Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It often employs fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, double-kick drumming, and unconventional song structure.

During the first half of the 1980s, certain thrash metal bands established a prototype for black metal. This First Wave includes bands such as Venom, Bathory, Hellhammer and Celtic Frost.^[1] A Second Wave emerged in the early 1990s, which consisted primarily of Norwegian bands such as Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone, Immortal and Emperor. This scene developed the black metal style into a distinct genre.

Black metal has been met with considerable hostility from mainstream culture, mainly due to the misanthropic and anti-Christian ideology of many bands. Additionally, some musicians have been associated with church burnings, murder and/or National Socialism.^[2] For these reasons and others, black metal is often viewed as an underground form of music.

Characteristics

Instrumentation

• Electric guitar

Black metal guitarists usually favour high pitched guitar tones and abundant distortion. Typically, the guitar is played with much usage of fast tremolo picking. When composing music, guitarists often use those scales, intervals and chord progressions that produce the most dissonant, fearful and ominous sounds. Additionally, guitar solos are a rarity in black metal.

• Bass guitar

The bass guitar is rarely used to perform independent melodies. It is not uncommon for the bass guitar to be inaudiable or to homophonically follow the bass lines of the guitar.

• Drumming

Typically, drumming is fast-paced and performed using double-kick, double-bass or blast beat techniques. However it is not unusual for drummers to employ more simplistic techniques. Many solo composers use drum machines instead of a human drummer.

• Song structure

Black metal compositions commonly deviate from conventional song structure and are often devoid of clear verse-chorus sections. Instead, many black metal songs contain extended and repetitive instrumental passages.

Vocals and lyrics

Traditional black metal vocals are in the form of high-pitched shrieks and screams, to which echo or reverberation effects may be applied. This vocal style sharply contrasts with the low-pitched growls of death metal. Occasionally, choral singing (by males or females) may be used as 'background' vocals.

The most common and founding lyrical theme is opposition to Christianity and other organized religions. As part of this, many bands promote atheism, antitheism, paganism and Satanism. Other themes that are commonly explored include misanthropy, nihilism, death and cold, dark environments. Additionally, some black metal bands take inspiration from fantasy narratives, mythology, and the folklore of their country or region.

Production

Low-cost production quality began as a must for early black metal bands with low budgets. However, even as bands moved to increase their production quality over time, low fidelity was often intentional for some bands to remain true to the genre's roots and raw sound. Darkthrone's Transilvanian Hunger is one of the better-known examples of this type of production quality.

Live performances

Unlike artists of many other genres, many black metal bands do not perform concerts. Some bands consist of just one member and thus performing live is impractical. Bands consisting of two members may recruit extra musicians specifically for concerts. Nonetheless, many bands with full instrumental line-ups refuse to perform concerts as a matter of principle.

Bands that choose to perform concerts often make use of stage props and theatrical techniques. Mayhem and Gorgoroth are noted for their controversial stage performances featuring impaled animal heads. Many musicians adopt a 'neo-medieval' costume style consisting of leather, spikes, bondage gear, armor and weaponry.

Imagery and aesthetics

Black metal bands often use inverted pentagrams and/or inverted crosses to reinforce their anti-Christian attitude.^[1] Their album covers are usually atmospheric or iconic and provocative; some feature natural or fantastical landscapes (for example Burzum's Filosofem and Emperor's In The Nightside Eclipse) while others are violent, perverted and iconoclastic (for example Marduk's Fuck Me Jesus).

One of the most noticeable features in black metal is facial corpse paint ? black and white makeup (sometimes detailed with real or fake blood), which is used to simulate a corpse-like appearance. In modern times, the usage of corpse paint has somewhat declined among black metal bands.

The First Wave

The First Wave of black metal refers to the bands during the 1980s who first influenced the black metal sound. They were often thrash metal bands,^[1] and thus their style has sometimes been called blackened thrash metal.

Venom's Black Metal (1982) inspired the name of the genre.

Another pioneer of black metal was the Swedish band Bathory, led by Thomas Forsberg (under the pseudonym Quorthon). Bathory combined low fidelity production and anti-Christian themes with shrieked vocals; something unheard of at the time. The band exhibited this style on their first four albums, beginning with Bathory (1984) and ending with Blood Fire Death (1988). At the beginning of the 1990s, Bathory pioneered the style that would become known as Viking metal.

Other early influences include Switzerland's Hellhammer and Celtic Frost, Italy's Bulldozer and Death SS, Hungary's Tormentor, Denmark's Mercyful Fate, and the early work of Brazil's Sarcófago and Sepultura. King Diamond of Mercyful Fate was also one of the first to frequent the use of corpsepaint, although metalstorm.ee magazine claims Sarcófago was the first band to sport "true" corpsepaint.^[3] Additionally, Euronymous of Mayhem described Germany's Sodom and Destruction as underestimated influences and "masterpieces of black stinking metal".^[4]

The Second Wave

The Second Wave of black metal emerged in the early 1990s and was largely centred on the Norwegian black metal scene. During 1990?1993 a number of Norwegian bands began performing and releasing black metal music; this included Mayhem, Burzum, Immortal, Darkthrone, Satyricon, Enslaved, Emperor, Thorns, Ildjarn and Carpathian Forest. As seen below, some of these bands would be responsible for a rash of criminal controversy, including church burnings and murder. Musically, these bands developed the style of their 1980s precursors as a distinct genre, separate from thrash metal. Philosophically, an aggressive anti-Christian sentiment became a must for any band to be finalized as "black metal". Ihsahn of Emperor believes that this trend may have developed simply from "an opposition to society, a confrontation to all the normal stuff."^[5] A dark, misanthropic mentality was complemented visually with the use of corpsepaint, which was also most prevalent during this period as a statement to separate black metal bands from other rock bands of the era.

Outside of Norway, a few bands with a similar style emerged in Sweden and Finland during the early 1990s. Among them were popular underground bands like Marduk and Dissection from Sweden, alongside Beherit and Impaled Nazarene from Finland.

By the mid 1990s, the musical style of the Norwegian scene was being adopted by bands across the globe. Newer black metal bands also began raising their production quality and introducing additional instrumentation such as synthesizers and full-symphony orchestras. This expansion and diversification marked the end of the Second Wave.

Helvete and Deathlike Silence

During May?June 1991,^[6] Øystein Aarseth (aka 'Euronymous') of Mayhem opened an independent record store named Helvete (Norwegian for hell) in Oslo. Musicians from Mayhem, Burzum, Emperor and Thorns frequently met there, and it became a prime outlet for black metal records.^[7] In its basement, Aarseth founded an independent record label named Deathlike Silence Productions. With the rising popularity of his band and others like it, the underground success of Aarseth's label is often credited for encouraging other record labels ?that previously refused black metal acts? to then reconsider and release their material.

Church burnings

Headliners of the black metal scene claimed responsibility for inspiring (if not necessarily perpetrating) over 50 arsons directed at Christian churches in Norway from 1992 to 1996^[7]. Many of the buildings were hundreds of years old, and widely regarded as important historical landmarks. The most notable church was Norway's Fantoft stave church, which the police believed was destroyed by Varg Vikernes of the one-man band Burzum.^[7] However, Vikernes would not be convicted of any arson offences, until his arrest for the murder of Øystein Aarseth in 1993 (see below). The cover of Burzum's EP Aske (Norwegian for ash) portrays a photograph of the Fantoft stave church after the arson; it is still unconfirmed whether or not he took this picture himself.

Today, opinions differ within the black metal community concerning the legitimacy of such actions. Guitarist Infernus and vocalist Gaahl of the band Gorgoroth have praised the church burnings in interviews, with the latter also opining "there should have been more of them, and there will be more of them."^[1] However, Necrobutcher, one of the founding and current members of Mayhem, was quoted as saying "I think it's just ridiculous, especially the people that lit up our fuckin' old churches. Like, thousand year-old churches. They don't realize that these were actually Heathen churches, before Christianity. So they fucked theirself in the ass by doing that."

Ohlin's suicide

A photograph of Ohlin's corpse was used as the cover of the bootleg live album, Dawn of the Black Hearts (1995).

He was found with slit wrists and a shotgun round to the head, by Mayhem guitarist Øystein Aarseth (aka 'Euronymous'). Ohlin's suicide note read "Excuse all the blood" and included an apology for firing the weapon indoors. Before calling the police, Aarseth went to a nearby store and bought a disposable camera to photograph the corpse, after re-arranging some items.^[10] One of these photographs was later stolen and used as the cover of a bootleg live album entitled Dawn of the Black Hearts.^[11]

Eventually, rumours surfaced that Aarseth made a stew with pieces of Ohlin's brain, and made necklaces with fragments of Ohlin's skull. The band later stated that the former rumour was false, but that the latter was true.^[8] Additionally, Aarseth claimed to have given these necklaces to musicians he deemed worthy.^[1] Mayhem bassist Jørn Stubberud (aka 'Necrobutcher') noted that "people became more aware of the [black metal] scene after Dead had shot himself ... I think it was Dead's suicide that really changed the scene."^[12]

Murder in Lillehammer

In 1992, Bård "Faust" Eithun of Emperor was in Lillehammer to see the newly constructed Olympic park. According to Faust in Lords of Chaos, a homosexual man named Rhys Walsh approached him and suggested that they have sex together in the nearby forest. Faust claims he agreed and that, once in the forest, the man made potent sexual advances on him. Faust retaliated and stabbed the man to death with a hunting knife. The case went unsolved until late 1993, when police began to investigate the church burnings and murder surrounding Varg Vikernes; such investigation of the black metal scene led police to Faust, and he served just over 9 years of a 14 year sentence before being released in 2003.

Aarseth's murder

On 10 August 1993, Varg Vikernes of Burzum murdered Mayhem guitarist Øystein Aarseth (aka 'Euronymous'). On that night, Vikernes and Snorre Ruch travelled from Bergen to Aarseth's apartment in Oslo. Upon their arrival a confrontation began, which ended when Vikernes fatally stabbed Aarseth. His body was found outside the apartment with twenty-three cut wounds ? two to the head, five to the neck, and sixteen to the back.^[13]

It has been speculated that the murder was the result of a power struggle, a financial dispute over Burzum records, or an attempt at "out doing" the stabbing in Lillehammer.^[14] Vikernes claims that Aarseth had plotted to torture him to death and videotape the event ? using a meeting about an unsigned contract as a pretext.^[15] On the night of the murder, Vikernes claims he intended to hand Aarseth the signed contract and "tell him to fuck off", but that Aarseth attacked him first.^[15] Additionally, Vikernes defends that most of Aarseth's cut wounds were caused by broken glass he had fallen on during the struggle.^[15]

Regardless of the circumstances, Vikernes was arrested within days, and a few months later was sentenced to 21 years in prison for both the murder and church arsons. In a controversial display, Vikernes actually smiled at the moment his verdict was read, an image that was widely reprinted in the news media.^[15] In May 1994, Mayhem finally released the album De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, which features Aarseth on electric guitar and Vikernes on bass guitar. While granted a short leave in 2003, Vikernes attempted to escape his bounds in Tønsberg, but he was re-arrested in a stolen vehicle with various firearms.^[16]

Conflict between scenes

A brief conflict known as the "Dark War" between Norwegian and Finnish scenes had gained some media recognition from 1992 to 1993. Part of this was motivated by seemingly harmless pranks; Nuclear Holocausto of Beherit started to make prank calls in the middle of the night to Samoth of Emperor and Mika Luttinen of Impaled Nazarene. The calls consisted of babbling and playing of children's songs,^[17] although Luttinen believed them to be death threats from Norwegian bands.

Notably, the album cover of Impaled Nazarene's Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz contains texts like "No orders from Norway accepted" and "Kuolema Norjan kusipäille!" (Death to the assholes of Norway!). The Finnish band Black Crucifixion criticized Darkthrone as "trendies" due to the fact that Darkthrone began their career as a death metal band.^[18] Additionally, a Norwegian band released two demos under the name Fuck Beherit.

Many recall a strong rivalry between Swedish death metal and Norwegian black metal scenes. It was common for black metal enthusiasts in Europe to terrorize notable death metal bands that were touring their country. Street fights at concerts and an attempted fire bomb at a Deicide show in Stockholm^[19] were reported before tensions calmed.

Modern black metal

During the mid 1990s, many black metal bands began to take new directions and increase their production quality. This, and the introduction of electronic instruments such as synthesizers, signalled the end of the Second Wave. The controversy surrounding black metal also faded, although some bands, notably Gorgoroth, have been the subject of some recent controversies, such as a live show which featured animal blood, ram heads, and four naked models tied to crosses.

Beginning in the mid 1990s an Eastern European black metal scene began to develop. Many of these bands were from the former Soviet Bloc and recorded material in the deliberate low fidelity style of early Norwegian bands. There was also a tendency to glorify the pagan roots of their home countries and incorporate indigenous folk music. Prominent bands among this scene include Graveland (from Poland), Trollech (from Czech Republic), Sear Bliss (from Hungary), Nokturnal Mortum (from Ukraine) and Negur? Bunget (from Romania). Elsewhere in Europe, other prominent "traditional" black metal bands have emerged, including 1349 (from Norway), Marduk, Naglfar and Watain (from Sweden), Lucifugum (from Ukraine), Deathspell Omega and Antaeus (from France), Ancient Rites and Enthroned (from Belgium) and Moonspell (from Portugal).

By the beginning of the 21st century, black metal bands and scenes had begun to emerge in many countries outside Europe (facial occupation in australia). New styles of black metal also emerged. The United States black metal scene has been strongly associated with the black ambient (or ambient black metal) style, performed by bands such as Velvet Cacoon, Leviathan and Xasthur. Others such as Blut Aus Nord and Spektr have included industrial elements. Additionally, a style known as black doom was pioneered by Dolorian and Forgotten Tomb, and has since been adopted by the prominent Japanese band Gallhammer.

Stylistic divisions

Melodic black metal

Melodic black metal is a style of black metal that is less abrasive and more melodic. Electric guitars are often played with much less distortion and guitar solos are more common. Songs are often written in conventional structures and there is more usage of keyboards and other instruments. However, despite these differences, much of the characteristics found in "traditional" black metal are retained. Melodic black metal is often confused with symphonic black metal, as the two styles overlap.

Symphonic black metal

Symphonic black metal is a style of black metal that uses symphonic and orchestral elements. This may include the usage of instruments found in symphony orchestras (piano, violin, cello, flute and keyboards), 'clean' or operatic vocals and guitars with less distortion. Symphonic black metal is often confused with melodic black metal and gothic metal, as the styles overlap.

Viking black metal

Viking black metal is a term used to describe black metal bands whose lyrics and imagery emphasise Norse mythology, Norse paganism and the Viking Age. These bands typically seek to create an epic or romanticized atmosphere.^[20] Their harsh black metal sound is "often augmented by sorrowful keyboard melodies,"^[21] acoustic guitars and Nordic folk instruments.^[22] Vocals are typically a mixture of high-pitched shrieks and 'clean' choral singing.^[23] The origin of Viking metal can be traced to the albums Blood Fire Death (1988) and Hammerheart (1990) by the Swedish band Bathory.^[24] Since then, a number of black metal bands (Enslaved, Satyricon, Windir) have borrowed such concepts to further elaborate on their anti-Christian sentiment.

Black ambient

Black ambient (also known as ambient black metal) is a style that combines elements of black metal and ambient/dark ambient music. However, emphasis may be placed upon one or the other. The electric guitar and bass guitar are often used in conjunction with electronic instruments such as synthesizers and drum machines, or may simply be played in an ambient, atmospheric style. The infamous Norwegian artist Burzum may be considered a pioneer of black ambient, particularly for the album Filosofem. Other prominent artists who have performed in this style include Velvet Cacoon (US), Wolves in the Throne Room (US), Xasthur (US), Leviathan (US), Nortt (Denmark), Abruptum (Sweden), Blut Aus Nord (France), Summoning (Austria) and Striborg (Australia).

Black doom

Black doom (also known as blackened doom metal) is a style that combines elements of black metal and doom metal. Typically, vocals are in the form of high-pitched shrieks and guitars are played with much distortion, which is common in black metal. But the music is played at a slow tempo with a much 'thicker' guitar sound, which is common in doom metal. Lyrics often involve themes of nature, nihilism and depression. The early work of Bethlehem (Germany) and Katatonia (Sweden) is generally regarded as the foundation of this style. Pure blackened doom bands are fairly rare, but Dolorian (Finland), Barathrum (Finland), Unholy (Finland), Ajattara (Finland), Forgotten Tomb (Italy), Nortt (Denmark) and Gallhammer (Japan) have performed in this style.

Blackened death metal

Blackened death metal is a style that combines elements of black metal and death metal. When compared with 'traditional' black metal, there is more usage of down-tuned guitars, palm muting, and complex blast beats. Vocals are often a mixture of shrieks and death growls. Bands of this style often focus on themes common in black metal, such as anti-Christianity, Satanism and Occultism.

Ideology

Any attempt to lay out the ideology of a musical genre is bound to generalize to the extent that some traits are unfairly emphasized with respect to certain artists, while others are laid out which do not apply to all. Nonetheless, there is a clear pattern which can be sketched out to capture the fundamental elements behind black metal. Black metal is generally held to embrace anti-Christianity, misanthropy, nihilism and individualism.^[1] As part of their opposition to Christianity (and organized religion in general), many bands promote atheism, antitheism, paganism and Satanism.^[1] As an extension of misanthropy, there is often an emphasis on nature and death, sometimes suicide.

In some cases, black metal bands have promoted nationalist views, although the majority of those involved in the scene are not outspoken with regard to this, and prefer to let their music speak for itself. Nonetheless, many black metal bands are proud of their culture/nation, but do not deny the right of people from other nations to be proud of theirs. Many see cultural assimilation or cultural homogenization as something to be avoided, and one way to avoid this is to take pride in being a representative of one's own culture, and produce art that is distinct to it. These ideas are sometimes realised musically by the incorporation of folk elements to their works.

Another ideological conflict within black metal circles is the sound of black metal itself. The two major philosopies of black metal are either to keep to the standard, lo-fi, raw, angry sound pioneered by bands such as Darkthrone or Burzum, or to keep the music as extreme and different as possible by bringing in influence from other forms of music. One major champion of the first, more conservative train of thought is Blake Judd of Nachtmystium, who has rejected labeling his band black metal for its recent departure from the typical black metal sound^[25]. A supporter of the more experimental side of black metal is Snorre Ruch of the band Thorns, who stated that modern black metal is "too narrow" and believes that was "not the idea at the beginning"^[26].

National Socialist black metal

National Socialist black metal (NSBM) is a term used for black metal artists who support National Socialist beliefs in their music and imagery. NSBM is viewed as an ideology, not a subgenre, as there is no distinct "style" to play black metal in a National Socialist way. Bands labelled as such use lyrics supporting ideas of white supremacy, racial separatism and antisemitism. Many also support various forms of paganism, but this is common among "traditional" black metal bands. Some black metal bands have made references to Nazi Germany for shock value, causing them to be wrongly labelled as NSBM. It should be noted that NSBM bands are a minority within the black metal genre.^[27]

Unblack metal

Unblack metal (also known as Christian black metal) is a term used in reference to black metal bands whose lyrics and imagery depict Christianity positively. Such bands are controversial, as black metal itself was developed with the intention of encouraging anti-Christian sentiment. Like National Socialist black metal, it is viewed as an ideology, not a subgenre, as there is no distinct "style" to play black metal in a Christian way. The style emerged in 1991, when Antestor released their demo The Defeat of Satan. In 1994, Horde also gained wide recognition with their own anti-Satanic themes, as evidenced by song titles like "Silence the Blasphemous Chanting" and "Invert the Inverted Cross". Several bands adopting the concept have emerged since then, but it should be noted that they are a minority within the genre, and are often opposed by "traditional" black metal bands.

Media

• NPR Video on Black Metal Culture

Films on black metal:

• Satan Rides the Media (1998) details the conviction of Varg Vikernes, his murder of Øystein Aarseth, and some related church burnings.
• Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (2005) touches on black metal in the early 1990s, and includes an extensive 25-minute feature on the DVD release.
• True Norwegian Black Metal (2007) was aired as a five-part feature by the online broadcasting network VBS.tv. It details the lifestyle, beliefs, and controversies surrounding Gorgoroth frontman Gaahl.^[28]
• Until The Light Takes Us (2007) explores black metal's origins and subculture, including "exclusive interviews" and "rare, seldom seen footage from the Black Circle's earliest days".^[29][30]
• Black Metal: A Documentary (2007), produced by Bill Zebub, explores the world of black metal from the point of view of the artists. There is no narrator and no one outside of black metal takes part in any interview or storytelling. It includes interviews and performances from Finntroll, Naglfar, Ulver, Korovo, Unexpect, Gloomy Grim, Bloodthorn, Dark Funeral, Bethlehem, Grom, Enslaved, King Diamond, Arkhon Infaustus, Rotting Christ, Primordial, Belphegor, and Svarog.^[31]
• Murder Music: A History of Black Metal (2007).

References in media:

• The cartoon show Metalocalypse is about an extreme metal band called Dethklok, with many references to leading black metal artists on the names of various buildings such as Fintroll's, Dimmu Burger, Gorgoroth's electric wheelchair store, Carpathian Forest High School, Marduk's Putt & Stuff, Burzum's hot-dogs and Behemoth studios (as well as the man who owns Behemoth studios, whose name is Mr. Grishnackh). In the episode Dethdad they travel to Norway to visit Toki's dying father, and visit the original black metal record store.
• A Norwegian commercial for a laundry detergent once depicted black metal musicians as part of the advertisement.^[32]
• Black metal bands such as 1349, Emperor, Behemoth, Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Enslaved and Satyricon have had their videos make appearances on MTV's Headbangers Ball.
• Comedian Brian Posehn made a visual reference to Norwegian black metal bands in the music video for his comedy song "Metal By Numbers".^[33]
• In 2005 Design Confederacy Film produced Legalize Murder: A Black Metal Comedy - following the fictional black metal act Legalize Murder at home, on tour, etc.
• A Canadian commercial by KFC in 2008 featured a fictional black metal band called Hellvetica. The band's vocalist proceeds to eat fire. Once backstage he takes a bite of the spicy KFC chicken product and declares "Oh man, that is hot".

See also

• List of black metal bands
• Extreme metal

Literature

• Moynihan, Michael. Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground. Venice: Feral House, 2006. ISBN 0-922915-48-2
• Kahn-Harris, Keith. Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge. Oxford: Berg, 2006. ISBN 9781845203993
• (Source: Christe, Ian. Sound of the Beast: the Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2004.)

References

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