Black Metal.

It's always ridiculous when outsiders try to give analysis on this, like black metal isn't dynamic enough with all its different sounds and accompanying ideologies to not be talked about in a generalizing way. It's similar to the whole deal with the heavy metal beat button on those old Casio synths.
 
The story was well-reported and well-written. Of all the criticisms one could make, ragging on the writer shouldn't be one. It was in the New York Times, what did you expect? After seeing some really, really sad attempts at writing about metal music in the news media, this was a significantly better try. It reported on this particular segment of black metal. It was factually accurate. Like good journalism, it lets you make the judgments. If you came away thinking that this thing was pseudo-intellectual crap, well, that was the story. It should be the content that the article was based that upsets people, not the article itself.

I had no problem with the journalism; as you say it was well-written. It just suffered from the fact that it was reporting on the verbal diarrhoea being spouted by a bunch of eggheads.
 
So I have avoided Watain completely up until recently as I had always heard they were average/no good. However, I was reading the Averse Sefira blog and there is a fair bit about Watain in there so I decided to check them out. I was pleasantly surprised.

Sure, the band does nothing new and aren't breaking any ground, but I found them to be good at what they do and overall enjoyed them. I have not heard the latest but Rabid Death Curse is fierce and aggressive and a fun listen and Casus Luciferi definitly has potential as a grower album. I have played through it once and just put it on again as I type this and I feel it is worthy of further listens and analysis.

What are the thoughts on these guys around here?
 
I've only heard Sworn to the Dark. It's ok.
I keep forgeting to check out their old stuff.
 
The story was well-reported and well-written. Of all the criticisms one could make, ragging on the writer shouldn't be one. It was in the New York Times, what did you expect? After seeing some really, really sad attempts at writing about metal music in the news media, this was a significantly better try. It reported on this particular segment of black metal. It was factually accurate. Like good journalism, it lets you make the judgments. If you came away thinking that this thing was pseudo-intellectual crap, well, that was the story. It should be the content that the article was based that upsets people, not the article itself.

It's bad journalism because it misrepresents that which it's covering, whether intentionally or through ignorance, the latter seeming far more likely.
 
I'm really enjoying The Key of Throne by Avzhia right now. I could easily see this becoming a top 10 bm album for me. I wonder why I never bothered to check out this band before. How does their previous album, Dark Emperors, compare to this one? Should I bother checking it out?

@hail the wizard: obnoxious sig is obnoxious.