What kind of music is black metal?
Are you familiar with the genre known as black metal?
As the name suggests, it’s a subgenre of heavy metal, but it’s a bit different from other metal subgenres in how it works.
Therefore, before introducing the songs, I’d like to touch on what black metal actually is in the first place and then introduce some recommended tracks and classics.
- Musical characteristics of black metal
- The ideology of black metal
- Recommended bands and songs
1.
Musical characteristics
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Black metal is originally one of the genres that branched off from thrash metal, and its characteristics are as follows.
- Tremolo technique on a noisy guitar (a method of rapidly repeating a single note)
- A variety of moans and shrieks (the kind you might hear in a movie like The Exorcist)
- blast beat (a drumming technique where the bass drum and snare are played alternately or simultaneously at high speed)
These three are generally used most often (though there are exceptions).
Also, because there's a strong anti-mainstream streak, there's a long-standing practice of deliberately recording with poor sound quality (though these days, there are plenty who don't do that).
Furthermore, this overlaps with characteristics of heavy metal itself, but black metal also has many subgenres born from fusing with various other genres; however, I will omit them here.
When it comes to black metal, the combination of technical elements with song structures far removed from melodicism has given rise to a form of music that is daunting for beginners to listen to and requires advanced technique to perform.
It stands at the very farthest reaches of the heavy metal genre.
2.
Background of the formation of thought and genre
So far I’ve listed features focused on the music itself, but in black metal there are quite a few characteristics outside of the music as well.
To begin with, death metal and black metal are like siblings that both evolved from thrash metal, but there are clear differences between the two.
It isthought / ideology / philosophyIt is.
Speaking of ideologies in music genres, punk rock also shows a kind of anarchism—a stance against established systems—in its ideological aspect.
However, punk is not a genre that is purely ideological.
Because the genre itself isn’t purely ideological, that’s why.
For example,
- Progressive rock back then had become so difficult that ordinary people couldn’t play it.
- Let's get back to rock 'n' roll—I want rock that everyone can really let loose to.
...and so there is also a kind of backlash against technocracy, so to speak.
We got off track, but let's get back to the main topic.
I will continue by writing that, compared to punk, black metal is a genre with a stronger ideological background.
The ideology that is a major characteristic of the genre known as black metal isSatanism (devil worship)It is.
In the early 1980s, at the time of its inception, Satanism was used merely as a kind of motif; however, many black metal bands that emerged in places like Norway in the 1990s adopted Satanism as an ideology.
To begin with, Norway is a country that, like Japan, places great importance on social cohesion and norms, and it is also a Christian nation.
There was a significant aspect of black metal and Satanism as a backlash against that tightening of control.I think so.
And in the present dayA genre with considerable generational differences, where more and more bands carry on the musical traits of black metal but do not inherit its ideological aspects such as Satanism.It is.
In this way, black metal bands differ considerably by generation, but ideologically they share a common stance of opposition to Christianity—or, if not outright Satanism, a rejection of world religions (such as Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity, whose beliefs are embraced across nations and races).
These ideas are absent in death metal, and this is precisely where death metal and black metal can be clearly distinguished.
White face paint (corpse paint) and long hair are also characteristic of black metal.
And there’s one point that can’t be overlooked when it comes to black metal.
It's the inner circle.
This term was used to refer to Norwegian black metal bands and their affiliates from the early 1990s, and what characterizes them is their actions.
As if competing to see who could be the most evil, they committed acts like church arson that shocked all of Europe, leaving deep scars on the current black metal scene.
Their actions can be seen as a result of putting into practice Satanism, one of the ideologies of black metal; however, since people who do not appear to be devil worshipers have also been involved in such incidents, it is currently difficult to pinpoint a single cause.
In this way, the black metal genre, compared to others, is unparalleled when it comes to putting words into action, and in that respect it can be said to embody an exceptionally firm ideology.
From these points as well, I believe it becomes clear that the element of ideology is indispensable when discussing this genre.
3.
Recommended bands and songs
Black metal tends to give off a strong “beginners not welcome” vibe, both because of its musical traits and its ideology, but in reality I don’t think about that—I listen to it myself, and there are tracks that are fairly accessible (though it’s tough if you compare them to other genres…).
And another charm of this genre is that it has many tracks you can only hear in black metal!
Here are some tips for listening to black metal.
Do not listen with a focus on vocals or melody.
This is something that often happens with listeners who are used to Japanese music and with metalheads who mainly jumped into metal from anime songs (since many anime and game songs have strong melodic speed metal elements). Music in this area tends to have a clear beginning, development, turn, and conclusion, and it often features clean, well-defined melody lines.
I can’t help but end up following the melody.
Also, singers who are in the mainstream have beautiful voices.
Let's discard such preconceived notions once and for all.
It’s best to regard the vocals as part of the performance—primarily serving to shape the mood of the piece.
There are also cases where someone says, 'I can’t stand their voice.'
This applies to death metal as well, but let’s abandon the way of listening as “vocals + instrumentation.”
To put it bluntly, when it comes to music, it's all just a matter of getting used to it.
If you interact with it a lot, you’ll manage somehow—so I thought I’d go ahead and introduce various things.
Dimmu Borgir
It is a band formed in Norway in 1993.
It features a grand sound distinguished by the extensive use of a live orchestra.
Furthermore, unusually for this genre, they have signed with a major label and achieved commercial success.
Because of that, they tend to be disliked by hardcore black metal fans, but they enjoy worldwide popularity—so much so that they have even performed before the King of Norway.
It’s probably among the most accessible in black metal, I think.
Emperor
Formed in Norway in 1991, the band disbanded once in 2001 and reunited in 2005.
Initially, they aimed for the cold, heavy sound characteristic of black metal along with melodic guitar riffs and keyboards, but starting with the second album, they began to bring out classical influences and pursued a new style, including playing the guitar in a more staccato, choppy manner.
Although this change has been met with mixed reactions, it has served as a springboard to worldwide fame.
Recommended song: “An Elegy of Icaros”
Mayhem
Formed in Norway in 1983, the band disbanded once in 1984, then reformed the same year with new members, disbanded again in 1993, resumed activities in 1994, and has continued to the present.
This band was a central figure in the early black metal scene and is indispensable to the genre for having established its sound.
To be honest, compared to the previous two, it's harder to listen to, and a full-fledged tremolo riff comes in.
If you can listen to this band, you can probably listen to most black metal.
The band is also known for extremely shocking events: the vocalist Dead committed suicide, and the band’s central figure, Euronymous, was killed by Varg Vikernes—also known as Count Grishnackh of Burzum.
Recommended song: 'De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas'
Burzum
It is a one-man project that has been active since 1988, launched by Varg Vikernes, also known as Count Grishnackh, a multi-instrumentalist who handles everything from vocals to guitar, bass, and drums.
Burzum’s musical evolution is somewhat unusual, moving from black metal to ambient, and then back to black metal.
The music also has its own distinct traits: vocals that are more like frenzied wailing than death growls, guitars so drenched in noise that the sound breaks up, repetitive phrases, and lyrics based on Norse mythology, among other things.
Thanks to its unique worldview, it still has a devoted core fan base.
There’s also what’s called “depressive black metal,” which portrays a hopeless and realistic world of mental illness, and there’s probably no other rock genre as dark as this one.
Burzum is also among those who established this kind of brooding, depressive black metal.
Recommended song: “Dunkelheit”
Alcest
It is a black metal project formed in France in 2000 by Neige, a multi-instrumentalist who handles everything from vocals to guitar, bass, and drums.
Above all, it's the music that stands out.
By combining elements such as shoegaze and post-rock with black metal, they established a new style often referred to as blackgaze.
The song is so delicate and beautiful that it’s hard to believe it’s black metal, yet it still incorporates plenty of black metal elements, such as tremolo-picked riffs and distinctive vocal techniques.
To be honest, among the things I’ve introduced so far, this is by far the easiest to listen to; however, since it differs from pure black metal in many respects, opinions may be divided on whether to recommend it as black metal.
Recommended song: “Souvenirs d’un autre monde”
Lastly
In this way, black metal is indeed a unique genre, but it offers a world full of distinctive appeal you won’t find in other genres.
It was my first time thinking this deeply about a single genre, and it was an excellent opportunity.
I hope this helps you catch even a glimpse of the allure of black metal and its world.