I have a strong interest in Black Metal...more from an anthropological angle than anything, I guess...but I want to hear some. One thing I admire about the "Black Metal mentality" would be the feirce independence that some of the die-hard "true" fans/artists of the genre have. I'm not talking about the Dimmu Borgir or Cradle Of Filth stuff...that's the slick, "commercialized" version of Black Metal...I'm talking the raw, ugly stuff that spawned from guys who could barely play but had a vision.

So, for you Black Metal fans out there, reccomend me ONE album by each of the following bands:

Mayhem
Burzum
Darkthrone
Immortal

Also, if I'm overlooking bands from this "wave" or whatever, let me know...I seriously want to spend some time exploring this genre.

Pick up Enslaved's "Frost".

Immortal - "At The Heart Of Winter"

Don't know any from the others.

Try Dark Funeral, I used to laugh at them when I heard them on some compilation discs...

Spec - I like the later Enslaved stuff...when they added a lot of the Prog/Folk elements...Vertebrae is one of my favorite albums of 2008...

MetalRob - thanks...

Horde - Hellig Usuart (Nuclear Blast) 1993
doesn't get much more raw, primal and fast.

I am never heard Dark Throne's music and Spec covered Immortal, from :

Mayhem-De Mysteriis Dam Sathanas-which is an excellent album

the only Burzum I have heard was from comp titled 'Anthology' which is not too bad

and one band I would add is:

Dimmu Borgir-Puitanical Euphoric Misanthropia

Thanks Manny...

BTW I know you did not want any suggestions for Dimmu Borgir and the Bon Jovi's of the black metal scene, Cradle of Filth but IMO both bands are worth exploring, if only to see how the genre has grown to be a commerical viable genre.

I've heard Dimmu a fair amount...they're good, IMO. More symphonic than I am looking for at this moment, though.

The early CoF stuff I remember from a buddy of mine...it was epic and dark and at times kinda scary (haha) but then they got all "Hot Topic" and got lost in the darkened caverns of thier own asses and I hated them...haha!

I'm trying to get to the very roots of it all...

I know that some consider Venom and Mercyful Fate as the "roots" of Black Metal, kinda like how Sabbath is the "roots" of Doom without being Doom itself...but I'm mainly looking into very early 90s Norwegian/Swedish stuff...

None of those bands ever did it for me I'm afraid. Imo the best black metal albums are:

Blasphemy - Fallen Angel of Doom...
Blasphemy - Gods of War / Blood Upon the Altar
VON - Satanic Blood Angel
Mystifier - Goetia
Sabbat - For Satan and Sacrifice (more of a black/thrash album though)
Nifelheim - Envoy of Lucifer
Master's Hammer - Ritual

Thanks Dave...

A Hill To Die Upon

Haha, I don't think we have too many bm fans here, Shawn.

If you want the "true" bm bands, and not the "poseurs", try Ragnarok, Gorgoroth, Troll, Thule, Taake, Gaahlskagg and God Seed

Thanks Kurt...

Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dam Sathanas
Burzum - Det Som Engang Var
Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger
Immortal - Pure Holocaust

also check out Bethlehem, Gorgoroth, Beherit, Marduk, Blasphemy, Vreid, Gallhammer, 1349, & Rotting Christ

Thanks MC...

Thanks!

Immortal - Pure Holocaust (for what you are looking for..this and 'Sons of Northern Darkness' are my favorite by them, but this one fits the timeframe you're looking into as well as the sound)

Mayhem - Live in Leipzig

and I'll add Beherit - Drawing Down the Moon..this is an important early second wave release that takes raw BM and adds to it but doesn't ever go in the direction of a symphonic Emperor, etc.

I agree with MC.

Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dam Sathanas
Burzum - Det Som Engang Var
Darkthrone
- Transylvanian Hunger
Immortal - Pure Holocaust

More that you should check out:

Marduk - Opus Nocturne
Dark Funeral - Vobiscum Sathanas
Gorgoroth - Under the Sign of Hell
Unlord - Lord of Beneath
Vondur - The Galactic Rock and Roll Empire

I love black metal, but not this barbaric crap that sounds like the teacher is being raped while the kiddies scratch their nails on the chalkboard.

I like the symphonic / power structured stuff.

I'm a fan of :

Emperor

Cradle of Filth ( )

Ancient (this would probably be my fave, they feature dualing male and female vocals - but are probably too symphonic for what you are looking for)

Goatwhore (Black / death hybrid stuff)

Behemoth (more death/black stuff. I like this combo!)

Slechtvalk

Antestor



and you must of course, get the first actual black metal album of all time.




they are actually demos, but you can get them all on one album now (two discs).

IMO, pre-Celtic Frost, Hellhammer was the first true black metal ever.

People give the credit falsely to Venom because of the title of their second album. Not true. Venom was more thrash. They spawned Sodom.

Sodom has been influential on the black metal community, but they are not a black metal band. Neither was Venom. Ever.


Get this album Shawn if you want to roots of BM.

Apart from this album, my tastes in BM veer toward the talented.

The other stuff is just mental illness put to record.

Oh yes. Hellhammer is pure audial violence. I absolutely adore everything Hellhammer recorded. They were definitely one of the heaviest bands ever. Tom Warrior is giving Tony Iommi a run for his money for best guitar tone ever on the Apocalyptic Raids EP.

If we're going that far back, Bathory is about as important and essential as Hellhammer. One of the first two albums shall do.