Black Metal.

[Onder]

One example off the top of my head would be Dissection, 'satanic' yet extremely proficient musically. Or at least on the first two records, anyway.

Reinkaos really divides listeners in two camps. And it's not a matter of true/false. I understand you don't enjoy it?

EDIT: Never really considered them typically "satanic" though, now that we're at it.

 

[Podgie]

No, I do actually like Reinkaos. Admittedly nowhere near as much as the first two records, but it has its moments for me.

And again, no. You're right, not typically satanic, though if Jon were online now he'd agree that he was massively into the whole 'anti-cosmic satanism' thing, and that it's reflected in the band's music.

 

[Draehl]

Dark Funeral is a somewhat good example. They're, like, 3rd tier Black Metal. But figuring out if the lyrical content is taking away the musical quality is hard to say.

Not that the lyrical content makes the music of a poorly quality, but rather those that seek out to write music of a that particular theme/aesthetic end up having a poorer overall composition.

 

[Eligos]

So, to kick start this thread for the day with a slightly controversial topic... Is anyone else of the opinion that the satanic BM bands simply release poorer quality music? I don't have a problem with the subject matter, but could their devotion to the imagery be a distraction from the actual music itself? I had once assumed I just didn't enjoy the often lo-fi and thrashier style as I am an unabashed atmospheric/pagan BM fan, but then I look at other non satanic lo-fi and/or thrashy acts like Weakling, Immortal, Burzum, etc. and I really don't see the same issue.

Or may it all be whooshing over my head in that its not even their goal to make good music and the imagery and message is the only purpose?

There are certainly plenty of Satanic/Occult-themed bands both old and new with an ear for musicality. Second wave bands I can get behind would be Abigor, Nightside-era Emperor, Beherit (their grooves are just so good). Bathory's satanic stuff is some of their best. Highlights in recent years include Nightbringer, Teratism, and of course Deathspell Omega.

Though post black metal and pagan metal are certainly going strong these days, to write off satanic and occult bands as a whole is quite fallacious.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

So, to kick start this thread for the day with a slightly controversial topic... Is anyone else of the opinion that the satanic BM bands simply release poorer quality music? I don't have a problem with the subject matter, but could their devotion to the imagery be a distraction from the actual music itself? I had once assumed I just didn't enjoy the often lo-fi and thrashier style as I am an unabashed atmospheric/pagan BM fan, but then I look at other non satanic lo-fi and/or thrashy acts like Weakling, Immortal, Burzum, etc. and I really don't see the same issue.

Or may it all be whooshing over my head in that its not even their goal to make good music and the imagery and message is the only purpose?

Don't see agree at all. From Darkthrone to Deathspell Omega to Mutiilation there is no shortage of brilliant Satanic black metal.

 

[tagradh]

And again, no. You're right, not typically satanic, though if Jon were online now he'd agree that he was massively into the whole 'anti-cosmic satanism' thing, and that it's reflected in the band's music.

Only... Lyrics aren't music. And I really don't see how music can 'reflect' something like that.

So, to kick start this thread for the day with a slightly controversial topic... Is anyone else of the opinion that the satanic BM bands simply release poorer quality music? I don't have a problem with the subject matter, but could their devotion to the imagery be a distraction from the actual music itself? I had once assumed I just didn't enjoy the often lo-fi and thrashier style as I am an unabashed atmospheric/pagan BM fan, but then I look at other non satanic lo-fi and/or thrashy acts like Weakling, Immortal, Burzum, etc. and I really don't see the same issue.

Or may it all be whooshing over my head in that its not even their goal to make good music and the imagery and message is the only purpose?

Lyrics, which in the case of most bands fucking suck anyway, are a totally different thing to music.

There are plenty examples of people being great at writing music and shitty at writing lyrics, and vice versa.

 

[Podgie]

I know some bands place less emphasis on lyrics than others but there's no way you can tell me that lyrics are not part of a band's music.

Similarly you cannot tell me that music (without lyrics) can't convey a feeling or a message to the listener - which in turn could reflect a certain feeling or message... because that's down to personal perception.

 

[wandering_taco]

Yeah dude look at classical music for example. Many composers wrote pieces based off of things like poems and such, in an effort to reflect whatever mood or images that particular piece invoked.

 

[UltimateApathy]

So last time I was in this thread was several months ago and I was asking for good Symphonic Black Metal bands. Someone recommended Limbonic Art, I listened to it, and I got totally obsessed with it, especially the first album, "Moon In The Scorpio."





The second album blows my mind too:


In my mind, this is everything that Black Metal - or any kind of Metal - is truly all about, the glorious blending of menacing anguish, pounding brutality, out-of-this-world keyboards, and glorious symphonic Beethoven/Mozart-like melodies, the most fantastical blend all things exquisite assembled from the entire world of music.

It goes without saying that is the best recommendation I have ever got, but now I would like to listen to more bands that are similar in style, namely Symphonic Black Metal with both intensity and symphonic melodies that blend together so wonderously. Keep the suggestions coming, guys

 

[[)eadmund]

A couple of my current favorite bands - Aosoth and Inquisition - are satanic and I think they're great. Though Inquisition isn't really "pure" black metal, and Aosoth (at least the most recent album) probably isn't either.

I guess I'll have to listen to "melodic black metal." That just sounds totally impossible.

 

[Eligos]

Try starting with these two:

 

[Lateralus14]

Limbonic Art

glorious symphonic Beethoven/Mozart-like melodies

lol'd

 

[Master_Yoda77]

Inquisition and Aosoth are most definitely black metal and probably the two best bands doing it these days.

You fags know that Ildjarn has a new split with Hate Forest coming with previously unreleased tracks? People are calling bullshit because, well, just listen to this beast.

 

[Draehl]

Hey, came across an interesting list on Sputnik. Mostly Atmospheric BM that may be worth a look... most of these I haven't even heard of.

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/list.php?memberid=1033912&listid=132701

 

[Hellhounds On My Trail]

 

[UltimateApathy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1CuHLY1z40

Did I miss the memo about this becoming the pop-rock thread?

 

[UltimateApathy]

Here's a pretty thing: gloriously-dissonant drumming, deliciously-ominous chanting in the chorus, delicately-beautiful keyboard/piano parts, and the vocal effect they use starting at 3:50 just blows my mind. Why aren't these guys better-known?


So, anyone wanna recommend more bands similar to early Limbonic Art to me?

 

[HafgufaKraken]

So, anyone wanna recommend more bands similar to early Limbonic Art to me?

You may try these:

Carpe Tenebrum


Dies Ater

 

[Onder]

lol'd

I was taken aback by that aswell , but I don't know Limbonic Art well enough to react.

 

[UltimateApathy]

You may try these:

Carpe Tenebrum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAv3PBHlEGA

Dies Ater
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MS9SINeitI

Well, thanks for the suggestions, but unfortunately neither song has nearly enough symphonic/orchestral elements or degree of vocal variety to be considered similar to early Limbonic Art (drumming was pretty good in place though). In their early days Limbonic Art made very heavy and significant use of symphonic/orchestral and keyboard effects, as well as adding in atmospheric chanting at times to give the vocal range more variety and power. I need something that isn't afraid to transcend the boundaries of traditional Symphonic Black Metal in the way that they did...