Top 15 Black Metal Bands

Greetings fellow lovers of BLACK FUCKING METAL! Or as they say in Nargarothian: RAAAAWR KRIEEEG BLACK FUCKING METAL IST KRIEEG RAAAAAAAWR! The winter is falling upon and the cold is taking over our very beings. So as part of December series on black metal I will be unveiling my personal top 15 black metal bands. There will be some common favorites and maybe a few unorthodox choices but these choices are my opinion. If you don't agree hey make your own list...in fact do it anyway. So without further ado I unveil the my favorite 15 black metal bands

15.Gorgoroth: This is definitely a band that has had a huge influence in the realm of black metal and a band that has released some awesome releases, the best of which being the legendary Pentagram with its unrelenting shrieks of evil and its icy cold riffs and its sheer satanic awesomeness. Another release that stands as a monolith of black fucking metal would be Under The Sign of hell with its unabashedly necro production and hyperspeed riffs. This band stands a defiant satanic force within the ranks of Norwegian black metal.

14. Venom- One could argue that Venom is not a black metal band at all, in fact they predated actual black metal by quite a few years. But they were no doubt a huge influence not just in naming the genre but for their lo-fi sound, ruff vocals and their satanic imagery. They even used evil sounding stage names. LAY DOWN YOUR SOUL TO THE GODS ROCK AND ROLL! Well do it, lay down your soul you puny fucking mortal!

13. Wolves in the Throne Room: One of the newer black metal bands around hailing from Olympia, Washington, these guys really know how to create an atmosphere, and while not nearly as evil as many older bands on this list, they are no less intense. Their albums create a thick natural atmosphere as if one is in the woods becoming one with nature, and while that may not sound very kvlt, trust me: IT FUCKING IS.

12. Borknagar: While this band morphed into more of a progressive viking metal band in later years, they released an epic piece of black metal mastery with their Sophomore release The Olden Domain one of the all time greatest black/viking metal albums to be released The Winterway will forever be my favorite Borknagar song of all time. Did I mention Garm delivers one of the greatest vocal performances on this album.

11. Dissection: They have their place here because of one legendary piece of cold, unrelenting melodic black metal, namely: Storm of the Lights Bane. Seriously this album fucking owns you, me and practically the entire universe. It creates a winter-like feeling but without the necro production and ridiculously simplistic riffs, opting rather to craft songs with a great deal of melody and yet intensity.

10. Satyricon: Taking us into the top 10 is none other than the Norwegian band Satyricon, laying claim to 3 all out masterpieces of cold, grim, necro etc...black metal. Dark Medieval Times, Nemesis Divina, and The Shadowthrone are some of landmark black metal albums that helped simultaneously define the sound while adding an array of new elements that had yet to be explored such as the use of folk sounding melodies. Within their ranks is drummer Frost who happens to be one of the all time greatest black metal drummers. This band rules.

9. Enslaved: While many other bands descended into the realms of mediocrity after releasing a few worthwhile releases Enslaved continued to release consistently awesome material, and is still doing so. While other bands opted for simplicity in their approach Enslaved pushed their technicality to the limits, releasing many progressive metal albums that still contained enough of the elements to still fall under the banner of black metal. Their latest full length offering is one hell of an album, perhaps their best yet. One of the cornerstones of the genre, and yet they show no signs of stopping.

8. Immortal: Yes folks, the kings of cheesy black metal videos and photos themselves Immortal. One of the early bands in the Norwegian black metal scene, the band helped to further define the sound that bands such as Darkthrone, Burzum, and Mayhem had pioneered. These men are obsessed with winter, frost, grimness and all things kvlt. Their riffing is some of the iciest, most true to the style riffing that you will find. They always play at hyperspeed, and there is not a song of theirs that doesn't include at least one of the following words: grim, icy, frostbitten, demon, winter, winterstorm, raven, darkness, north, blashrykh. How trve is that?

7. Ulver: While only two of their albums can be considered to be black metal, they are some of the strongest releases to be found in the whole of the genre. With Bergtatt they proved that they could be melancholic and dark, while at the same time maintaining a sense of enrapturing melody. Garm's vocals on this album are some of the most beautiful vocals to ever be recorded. With Nattens Madrigal however they proved that could also produce an album as raw and primitive sounding as any of the other kvlties of the day. These albums are some of the most important, influential and best black metal albums ever produced.

6.Drudkh: My personal favorite atmospheric black metal band, they took influence from Burzum and crafted two of the most brooding and melancholic black metal albums to ever be recorded. Autumn Aurora evokes such powerful imagery with its droning synths, its fuzzy and melancholic riffs, and the precise drum work it's almost surreal. The rest of their discography is nothing to snub your nose at either. While they aren't the most consistent band ever, they are no less important and skilled.

5. Mayhem: The kings of black metal controversy themselves Mayhem. They pretty much founded the second wave of black metal taking influences like Bathory and Celtic Frost and forging a sound that was more brutal then any of them. They also perfected the sound with their release entitled De Mysteriis Dom Sathanus, another of the undisputed Norwegian classics. Euronymous could arguably be called the father of the Norwegian black metal guitar style, his amazing tremolo riffs exuding evilness and all things dark, grim and frostbitten. While the band was plagued with suicides, the murder of their guitarist, and many controveries they are no doubt one of the classic black metal bands.

4. Emperor: What can be said that hasn't been already said. These guys are legendary in the realm of black metal, crafting some of the most complex and infectious melodies ever in the history of man. To think that they wrote and recorded In the Nightside Eclipse as teenagers is mindboggling. Their grandiose keyboard work so awe-inspiring and majestic that it begs you to listen to the album over and over. Their vocals are so piercing and passionate, and their lyrics so empowering that you have no choice but to be caught up in the nighttime atmosphere. PRAISE BE TO THEE O NIGHTSPIRIT! They would go on to record other classics each one becoming more progressive and genre-defying. Anthems to the Welkin at dusk being their last true masterpiece it is nonetheless one of the most complex and intense symphonic black metal experiences one can partake in. Their influence speaks for itself.

3. Bathory: It is said that one day Satan and Oden conspired together to create and individual so passionate for metal and pagan pride that he would literally pioneer two different movements in metal history. Thus Quorthon was spawned upon the earth and not only was he a pioneer of evil black fucking metal but also was the main pioneering force in the viking metal subgenre as well. His albums all setting the standard for what black metal would become. Unpolished production, shrieked vocals, trebled to the max riffs. Satanic and pagan imagery galore. What more could you fucking ask for people! THIS MAN IS A FUCKING LEGEND!

2. Darkthrone: Arguably the most influential band in all of black metal history is Darkthrone, and for you kvlt kiddies this band is a dream come true. Necro and filthy production adorned with thin trebled out guitars, playing simplistic tremolo riffs and drums that blast away in the background, this is what Darkthrone is about. Shrieked vocals shred through the blizzard of sound and caress your eardrums with pure black metal lyricism. Okay the hype aside this band pretty much defined the sound of black metal releasing landmark album after landmark album. The production is gritty, the guitars are grim, and grimey, the drums hypnotic, and the vocals ear-splitting. Two words TRVE KVLT.

1. Burzum: The man, the myth, the church-burning, bandmate murdering musical genius himself. Count Grishnack. While his actions are loathed by many, just as many people worship his musical offerings as canonical examples of how to play black metal. Every album creating the most dark, depressing most evil and hypnotic, trance-inducing atmosphere. He creates atmospheres that will consume your soul and spit you back out as a Paganized black metal maniac. In all seriousness though, his albums have such a captivating atmosphere that I can just get lost in the music. It induces an almost trance-like state of mind that bids you leave your earthly existence behind and become one with your true pagan self. His vocals pour forth sorrow, anger, hatred and longing. The production is grim, necro, kvlt or however else you choose to describe it. The riffs range from simple to ultra-simple. But this man creates albums that stand as timeless pieces of art, and some of the most important to the entire black metal scene. This is why Burzum stands at the height of my list as greatest black metal artist.

This has certainly been a blast for me to write, hope it has been a blast to read. As winter approaches throw on a couple black metal records and get in touch with your inner satanic/heathen self.