What bands are pushing the limits of Black Metal?

[Perdition's Light]

I'd like to say greetings to you all as this is my first post.

Anyways, in your opinion, what bands are pushing the boundaries (be it aesthetic, atmosphere, production, whatever) of BM to create something somewhat original in a cluttered genre with a lot of mediocre bands. Don't get me wrong, I love the traditional BM sound, I'm just burned out on the lack of variety I've been hearing. Please give me suggestions.

(I really like the new Blut Aus Nord CD, and find it very atmospheric and inspiring that's what made me think about this)

 

[Henrik Main]

Definitely Enslaved. Emperor also did. Arcturus. Borknagar.

 

[random_phil]

Anaal Nathrakh.

 

[Perdition's Light]

Borknagar, Arcturus, and Enslaved aren't even close to BM anymore though. But I enjoy them nonetheless.

The only Emperor I can stand is ITNE and anything before that.

 

[Perdition's Light]

Another band I love everything I've heard by is Drudkh. Does anyone know of any similar sounding or similarly unique BM?

 

[Life Sucks]

Noktural Mortum
Nagelfar (not Naglfar)
Mjolnir
Nachtfalke
Aborym
Temnozor

 

[spaffe]

I'd like to say greetings to you all as this is my first post.

Anyways, in your opinion, what bands are pushing the boundaries (be it aesthetic, atmosphere, production, whatever) of BM to create something somewhat original in a cluttered genre with a lot of mediocre bands. Don't get me wrong, I love the traditional BM sound, I'm just burned out on the lack of variety I've been hearing. Please give me suggestions.

(I really like the new Blut Aus Nord CD, and find it very atmospheric and inspiring that's what made me think about this)

try negura bunget's latest, now that's quality black metal for you with a truly unique sound

 

[King Chaos]

Anaal Nathrakh.

YEEESSSS I came on here and was gonna say Anaal Nathrak but no ones ever heard of em usually... Im glad you said that and I agree. No one has ever sounded so evil!!!

 

[Freanan]

Definitely Ildjarn.
They go further in the "progression through regression" direction that was once started by early Bathory and Darkthrone, being the most raw and extreme band (project in fact) i know.
Still he creates some feral, slightly foresty atmosphere that makes you feel like being a wild boar living freely in the nightly forest...
I listened to a sampler with stuff from all albums, Forest Poetry seemed best to me.
So Ildjarn does not push the boundary of BM towards "normal music" but it pushes the boundaries towards even more agression, and rawness.

The aforementioned band Negura Bunget is great too.
Like a mix of Burzum, Emperor, Enslaved and Darkthrone (they are not really a mx of these bands but to list them is the best way to describe what they feel/sound like: old school bm meets pagan and "melodic" emperorlike BM).

I also listened to Drudkh and like them rather much, but i would not say they are pushing the boundaries... just Burzum influenced but not ripped-off elegic anachronistic melancholic pagan BM.

 

[Believer]

Borknagar is doing some great stuff. They are definately pushing the limits of BM.

 

[King Chaos]

WHat you callin akercocke now a days? That fits the ideology... but it isnt totally black metally... I suppose they deserve some props for mixing genres in a scary way.

 

[Henrik Main]

Definitely Ildjarn.
They go further in the "progression through regression" direction that was once started by early Bathory and Darkthrone, being the most raw and extreme band (project in fact) i know.
Still he creates some feral, slightly foresty atmosphere that makes you feel like being a wild boar living freely in the nightly forest...
I listened to a sampler with stuff from all albums, Forest Poetry seemed best to me.
So Ildjarn does not push the boundary of BM towards "normal music" but it pushes the boundaries towards even more agression, and rawness.

Ildjarn is a now-defunct one man band (consisting only of Ildjarn himself). He released several albums and EPs during the nineties, mostly raw, minimalistic black metal with extremely raw production (Transilvanian Hunger sounds crisp and clear in comparison). He also released a double album called "Landscapes", which is ambient music. His last works were the dark ambient records called Hardangervidda 1 and 2 and a couple of EPs.

 

[polarity]

I'm not sure how many of these bands are 'new' per se, but they're obscure and I've only just been getting into them, so here:

Besatt
Frozen Shadows
Watain
Kataxu
Fluisterwoud
Cryptic Winds
Vordven
Woodtemple
Warloghe

 

[no country for old wainds]

Another band I love everything I've heard by is Drudkh. Does anyone know of any similar sounding or similarly unique BM?

I'd suggest checking out Astrofaes. Ancestor's Shadows and Heritage are both brilliant.

Summoning are the obvious choice. Post-BM that isn't just superficial pretentious crap.

 

[Perdition's Light]

Yeah I can't believe I totally forgot to mention Negura Bunget. I got N Crugu Bradului and have been playing the hell out of it. Pure quality I agree.

 

[Perdition's Light]

I'm not sure how many of these bands are 'new' per se, but they're obscure and I've only just been getting into them, so here:

Besatt
Frozen Shadows
Watain
Kataxu
Fluisterwoud
Cryptic Winds
Vordven
Woodtemple
Warloghe

Fluisterwoud's full-length is fucking awesome! Great production, raw but somehow perfectly clear. Damn SLSK stopped working but I really want to hear the new Watain. I haven't even heard of those other ones listed but I'll look for them.

 

[Oblivious Maximus]

Summoning are the obvious choice. Post-BM that isn't just superficial pretentious crap.

Summoning are great. Have you heard the Lost Tales EP? I have not yet heard it and I would like to know if it's any good.

 

[Perdition's Light]

I'd suggest checking out Astrofaes. Ancestor's Shadows and Heritage are both brilliant.

Summoning are the obvious choice. Post-BM that isn't just superficial pretentious crap.

I downloaded Dol Goldur, am currently listening to it, and I'm glad I finally gave them a listen. Their Tolkien influence really scared me away because I thought it would be overblown or cheesy but it's not at all. I will definetely purchase this!

 

[CF87]

Living Colour no doubt.

 

[no country for old wainds]

HAHHAHAHAHahahaHAHA, ROFLMAO, good one!!!!