Definitive Black Metal Album

[crimsonfloyd]

I don't know. I think as time moves on HLTO continues to have more of a sustained impact on black metal than TH or Pure Holocaust, which were probably more quintessential through the late 90s.

 

[Bathoryswans]

Some of those first wave albums are really good but Under the Sign of the Black Mark is the only one that comes close to the second wave classics.

I'm sorry but but I don't get what's so great about a lot of these Norwegion bands they are quite boring to be honest. I like the music but the song writing is often weak and lacking in any variety.

 

[Bathoryswans]

Blood Fire Death is a bit of a mess. The opener and closer are just amazing, but everything in between is pretty pedestrian. Either way, a lot of it isn't that black metalish.

Doesn't matter its still a much better album than any 90s black metal album I've heard only one that comes close is Sabbats the Dwelling that was a masterpiece. What's so great about Transilvanian hunger? Lack of variety? Everyone pisses for Darkthrone I like them but they are not mind blowing.

 

[Funerary_Doom]

Well, besides Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone and Bathory... I'd probably add Gorgoroth's Pentagram somewhere along this "list" as well.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

I'm sorry but but I don't get what's so great about a lot of these Norwegion bands they are quite boring to be honest. I like the music but the song writing is often weak and lacking in any variety.

Well you have to think about the band's artistic goal. Sometimes repetition is necessary to communicate certain messages. For example, I don't Filosofem could achieve what achieves without the use of repetition.

But there are also plenty of records with lots of variety, i.e. the first two Emperor Records, the first two Burzum records, A Blaze in the Northern Sky etc.

Doesn't matter its still a much better album than any 90s black metal album I've heard only one that comes close is Sabbats the Dwelling that was a masterpiece. What's so great about Transilvanian hunger? Lack of variety? Everyone pisses for Darkthrone I like them but they are not mind blowing.

To me, Transilvanian Hunger communicates human impulse detached from human emotion. It's a totally inhumane sound. That's an abstract idea, I know, and I'm sure other people would put it differently, but I think that's in the region of why this record is so compelling to so many people. It fucks with the way we normally hear humans express themselves and in doing so depicts a very primal experience.

 

[Bathoryswans]

Well you have to think about the band's artistic goal. Sometimes repetition is necessary to communicate certain messages. For example, I don't Filosofem could achieve what achieves without the use of repetition.

But there are also plenty of records with lots of variety, i.e. the first two Emperor Records, the first two Burzum records, A Blaze in the Northern Sky etc.



To me, Transilvanian Hunger communicates human impulse detached from human emotion. It's a totally inhumane sound. That's an abstract idea, I know, and I'm sure other people would put it differently, but I think that's in the region of why this record is so compelling to so many people. It fucks with the way we normally hear humans express themselves and in doing so depicts a very primal experience.

I don't mind repetition sorry if I sounded like I did but I certainly didn't get any of those feelings when listening to Transilvanian Hunger to me it was just an 8/10 black metal album. I think I came off wrong with my criticism maybe. I'm generally more a thrash metal guy than black metal but I easily prefer Bathory over any thrash band. They were consistent and versatile as well as very innovative and influential yeah they get looked over for these Norwegian bands most of whom I just find overhyped. I do need to listen to Filosofem again though I recall I liked it.


By the way what you described about Transilvanian Hunger sounds more like the way I would describe Sabbats The dwelling or Paul Chains Violet art of Improvisation or Swans Public Castration is a good idea.

 

[HafgufaKraken]

DMDS and Filosofem.

If I had to pick one, I'd take Filosofem, because I prefer the "mystical" and atmospheric side of black metal over the purely agressive and misanthropic one.

 

[Draehl]

DMDS and Filosofem.

If I had to pick one, I'd take Filosofem, because I prefer the "mystical" and atmospheric side of black metal over the purely agressive and misanthropic one.

This. That and I'm not a fan of DMDS.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

I don't mind repetition sorry if I sounded like I did but I certainly didn't get any of those feelings when listening to Transilvanian Hunger to me it was just an 8/10 black metal album. I think I came off wrong with my criticism maybe. I'm generally more a thrash metal guy than black metal but I easily prefer Bathory over any thrash band. They were consistent and versatile as well as very innovative and influential yeah they get looked over for these Norwegian bands most of whom I just find overhyped. I do need to listen to Filosofem again though I recall I liked it.


By the way what you described about Transilvanian Hunger sounds more like the way I would describe Sabbats The dwelling or Paul Chains Violet art of Improvisation or Swans Public Castration is a good idea.

Yeah I'm sort of the opposite. Black metal is my main passion, but I do appreciate thrash more and more as the years go by. I definitely agree Bathory is one of the greats. I love their first three albums and think parts of Blood Fire Death are nothing short of brilliant. His viking metal stuff can be quite amazing but the vocals really hurt it for me. But no doubt, he's one of the greats of black metal and I wouldn't fault anyone who argued Under the Sign of the Black Mark was the best black metal album.

I haven't listened to Sabbat in years. I didn't like them back in the day, but would be willing to give them another listen.