Unblack Metal

[AchrisK]

Although many people like to use the label "black metal" to describe the music aesthetic only, I know many members see black metal as being defined by more than just the music. So, in respect for the latter group, I am starting a new thread to discuss unblack metal. Before coming here I really disliked the term unblack. I was fine with it as part of the Horde album title (Hellig Usvart = Holy Unblack), but I thought it was silly to try to make a genre out of it. But based on the opinions of people here, I am contemplating the validity of the term.

UNBLACK

 

[Dazed and Brutal]

Trouble called themselves white metal for a period of time (not really sure if they still do)

 

[AchrisK]

Anyone know about Aquarius Records? Today a friend told me to go to this site and read the reviews of an unblack metal band called Light Shall Prevail. I was amazed at how psyched these guys are about this band. These Aquarius guys seem to know their stuff, and they are raving about Light Shall Prevail, and a few other bands' releases that have been put out by a small label called E.E.E. Recordings.

I personally haven't checked these bands out, and probably never would have, but these reviews have piqued my interest.

 

[AchrisK]

Trouble called themselves white metal for a period of time (not really sure if they still do)

Yeah, they are using that term at Aquarius Records too. I never liked that term all that much either, but now that I think about it, it makes more sense than "Christian metal".

 

[ohiogrinder]

is crap

/thread

 

[Thasis]

Now I have nothing really against christians promoting through their music. If us black-metallers can promote anti-christianity then what gives christians any less right to make arguements back. All for free-speach I am. But really, why would christians want to emulate a sound that has been exclusively dealing with antichristianity, antilife, and pretty much everything opposite of what christianity stands for. Even though it's just an aesthetic, the aesthetic has become almost dependent on the lyrical concepts. It makes very little sense to me.

 

[Rabid Headbanger]

It's all crappy and uninspired tripe.


[/thread]

 

[Vossyrus]

I've never understood what the fuss about using the term Christian Black Metal is...ironic, yes, and probably somewhat moronic but after all, it is only music and not every single black metal band shares the same set of beliefs or follows one another. Of course saying it is only music is an understatement but I disagree when people say because its black metal is has to be more than just music because that simply isn't always true. Many even avoid typical satanic, antichristian views anyways. And to be quite honest, the whole 'essence' or 'spirit' of black metal, the abstract meaning behind the music more and more now just seems like an aesthetic. Not to mention it's a very simple concept to understand so this appeals to many die hard black metal fans, and as they form bands, almost every one of those bands honestly believes they are making something 'divine' and purely artistic so I think in many cases it's lost its value and 'clones' or those unoriginal will never be as strong as the original.

My point is to anyone who understands and enjoys black metal, it's ironic to set in stone what black metal should be by definition - saying a black metal band can't be Christian doesn't really make sense to me because not all black metal is aimed against or for religion. Whether you admit it or not, in absolute truth it is a genre firstly because of the style of music, and secondly for what the music stands for. To prove this argument, you can take any black metal band that speaks a foreign language you can't understand and how then will you know what it is they write about? It could be nonsense just as long as it sounds black metal.


I'm half asleep and completely out of it btw - long day, I need rest.

 

[Cythraul]

The very idea of it is fucking laughable because it's not as if lyrical expression is a completely separate realm independent of musical expression. Certain aesthetic tropes develop in service of the expression of certain ideas, and it's not all just arbitrary. Black metal is just not an appropriate medium for the expression of Christian ideas and it's an insult to the genre.

 

[AchrisK]

The very idea of it is fucking laughable because it's not as if lyrical expression is a completely separate realm independent of musical expression. Certain aesthetic tropes develop in service of the expression of certain ideas, and it's not all just arbitrary. Black metal is just not an appropriate medium for the expression of Christian ideas and it's an insult to the genre.

So you're saying that the tones and arrangements used in black metal are, in and of themselves, "evil"? I think not.

 

[Rabid Headbanger]

I do not think.

Fixed...

 

[Scourge of God]

So you're saying that the tones and arrangements used in black metal are, in and of themselves, "evil"? I think not.

Symbolic communication is inherently arbitrary, and that's as true of music as it is of any other 'language.' That said, humans create systems or structures of symbolic elements that, in relationship to one another, create a delineated or socially understood series of 'meanings.' You can, I suppose, repurpose the musical language of black metal to carry a Christian message, just as you could get on a PA tomorrow and announce that the sky is chartreuse. Don't expect anyone but morons to agree with you, but there you have it...

 

[Cythraul]

So you're saying that the tones and arrangements used in black metal are, in and of themselves, "evil"? I think not.

I never made that claim.

 

[Blue_Jay]

Fixed...

Die.

 

[Alex78]

Black metal is just not an appropriate medium for the expression of Christian ideas and it's an insult to the genre.

how would you know? you're not christian. if christian people feel like this kind of music fits their lyrical message, then it's fine for me.
to say "ok they can do thrash/power/prog metal, but not black metal" is pretty stupid imo

 

[Cythraul]

how would you know? you're not christian. if christian people feel like this kind of music fits their lyrical message, then it's fine for me.
to say "ok they can do thrash/power/prog metal, but not black metal" is pretty stupid imo

And why the fuck would I need to consult with some Christian and find out about how they feel in order to understand the nature of a certain type of musical expression? Are you on crack? I think what you're trying to bring up is totally irrelevant. Also, I never made any claim concerning the appropriateness of expressing Christian ideas through other subgenres of metal so fuck off or something.

 

[Zephyrus]

I don't give a rats flying fuck if its performed by Hassidic Jews singing about the Ten Commandments, if the music is good and it sounds like black metal, I call it black metal and I listen to it.

 

[KevenZ]

noob thread once again on this board

 

[Vitor]

I don't give a rats flying fuck if its performed by Hassidic Jews singing about the Ten Commandments, if the music is good and it sounds like black metal, I call it black metal and I listen to it.

.

 

[Jreg]

Symbolic communication is inherently arbitrary, and that's as true of music as it is of any other 'language.' That said, humans create systems or structures of symbolic elements that, in relationship to one another, create a delineated or socially understood series of 'meanings.' You can, I suppose, repurpose the musical language of black metal to carry a Christian message, just as you could get on a PA tomorrow and announce that the sky is chartreuse. Don't expect anyone but morons to agree with you, but there you have it...

But the color of the sky is a scientific fact. The commonly accepted belief that the soundtrack to black metal most closely reflects its anti-Christian ideals is not. The two aren't really comparable. Unless you're talking about someone trying to claim that the actual color blue, as it exists as an electromagnetic wavelength, can be renamed chartreuse. That might make a LITTLE more sense.