s a genre with a dark, raw, aggressive, and nihilistic musical atmosphere.
BLACK METAL’S ORIGINS
We can say that black metal is derived from death metal and thrash metal.
They are also artists of these genres who are pioneers of black metal. They are part of what we can call the first wave.
In the artists who forged this style, we can find:
- Venom (UK): who gave the genre a name, also influenced with anti-Christian texts, relatively terrifying pseudonyms, and with their «raw» and rudimentary sound.
- Bathory (Sweden): whose influence is also marked by rudimentary means of production, but the scorched cries in the high-pitched register are added.
- Celtic Frost (Switzerland): Influence the genre with covers and texts of infernal connotation
- Mercyful Fate (Denmark) + King Diamond: inspires with black and white makeup as well as occult themes.
BLACK METAL CHARACTERISTICS
Music and instrumentation
We keep many of the same principles as death metal, with some additions and nuances.
Guitars:
We use guitars in the treble, with fast plans, a lot of distortion, using tremolo or alternate picking, and widespread use of harmonic minor scales. We also change the tuning of the instruments.
Drums :
It’s the same layout as death metal, but the bass drum and snare are usually bigger to get a more fat sound. We practice the blast beat and use the double pedal.
The rhythm on the drums is very fast which requires expertise and stamina!
Keyboard :
The keyboard moves back to the foreground. This helps to put in the gloomy atmosphere and evoke dark, cavernous, or inhospitable spaces.
It can also be noted that the artists practice the suppression of the medium frequencies in order to keep only the high and/or low frequencies.
Singing
For the singing, the voice is sharp, high, with lots of screams. Generally, artists use a relatively sharp false chord scream in the high register (in opposition to the low growls). Reverb is often used to highlight the voice.
Lyrics
The most well-known themes are anti-Christian, occult, death, satanism, and all that goes with it.
However, other bands touch on the themes of mythology/ folklore (rather Nordic), paganism, etc.
Appearances
Appearance plays a major role in the black metal universe.
We can recognize people who are fans of the genre thanks to the black and white corpse painting. And when they want a little color, we add red paint or (fake?) blood. All this to look like a corpse in decomposition!
Shows
Black metal shows can be considered as sacred rituals. All this, with the help of their appearances as well as the staging.
Art
The black metal album covers reflect the atmosphere of the genre. Colorimetry level we stay on black and white mostly. As for the images, there may be satanic illustrations, dark and gloomy landscapes, other occult, or forests.
On the other hand, an example of a cover that struck me is The Dawn of the Black Hearts by the band Mayhem, which is one of the most illegally downloaded black metal albums. We find a photo taken of the corpse of the singer by one of the members of the group who found him…
CHURCH BURNINGS AND NEWS ITEMS
Unfortunately, we can’t talk about black metal without talking about the various events that are associated with it and that have put the spotlight on the genre all over the world.
Church burnings :
This is the most well-known.
In the early 1990s, Norway became the epicenter of a series of (voluntary) church burnings. These were made by members of the Norwegian black metal scene. Varg Vikernes, Euronymous, and other members of Mayhem were said to have been involved in these fires. It contributed to the feeling of darkness and controversy that black metal artists are often associated.
These church burnings have attracted the attention of international media by describing the scene as dangerous and extremist.
Ultimately, as a result of these burnings, the black metal scene around the world has been under legal surveillance to ensure that no such event ever happens again.
The controversy of church burnings has divided the black metal community.
On one hand, we have those who condemned these actions by finding them stupid. And on the other, we have those who thought these actions were necessary in order to rebel against societal norms.
Nevertheless, the church burnings were a pivotal moment, highlighting this genre. Above all, it continues to influence what people think of black metal, which is a genre that defies conventions and dark.
Other news items
Other events have marked thegnere history, such as:
- The suicide of Mayhem’singer (the body on the cover I told you about a few seconds ago. Remember?)
or
- The murder of Euronymous (Mayhem) by Vark Vikernes (Burzum)
SATANISM IN BLACK METAL
Some time ago, I told you about the satanism in metal and everything related to it. And I told you that there were still Satanists in the metal. And here we are!
That being said, I am not saying there are none in other styles. But if there is one genre that we think of when we say “satanism”, it’s black metal.
The events mentioned above prove this. Now are all black metalhead is satanists?
The answer is (drum roll) NO! Not everyone has this ideology. Again, it’s a question of personality. Nevertheless, this satanic image is an integral part of black metal and is used by both Satanists and non-Satanists.
BLACK METAL ARTISTS
There are two waves in black metal. Some will say that there are more. However, I’ll stay on two waves.
1e wave
The first one, which sounds more like thrash, is composed of artists such as:
Venom, Bathory, Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, Sodom, Mercyful Fate or Sarcofago.
2e wave
The second wave is dominated mediatically speaking by the Norwegian scene with: Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone, Emperor, Immortal, Dimmu Borgir, among others.
- Despite this, groups from different countries can be found:
- Rotting Christ, Necromantia, Varathron, and Thou Art Lord in Greece;
- Master’s Hammer, Root, Tormentor in the East of Europe;
- Abigor, and Samael in central Europe;
- Blasphemy, and Order From Chaos in Canada;
- Mystifier in Brazil;
- Beherit, Archgoat, and Impaled Nazarene in Finland;
or
- Dissection in Sweden
Influential black metal artists
Among all these artists, some have helped to shape the sound of black metal.
Euronymous (Mayhem) :
He pushed the boundaries of the genre with his aggressive and raw guitar playing.
Euronymous also created the label Deathlike Silent Production. The latter has revolutionized the world of black metal by being involved in the release of several groundbreaking works of the genre. However, it disappeared at the same time as its creator died.
Varg Vikernes (Burzum) :
He’s one of the most influential and controversial in the scene.
Varg Vikernes has created a unique and atmospheric sound that mixes elements of black metal, dark ambient, and Nordic mythology.
He is also known for his involvement in the events mentioned above.
Quorton (Bathory) :
He is widely recognized as one of the genre’s pioneers. His work has played a crucial role in creating the sound and aesthetics of black metal.
Quorton merged elements of black metal, trash metal, and Viking mythology.
This gave raw, aggressive albums. In addition, his influence in songwriting, and his singular voice continue to influence today’s artists.
EVOLUTION
Over time, different sub-genres of black metal have appeared such as the Symphonic black metal, the blackened death metal, the death doom, or the technical melodic black.
Bands like Behemoth, Nocrophobic or Belphegor have mixed black with death to create an even more aggressive sound.
These different associations allow the genre to reinvent itself and thus persist again and again.
Here is who closes this post on this genre so much criticized but so little understood (and I do confess that I was part of it).
You can find the dedicated playlist below:
Feel free to like and share this post!
See you soon !
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Sources :
Une Histoire Musicale du Rock – Christophe Pirenne
Metalheadcommunity – Burak Gundogdu – Aug 13, 2019 – Black Metal History – Origins, Influences, and the Path of Darkness : https://metalheadcommunity.com/history-of-black-metal/
Regainrecords – History Of The Black Metal Genre Music : https://www.regainrecords.com/history-of-the-black-metal/
My Dark Lifestyle – Sombrons dans les ténèbres du Black Metal : histoire et groupes – 05 mai 2024 : https://www.mydarklifestyle.com/blog/43-Sombrons-dans-les-tenebres-du-Black-Metal—histoire-et-groupes
Reddit : https://www.reddit.com/r/Metal101/comments/1wvldz/eli5_the_waves_of_black_metal/?tl=fr
