Music: Styles: Black Metal
The most extreme metal to date, appeared in the early-mid nineties. Although many cite Venom as the
originators of the style (they certainly gave it its name), the UK outfit had little to do with the
avalanche that was to come from Norway and spread throughout Europe. I must say that the first BM band
was the Swedish Bathory but it was not until Norway's Mayhem created the scene and the imagery. With BM,
imagery is 75% of the act. Corpse paint (borrowed from Celtic Frost, borrowed from the glam Kiss), spikes,
leather, gloomy landscapes, forests, pagan rituals, anti-Christianity, viking lore, desecrated graves,
swords, naked girls, murder, and gallons of blood, these are the characteristics of the image. The music
is very fast, very aggressive, the production nonexistent, and the vocalists screetch the "lyrics" as if
screaming for their life. With time, BM progressed, became more technical, adopted synthesizers to create
even bleaker soundscapes, and the singing diversified. Today there is a movement toward more complex, less
extreme but still aggressive songs. Bands branch out in various directions: ambient, dark wave, thrash,
classic metal, industrial, alternative, etc. Many retain the imagery, which is still stunning. One of my
favorite styles.
