Current Events > The Month of Metal. 28 days, 28 artists.

(+) Yeah! (+)

WEEK FOUR: Black Metal (BOTTOM CIRCLE)

Here we are, the final week of the Month of Metal. As you might have guessed, Black Metal is too distinct and too controversial to not include and I thought it appropriate that the originally deemed "Satanic Metal" occupied the purely fictional "Bottom Circle" of 'Circles' that I've ascribed to each genre this month.

Originally formed sometime in the 1980s with thanks to aforementioned bands like Venom, it was the second wave of these bands that around the early 1990s that really and truly solidified the sensorium and culture around "Black Metal." Un-Christian, or anti-religious, possibly pagan (depending on the band), adorned in corpse paint, black clothing, with a driven commitment to keep the scene as underground and anti-mainstream as possible. Some of the people involved in this week's genre will take the devotion of the scene to absolutely extreme degrees, and I'll touch on them as we go along. Prepare for the finality of the Month of Metal!

DAY ONE: Enslaved - Fenris

Enslaved formed in 1991 in Norway, and although they started as a fairly traditional black metal band they still incorporated a number of viking elements to their sound. Today's track comes from their seminal release, "Frost."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvl8u4pBA7M" data-time="
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(semi-serious bump: i'm currently experiencing a lot of pain, and i'm not totally sure why. it's been several days i've been like this, and i'm probably going to go to the ER this evening. in the case i'm admitted for whatever reason, i'm going to try to keep each recommendation going but since i'll be on my phone at that point i don't know how legitimately i'll be able to embed youtube videos. it might just be text)
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bump for tonight
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This seems as good a way as any to really start to look into black metal. "Fenris" slays.
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DAY TWO: Bathory - Enter The Eternal Fire

There are certain terms that describe just how important Bathory was to the formation, ethos, and image of the Black Metal scene: "influential," "instrumental," "the blueprint for Scandinavian Black Metal," pick any one, really. The group's primary and single most consistent member, Quorthon, would produce hard-hitting, and controversial music endemic of the the Black Metal genre until he experimented later on with viking elements - most notably present in the final two LPs, Nordland I and Nordland II. Bathory ended when Quorthon passed away due to heart failure in 2004.

Today's track comes from the second album, "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark," itself an important development in the body of Black Metal, and is considered the first of Bathory's epics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9keM5Nyzuvg" data-time="
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^my favorite

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See if you can sneak the Beatles in there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNL6bd7SpDE" data-time="

DAY THREE: Nifelheim - Storm of Satan's Fire

While Nifelheim's music should be taken legitimately for how talented it actually is, it might be more accurate to state that Nifelheim is mostly regarded for their controversial acts both within the Black Metal scene and outside of it. Whether it's having next to no credibility with the fans of the scene and the scene itself for being tongue-in-cheek about the whole "satanist" thing (not necessarily to the level of Horde, the supposedly 'Christian Black Metal' act that remained actually anonymous for a while - to avoid death threats and the like from the community), and thus being treated as "not serious" by the community. Or whether it's supposedly urinating on a photo of Dimebag from Pantera after finding out he'd passed away, and joking about it.

It might be safe to say that just about everybody has an opinion on Nifelheim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLb5oaS8Y7A" data-time="
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Why no W.A.S.P. in the first category?

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MarshallStack posted...

Why no W.A.S.P. in the first category?

Sorry bro. Maybe next time?
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DAY FOUR: Darkthrone - Canadian Metal

While their very initial outing was more death metal than black, they eventually settled fairly nicely into the traditional Black Metal niche. Some of those LPs produced included songs written by Varg Vikernes of Burzum fame. Well respected in the metal scene for some landmark, watershed albums in the early 90s perhaps the most interesting turn of events for the band was their eventual flirting with punk and speed metal. Much of their later work falls within the realm of crust punk, or blackened crust. Their most recent work, however, saw a return to form.

Today's track comes from the era when Darkthrone were incorporating said punk and Motorhead-esque elements in their music for a sound that is as catchy as it is brutal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJmR_cA4MpQ" data-time="
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small bump
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DAY FIVE: Immortal - Tyrants

Another seminal act in the genre, Immortal perhaps bast encapsulates its image. Corpsepaint, long, black hair, etc. That's not to say there weren't others, but when I think "black metal" I think these boys. One of my personal favorites, and also subject to some humorous memes once in a while.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNjewKOXqf8" data-time="
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EverDownward posted...

and also subject to some humorous memes once in a while.

Call of the Wintermoon music video intensifies
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Panthera posted...

EverDownward posted...

and also subject to some humorous memes once in a while.

Call of the Wintermoon music video intensifies

I literally was introduced to them through this parody video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg5JKFf5DLg" data-time="
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DAY SIX: Mayhem - Chainsaw Gutsfuck

The final two entries in this week's genre are perhaps the most notorious in the history of the scene, and the entirety of metal as a whole. If you know anything about Mayhem and the following band, it's probably that Mayhem's lead vocalist committed suicide, or that their guitarist allegedly (later confirmed untrue) used bits of said vocalist's brain in a stew, or that their guitarist allegedly (later confirmed true) made necklaces out of said vocalist's skull and gave them to musicians he deemed worthy. Or that they're associated with the burning of churches in their native country. You might also know that their collaboration with the following band is equally as notorious for a member murdering the previously aforementioned guitarist.

What you probably know less is the music, which is a shame considering Mayhem's contribution to the scene is considered paramount to its formation. And although a lot of their earliest EP has considerable influence from death metal, it's pretty evident and clear that these guys were laying the groundwork for what was to come.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuZhNN9KRV8" data-time="
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(nothing against Mayhem, Dead, or any of those guys, but why is that EP's opening track the most unintentionally hilarious thing I've heard in black metal?)
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DAY SEVEN: Burzum - War

Arguably the single most controversial person in the history of Black Metal, Varg Vikernes (otherwise known as Count Grishnackh on album credits) led a one man project known as "Burzum" (in Tolkien's language, translated to 'darkness') and since 1991 he has put out music under this name - mostly black metal, but some neofolk and other miscellaneous genres as well.

Vikernes, like Mayhem, is more likely known for his activities in the scene than his music. Norwegian authorities suspected he was the main suspect behind several arsons on various high-profile Christian churches in the early 1990s. He has been affiliated with Neo-Nazi groups. He murdered Mayhem's guitarist, Oystein Aarseth, better known as "Euronymous." Although Vikernes claims he was defending himself, that Euronymous was going to abduct and torture him to death, authorities didn't agree and he was sentenced to the maximum penalty in the prison system - up to 21 years. He was tried in 1994, imprisoned the same year, and was released in 2009.

Today's track is notable in that it's the only time in Burzum's discography that Varg and Euronymous were featured together. Euronymous contributed guitar work. It should be noted, however, that Varg was previously a member of Mayhem, Euronymous' band, and provided bass throughout the 1991 recorded but 1994 released "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytA2MrPEZdA" data-time="
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And with yesterday's entry, that concludes The Month of Metal.

I wanna thank everyone that contributed, everyone that posted. I really appreciate it. Even if you were someone that may have tagged the thread to see the music I'd post each day, if you did, I'm grateful. If you just happened to lurk, happened to open the thread to take a peak: thank you.

I know I probably disappointed a few people with my picks (or lack thereof), but I hope everyone understands I can't list every metal act. That would be impossible.

As I said at the beginning of this project, I still plan on doing these topics but I'm pretty exhausted after this one. I'm probably going to take a break for November and start up again in December. Maybe. Maybe I'll start again with the new year. Who knows?

Again, thanks for reading, thanks for listening, thanks for posting. Thanks!!
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This is uh huh, wow
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Up next Thrash November, 30 days of thrash
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Death december

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Panthera posted...

This is uh huh, wow

*accidentally coughs while screaming*

R1masher posted...

Up next Thrash November, 30 days of thrash

yeaaaaaah >_>

RPGlover2 posted...

Death december

A whole month of death metal, to make up for its omission from the month of metal? ...probably not.
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I should not like that Burzum song I posted, but the more I listen to it the more the amateurish quality appeals to me.
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