As I don my corpsepaint and sacrifice a virgin...

NAD

What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse
Jun 5, 2002
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Kandarian Ruins
AKA recommend me some black metal for the coming winter. I'm new to this stuff, and the only albums I have are Bergtatt, Nattens Madrigal, and the first Borknagar. Out of those three I prefer the mysterious and gloomy yet beautiful Bergtatt, so where should I go now?

Thanks in advance! :wave:
 
So you've already ordered "In the Nightside Eclipse." That's a good start.

I'll include heathen/NSBM stuff here, because it's easier. Same musical roots as BM anyway. Get any/all of the below:

Mayhem "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas"
Ignore those who whine about the vocals. The music on this is influential like no other BM album. It has amazing atmosphere and riffage, no filler tracks. One of the greatest BM albums ever... but yes, I would have liked to hear it with Dead on vocals. Any MAYHEM released after this can be safely skipped.

Burzum "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss", "Filosofem"
I don't even know how to describe these... "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss" holds the most amazing piece of music I have ever heard... You'll either hate BURZUM (like Dreamlord) or you'll be absolutely entranced by its obscure beauty.

Enslaved "Vikingligr Veldi"
Their best in my opinion, epic stuff with immense atmosphere... Yes, they call themselves viking metal but it came from the same scene as Mayhem, Immortal, Darkthrone and all the other Norwegian bands and does sound like it.

Helheim "Jormundgand"
Read my review of it on RC, that about sums it up.

Bathory "Blood Fire Death", "Under the Sign of the Black Mark"
Early BM, but more intricate and progressive than you might believe. UtSotBM was certainly very progressive in its day, with all the synthesizers and stuff. Not only fascinating history lessons but downright amazing albums in their own right.

Darkthrone "Transilvanian Hunger"
I think my review of this on RC also pretty much covers my feelings about it. A must-have, to say the least.

Satyricon "Dark Medieval Times"
I never was the greatest Satyricon fan, but this is one of those great legendary Norwegian albums that must be owned, complete with immense atmosphere that many have tried and failed to copy...

Immortal "Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism", "Pure Holocaust"
Hm. Great stuff. Immortal at their best. The former is actually kind of mid-paced for the most part. Wonderfully obscure and atmospheric in production and has a twisted catchiness to the songwriting. The second is probably the best of their hyperspeed albums, and universally hailed as a genre classic.


Somewhat less legendary/essential but still excellent stuff:

Nokturnal Mortum "Goat Horns"
Ukrainian folk influences, melodic, cold... Excellent. Actually, everything this band has released is worth getting.

Dissection "Storm of the Light's Bane"
Not purely black metal perhaps... You probably know Dissection already?

Kvist "Før Kunsten Maa Vi Evig Vike"
Criminally underrated gem of keyboard BM. Great, great album, but there is no information anywhere on the band -- not even member names -- and this is all they ever released. Mysterious.

Taake "Nattestid Ser Porten Vid"
One of the best Norwegian bands still around. The follow-up album is also great. Should appeal to you as an Ulver fan alright.

Carpathian Forest "Through Chasms, Caves and Titan Woods"
EP, short but great in the style of later Darkthrone (before Darkthrone sounded like that) with some more "atmospheric" bits thrown in. Actually the whole thing has great, twisted atmosphere.

Manes "Under Ein Blodraud Maane"
Unique... A lot of synths but very epic and desolate-sounding. Has recently been re-released.

Graveland
I'm no Graveland expert so I can't tell you which album to get. You should definitely try them though.

Also, any Negurã Bunget. You should've gotten the hint on Negurã by now...

Uh... That should get you started :p
 
OK I'm no expert, but here are just my opinions on what I like. Some is BM, and some revolves around the genre:

Emperor - Nightside Eclipse. You've already ordered this. Congratulations.

Empyrium - Since you love the Ulver trilogy, I would highly recommend anything by Empyrium. It is all beautiful.

Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. I think NAD especially would appreciate the musicianship on this very much.

Falkenbach - ...en their medh riki fara... - I have to agree with Erik and Dreamlord on this one taking over ...magni blandinn. It's more varied, it's a solid entry to the viking genre, the vocals are good, and it's slightly more raw than ...magni. I mean, there is one song where you can hear fret buzz from the acoustic guitar, but they said fuck it, and left it in. Otherwise, get everything by Falkenbach - I'm sure the new one will be incredible.

Nokturnal Mortum - Lunar Poetry or Goat Horns. Wait 'till you hear Goat Horns on one of your nighttime excursions to the desert this winter. The desolation will be stunning.

Darkthrone - well, my favorite is Panzerfaust, but I'll leave the discussion with Darkthrone open for others.

Agalloch - you need Pale Folklore for the autumn, but I find myself listening to Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor the most. The Mantle is excellent - but get it last. I'll leave it at that.
 
Bathory - first four albums essential. Blood On Ice recommended, along with Hammerheart if you like epic Viking Metal
Burzum
Dark Funeral
Gehennah - Decibel Rebel is a great party album! :p
Gontyna Kry
Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, naturally ;)
Nifelheim - Devil's Force
 
You guys are good. ;)

That Mayhem album is the one with the crazy basswork right? Me needs...

I'm starting to remember more from my collection, I have Agalloch - The Mantle and all the Dissection albums. The Mantle is cool, but I'm glad that everyone 'round here seems to prefer their earlier stuff, because I didn't think it was a milestone by any means. Dissection is of course, godlike. :kickass:
 
NAD said:
That Mayhem album is the one with the crazy basswork right? Me needs...
Yeah. It's not technical or anything, but has great feel for melody and often provides interesting contrasts to the guitar lines. Also, as I've said, the album frequently has two bass tracks, one distorted and one clean, which sounds great.
 
Also, Agalloch is my favourite band but I wouldn't consider them black metal at all, so I didn't list them. To be fair JayKeeley didn't say they were BM either as he listed "related" stuff also, incl. Empyrium. Who you, by the way, should check out pronto if you like Ulver. And oh! If you find the Empyrium-Ulf's side-project Sun of the Sleepless's debut EP, pick it up, it's great BM-ish stuff. There's a review by me on RC.
 
I didn't say I didn't like it, I just didn't think it was amazing. :) I can imagine listening to it in a snowy mountain cabin and highly enjoying it though.
 
Erik said:
Also, Agalloch is my favourite band but I wouldn't consider them black metal at all, so I didn't list them. To be fair JayKeeley didn't say they were BM either as he listed "related" stuff also, incl. Empyrium. Who you, by the way, should check out pronto if you like Ulver. And oh! If you find the Empyrium-Ulf's side-project Sun of the Sleepless's debut EP, pick it up, it's great BM-ish stuff. There's a review by me on RC.
Right - you got it, Erik. I think it's all very relevant to the atmospheric element. Imagine the following path:

Tenhi: Kauan -> Empyrium: Songs of Moors & Misty Fields -> Negura Bunget: 'N Crugu Bradului -> Immortal: Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism

That's a rather relevent playlist progression IMO. I think with NAD's appreciation for Ulver, then something like that might be of interest. Agree?
 
Black Winter Day said:
btw, speaking of tenhi, how is 'vare'?
Hmmm, it's certainly beautiful, but it might not be the place to start with Tenhi (if indeed you are new to them). I see it as more of an accompanying piece, as described in my Empyrium review.

I would probably get Kauan first, just because it's slightly more 'dynamic' and perhaps stands up on its own a little more.

Vare is pure ambience, and stays at a very calm mood. Lots of wind instruments too, and all sung in soft Finnish. Imagine an autumn forest at daybreak, with that sense of dew on the fallen leaves - that is Vare.
 
Here is a good selection:

Venom "Black Metal"
Celtic Frost "To Mega Therion"
Bathory "The Return..."
Mercyful Fate "Don't Break The Oath"
Master's Hammer "Ritual"
Blasphemy "Fallen Angel Of Doom"
Beherit "Drawing Down The Moon"
Darkthrone "Transilvanian Hunger"
Burzum "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss"
Mayhem "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas"
Emperor "In The Nightside Eclipse"
Mütiilation "Vampires Of Black Imperial Blood"
Arckanum "Fran Marder"
Nokturnal Mortum "Goat Horns"
Dissection "Storm Of The Light's Bane"
Isvind "Dark Waters Stir"
Helheim "Jormundgand"
Dawn "Slaughtersun"
Blessed In Sin "Melancholia"
Graveland "Creed Of Iron"
Megiddo "The Atavism Of Evil"
Nehëmah "Light Of A Dead Star"