Black Metal.

[ArneZ]

My ratings of the albums:
Quintessence 9.5\10
Empiricism 8.5\10
Epic 8\10
and then something different,their album "Origin".
Origin is a very unique album. Its not their usual style, clean vocals,folk\prog,an acoustic album. Remember first time i heard it i was so disappointed cause it was so wierd, but now I love the album. Remeber the reviews for this album here in Norway was crazy, from 1 out of 10 to other who gave 10\10 calling it their best effort. I dont want to rate it, cause its just so different from the others. But check them all out, amazing albums!

 

[Skepticism]

Always found all their albums to be rather poor except their first one, which was great.

 

[unknown]

Well I finally got the opportunity, through Autumn Aurora, to find out what all the hype is about over Drudkh. This was a fresh take on Black Metal than was very welcome to my ears. The sound was bright, like black metal for a sunny day rather than a cold night. Yet at the same time it expressed those emotions you expect from this style of music.

Do yourself a favor and check out Forgotten Legends...a lot of fans consider it their best work. Also, in my opinion, Blood In Our Wells is also a phenomenal album

 

[Skepticism]

Blood In Our Wells is their best imo.

 

[HaggardBastard]

In regard to Drudkh:
Next to Ulver, they are easily my favorite band operating in any genre. Though I haven't heard the new one, every album is brilliant. Autumn Aurora and Blood In Our Wells are my favorites and the ones that any self-respecting metaller, as mandated by the forces that be, must own. They're both extraordinarily epic and extraordinarily life-changing. However, Forgotten Legends, the debut, is also incredible, very mantric as concerns song structure. Trance-inducing, to say the least.

In regard to Borknagar:
First get The Olden Domain, then the self-titled debut. The latter is much more black metal, very fast and blasting at times, but not without the stomping, mug-swinging Borknagar-trademarked sound. The former is easily in my top twenty albums of all time. The songs are unusually memorable, and the feel of the album is not too dissimilar from a more song-oriented Drudkh, what with its nature boy ethos and grandiose arrangements. Again, mandatory listening for all 'heads worth their weight in cd cases.

 

[Alter]

In regard to Drudkh:
Next to Ulver, they are easily my favorite band operating in any genre. Though I haven't heard the new one, every album is brilliant. Autumn Aurora and Blood In Our Wells are my favorites and the ones that any self-respecting metaller, as mandated by the forces that be, must own. They're both extraordinarily epic and extraordinarily life-changing. However, Forgotten Legends, the debut, is also incredible, very mantric as concerns song structure. Trance-inducing, to say the least.

In regard to Borknagar:
First get The Olden Domain, then the self-titled debut. The latter is much more black metal, very fast and blasting at times, but not without the stomping, mug-swinging Borknagar-trademarked sound. The former is easily in my top twenty albums of all time. The songs are unusually memorable, and the feel of the album is not too dissimilar from a more song-oriented Drudkh, what with its nature boy ethos and grandiose arrangements. Again, mandatory listening for all 'heads worth their weight in cd cases.

You might be a worth poster.

 

[Zephyrus]

Okay, so the only Borknagar album I have is a promo copy of Epic. I am digging this album and I am wondering which Borknagar album I should get next?

Quintessence is their best but I'd get Empiricism first, since you're starting with Epic. Their entire discography, however, is top of the line, so you really can't go wrong.

 

[The Ozzman]

Thanks for the Borknagar recs. I'll get to it when I can. I want to check out some Abigor first and might start with 'Channelling the Quintessence..' and also check out some Drudkh.

I remember when I thought black metal was fucking weird. Now I really enjoy it.

 

[Zephyrus]

I've been listening to one of the free albums I got to review for the blog. A one-man black metal project from Maine called Bothildir. Fans of Abigor would really dig this guy's stuff. I'll be writing a review tomorrow.

 

[~Derek~]

Quintessence had some parts I enjoyed and others I didnt enjoy as much, it was a solid good CD though. I think I'd like the more black metal oriented stuff like the ST and The Olden Domain better though. I wasnt sure what to think of Arcturus's later material, but I really liked the early stuff from Aspieras Hymns Symphony.

 

[Slayed Necros]

I want to check out some Abigor first and might start with 'Channelling the Quintessence..'

Fuck that. Start with Nachthymnen or Opus IV.

 

[Hatebreeder]

Honestly, I think you can start and stop with Borknagar's The Olden Domain. I have heard few black metal albums of that ilk with the same memorable power.

 

[xeperu]

Fuck that. Start with Nachthymnen or Opus IV.

Yeah seriously, I consider 'Channeling...' to be their worst album, and unmemorable.

 

[Hypnos]

Okay, so the only Borknagar album I have is a promo copy of Epic. I am digging this album and I am wondering which Borknagar album I should get next?

the first three: Borknagar, The Olden Domain, The Archaic Course

these are the only ones i enjoy from beginning to the end

 

[Zephyrus]

Yeah seriously, I consider 'Channeling...' to be their worst album, and unmemorable.

I find it quite memorable. And you can't say it's worse than the two that come after it.

 

[xeperu]

I don't know bout that, I don't mind 'Fractal Possession though', but thats just me. But Satanized is also pretty bad album too... My favorite era from Abigor will always be with Silenius though.

 

[Zephyrus]

Yeah I'm hoping my Nachthymnen/Orkblut combo comes in the mail today or else I'll have to wait until the middle of next month when I'm back here.

I really like Fractal Possession but it's too far removed from their material from Channeling... and backward, especially in terms of atmosphere.

 

[Hatebreeder]

I find it quite memorable. And you can't say it's worse than the two that come after it.

I though it was pretty generic, but such is what I enjoy in modern black metal. I must have listened to it five times since I purchased it a week ago.

 

[Zephyrus]

Generic perhaps, but quality.

 

[Zephyrus]

Anyways, I'm ready to get serious about scooping up the essentials of first-wave black metal. I've got a list of prospects and I'm wondering what else I ought to acquire. I'll be making a good deal of money over vacation (plus all that textbook money) so a good deal of these albums should be within my possession. So far all I own is To Mega Therion, Apocalyptic Raids, Under the Sign of the Black Mark, and Blood Fire Death.

Bathory - Bathory
Bathory - The Return
Celtic Frost - Morbid Tales/Emperor's Return
Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath
Mercyful Fate - Melissa
Sarcofago - INRI
Sodom - In the Sign of Evil
Venom - Black Metal

So what else should I be on the lookout for?