Black Metal.

So I just discovered Todtgelichter. Sort of... what I imagine prog black metal SHOULD sound like: icy black metal with an edge of progressive elements rather than limp-wristed prog metal with tremolo riffs. It's unmistakably BM, but some interesting atmospherics here and there.

The album "Schemen", anyway. I've heard later they went even proggier, but I dunno.
 
I've been all about Lantlos lately. Fans of the more shoegaze-inspired bands will be all over it. It's produced beautifully, and the composition is very strong. Not just the meandering 10 minute songs of the post-black era. The old guard will hate it, but I love this band. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pm-_mmc2Ts&feature=related[/ame]
 
can anyone tell me what the most interesting black metal releases have been so far this year? I haven't really been paying attention to metal much this year for some reason; at least not as much as I used to. Having much less free time lately is the main cause.
 
^ I'd add Enthroned - "Obsidium" to the list.

Try Minenwerfer, they have a pretty nice 2012 album:



And for those into the post black metal thing, Sauroctonos:



2012 is a pretty boring year for metal, imo.
 
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I'm an Altar of Plagues and/or Fen kinda guy when it comes to post rock/black metal stuff. Lantlos is good enough, but I get bored with them easier.
 
A Forest of Stars' newest album is 12 days away people.

Here's a track released by prophecy productions:


I'll definitely be buying the cd and the lp versions of this. AFoS has quickly become one of my favorite bands, couple that with the fact prophecy productions is releasing this stuff, and you know the music is going to be great and it's going to be packaged beautifully.

On a side note, I'm not sure I know of a label releasing cooler stuff than prophecy productions is right now. Their digibooks/lps/artbooks are some of the nicest stuff I've ever seen and other releases simply do not match them.
 
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Man, so much of this post-black stuff feels forced and stale, which is a pity because I'm all for pushing the genre's boundaries. Nagelfar and The Ruins of Beverast are among the most successful of all who have attempted. Oh, and of course Negura Bunget.

Digging the new DsO, though. Even as contentious as their music is, I don't think anyone can legitimately accuse them of being stagnant.

p.s. it is a worrying sign that the 'Black Metal' thread is consistently at the bottom of page 1 or buried in page 2. Is the inevitable death of black metal's relevance in metal community nigh? As in, going the way of thrash metal and death metal's glory days; only to be endlessly imitated year after year, but never recapturing the true essence and spirit of the classic albums? I know many would say that day has already come and gone (with the end of the so-called 'Second Wave') but I always found that ANUSite perspective to be bullshit, as plenty of great black metal albums have come out post-'96 or whenever they claim the second wave "ended". There is much more variation throughout the style in this later period, so of course the idea of 'true black metal' no longer has much or any meaning, however, as far as music that is for the most part rooted in the black metal style and spirit, the mid 90's are by no means the cut-off point for quality music.
Unfortunately, I have been growing increasingly bored with keeping up with new releases or discovering new bands. Very little within the past two or three years has blown me away the way some albums coming out in the early to mid 2000's did. Maybe I have just gotten burned out on black metal, but it feels more like black metal is running out of (good) ideas and passionate musicians. [/tl;dr]
 
A Forest of Stars' newest album is 12 days away people.

Here's a track released by prophecy productions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZrKbecv8qc

I'll definitely be buying the cd and the lp versions of this. AFoS has quickly become one of my favorite bands, couple that with the fact prophecy productions is releasing this stuff, and you know the music is going to be great and it's going to be packaged beautifully.

Can't wait for this. I've been persistently listening to Opportunistic Thieves of Spring over and over in anticipation. I agree, this band really is something great.
 
Man, so much of this post-black stuff feels forced and stale, which is a pity because I'm all for pushing the genre's boundaries. Nagelfar and The Ruins of Beverast are among the most successful of all who have attempted. Oh, and of course Negura Bunget.

Digging the new DsO, though. Even as contentious as their music is, I don't think anyone can legitimately accuse them of being stagnant.

p.s. it is a worrying sign that the 'Black Metal' thread is consistently at the bottom of page 1 or buried in page 2. Is the inevitable death of black metal's relevance in metal community nigh? As in, going the way of thrash metal and death metal's glory days; only to be endlessly imitated year after year, but never recapturing the true essence and spirit of the classic albums? I know many would say that day has already come and gone (with the end of the so-called 'Second Wave') but I always found that ANUSite perspective to be bullshit, as plenty of great black metal albums have come out post-'96 or whenever they claim the second wave "ended". There is much more variation throughout the style in this later period, so of course the idea of 'true black metal' no longer has much or any meaning, however, as far as music that is for the most part rooted in the black metal style and spirit, the mid 90's are by no means the cut-off point for quality music.
Unfortunately, I have been growing increasingly bored with keeping up with new releases or discovering new bands. Very little within the past two or three years has blown me away the way some albums coming out in the early to mid 2000's did. Maybe I have just gotten burned out on black metal, but it feels more like black metal is running out of (good) ideas and passionate musicians. [/tl;dr]
I largely feel the same way. I'm willing to accept that a lot of the blame is on my end for not trying as hard to seek out new music and not being as willing to give things multiple listens. It would often be the case that people would nag you a lot to keep listening to an album until it clicked. Now it's not real common to hear that about new albums. I think the increasing move away from buying and owning music is a factor too. Spending money on music is a good incentive to listen to it several times to make sure you're getting your money's worth. I buy very few metal albums these days, and usually just stuff I already know I'm going to like a lot.

That said, the past few "new" albums I listened to repeatedly were from no more recent than 2010 or so.
 
It's almost always the case, I find, that the people who most often complain about the lack of quality new music are the same people that have given up the search. There are also a lot more people complaining about how "weak" any given year has been for metal in June and July than in the next year when they've finally caught up with all the good stuff released the year before.
 
Honestly, how many metal albums come out every month? 50, if you keep yourself limited to "big" releases? Any claim that any year is "weak" just means you haven't found what's good for your eardrums. Far too much comes out all the time to ever say that nothing good is there.

You nailed it, Dodens. The same people who bitch about a weak year will be the ones raving about this or that album that came out once the finally find it later on down the road. Fuck 'em. Every year is awesome for metal, because not only do we have all the great shit from years prior, but new shit. It's ALWAYS better to be around today than yesterday.