Once upon a time, black metal was hailed as our genre’s most maligned branch. It was the early 90s: Much of the death metal scene was noticeably concerned with technical ability and marketableness, because, unlike today, extreme bands still had the chance to land modest record deals and extensive tours that put actual gain in their back pockets.
For the 2nd wave of black metal and its fans, however, a big part of the allure was the fact that it represented a shielded retreat from metal’s swelling acceptance within an ever-expanding market – a raw and relentless tap into grimness that emphasized cold, cruel atmosphere over polished dexterity, and something that firmly reasserted goals of stubborn rejection.
Today, black metal has managed to become the most prolific offshoot of our genre. Whether you like it raw, depressive/suicidal, industrial, death/, ambient, progressive, shoegaze, melodic, symphonic, pagan, crusty, thrashy, sludgy, funereal, post-, folk, viking, avant-garde, satanic, orthodox, cosmic, anti-cosmic, chaos-gnostic, metaphysical, nationalistic, transcendent or nearly anything and everything in-between, there is an endless variety of black (or at least heavily “blackened”) metal that compiles the full gamut of grisly negativity into a vivid assemblage fitting nearly any level of heavy metal proclivity. If you happen to think that’s simply wonderful, or at least inevitable in a world that now features an internetted/interconnected population that exceeds 7 billion, you might be right, but you’re also an awful person.
Then again, maybe you’re a real melting-pot sort of guy or gal who believes artistic freedom and intrepidness are to be celebrated, particularly within a style that embraces eccentricity as impressively as does black metal. To be honest, I happen to agree with you, mostly. But the pushing of the envelope into nearly any imaginable terrain has some diehards at swords’ points. For many, black metal – or rather, true black metal – should adhere to more draconian codes to ensure its permanent placement deep within the reclusive underground.
But during an age when everything from Watain to Grifteskymfning can be streamed with nothing but an internet connection and a few simple clicks, it’s safe to say that black metal has achieved a certain sense of widespread approval. And honestly, as much as absolute artistic freedom should be celebrated, it has also become fairly tedious watching the old spirit cemented by the 2nd wave get continually stacked ad infinitum like some demented Jenga. Or worse, beholding its perpetual dilution into a middling, tedious grey.
So, if your only interest in reading this long-winded piece is a hope of determining the principal problem with black metal in 2015, I’ll save you the further eyeball exercise and agree that it’s very simply rooted in the same issue that plagues most everything today: There’s just too damn much of it, bad AND good.
But if you’re interested in digging a little deeper to better understand why an offshoot built from a foundation once described as “having the hi-fi dynamics of a fifty-year-old pizza” (Geoff Barton ~ Kerrang!) has become so prevalent, and perhaps more importantly, what that might mean for the future, a little personal backstory is as good a place to start as any.
BLACK METAL IS THE DEVIL’S FUEL
Relatively early in my youth, I developed a substantial preoccupation with the idea of balance, something that still governs me today.
I was a good kid and was lucky enough to grow up in a healthy environment, but I was also a kid, so general mischief and pushing boundaries by doing dumb shit was a part of everyday life. Of course, this sort of thing is natural for most anyone, but my will for maintaining a proper balance in my little universe was something I recall spending an undue amount of time preserving. As such, whenever I was particularly bad – tackling and destroying newly built snowmen, chucking throwing stars at houses, chasing girls with garter snakes, etc. – a practical amount of effort went into balancing the negative mojo in an effort to maintain a comforting equilibrium, even if I didn’t get caught doing the bad. Maybe that’s the story for a lot of kids — not exactly the type of stuff one generally interrupts Star Blazers to talk about. In short, I’d say I was (and still am) a fairly stock case of an (I)ntroversion, i(N)tuition, (F)eeling, (P)erception personality type who felt genuinely good being good, but also unafraid to investigate the darker side of the spectrum.
With time and maturity, my tendency toward general childish dickheadery lessened, so the darker yin to my daily yang was explored with the help of Robert E. Howard, Stephen King, John Carpenter’s The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, et al – likely a similar roots story to most anyone who eventually becomes obsessed with heavy metal.
Then one night, somewhere around 1984, my bones were rattled to the core by the sounds of “The Oath” quietly drifting from a bedside clock radio tuned into a late-night metal show from the local college. The volume was nearly imperceptible, but that somehow made those ghoulish guitars and King Diamond’s damning vocals seem all the more deadly, like some doomed whisper.
I’d already been in the metal game for about a year or so, but nothing I’d heard up to that point came even close to the genuine threat of “The Oath.” To be honest, it still spooks me today because of how well the horror of the music slithers about those blasphemous, surrendering lyrics. It shattered a young version of me hard enough that it took months before I succumbed to the temptation of actually owning the record. There was a palpable danger and seriousness associated with the entire Mercyful Fate package, and when I think about that deadly sort of sensibility today, it becomes imminently clear as to why so many bands cite Fate and Don’t Break the Oath as a key factor to the development of the 2nd wave of black metal. The notion of “perilous music” might seem illogical to those who simply enjoy metal on the surface in a very practical way, but the version of black metal that sprouted from the early 90s captured a level of dark earnestness that’s always been ideally suited for those who heed the more esoteric power behind music.
Consider a couple (seemingly inimical to black metal) quotes to throw down some additional context:
“Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.” ~ Lao- Tzu
“Music can change the world because it can change people.” ~ Bono
No matter what you choose to believe or disbelieve in terms of theology, “The Oath” remains one of the darkest songs in metal’s long history, and Don’t Break the Oath not only serves the greater purpose of shredding as any kick-ass metal record should, it also puts a great deal of dark, verboten vibes into the universe, a goal that’s shared by many artists interested in pursuing black metal music.
Here’s the thing, though. Satan – or rather, the fear of Satan – was a more appreciable risk to a larger portion of society in the 80s. Kids went to church because their parents went to church, and their parents went to church because religion before the modern age of enlightenment and the internet(/whistleblowing wasn’t nearly as blackballed as it’s become today.
In 2015, more and more people still interested in the intangible continue to distance themselves from organized denominations in favor of a more blanketing “spirituality,” leaving the time honored tradition of Bible-banging for the mouth-breathing all-stars who spend their afternoons shouting at cars pulling into Planned Parenthood parking lots.
As such, the peril of present-day black metal, at least in a spiritual sense, has found a number of bands transcending the strict Judeo-Christian confines of old into metaphysical realms: A sphere where shadowy corners and unpredictability abound. Fertile environs for a genre that owes a sizable portion of its ancestry to embracing the forbidden. This general shift to a more cabalistic approach is pertinant to the modern thinker, and the seductive risk associated with dipping one’s toes into the arcane forges a curious bond between a classic record such as Don’t Break the Oath in 1984 to, say, Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice in the modern age, despite the fact that they sound nothing alike.
For many, some variation of cryptic peril is vital for true potency, because to them, black metal is more than just a general narrative for nihilism, it is a power to supplicate and GLORIFY loss, collapse and wickedness. A growing amount of what gets hawked as black metal today obviously falls short of this aim, so it stands to reason that those who rely on this genre for its capacity to seduce into or glorify taboo realms might be agitated watching a constant influx of bands exalting trees, politics, or whatever the hell bands like Liturgy blather on about. The good news for them is that despite the invasion of outsiders into the genre, there’s clearly ZERO shortage of bands that still have the Devil’s best interests in mind rolling in from literally every corner of the globe. In fact, at this point there’s more upside-down crosses in metal than 666 Glenn Benton foreheads floating through a 6,666 square foot house of mirrors.
So is that it? Black metal is dominating because Satan has the winning grip over an even wider fragment of humanity? Perhaps. One can’t help but give a grim nod to chaos in an age where Horna receives an equal spotlight to Iron and Wine via a mainstream website with over 2.5 million followers. But honestly, the present pinnacle of black metal goes deeper than the Devil.
IS EVOLUTION TO BLAME FOR THE DRAMATIC ESCALATION OF BLACK METAL AND TAAKE MESSENGER BAGS
Outside of doom, there’s not another offshoot of metal with a more rabid accumulation of backward-thinkers than black metal. It makes sense, however, when you consider the genre’s dependence on preserving an age-old atmosphere that has next to nothing to do with polished technique. But the evolution of the style has caused more than a fair share of contention, particularly with regard to the invasion of hipsters, beatniks, or (gasp) liberals.
Evolution is not the enemy, though. In fact, it’s an immediate inevitability for any and all art forms – an unavoidable condition that managed to wriggle to life the same moment a handful of Norwegian outlaws further spiced the Venom formula with a heightened dose of egotism, severity and being young and full of deranged vigor. For even as Euronymous and other early 90s innovators began stressing increasingly strict guidelines for the genre, bands bent the rules right from the gate. Early obscured inverted crosses notwithstanding, Enslaved abstained from explicit Satanism in favor of pushing an anti-Christian slant through Norse paganism. From there, the Fleuretys and Arcturuses and Ved Buens Endes were very quick to follow, running the ball in all manner of directions contrary to grim devilry.
In the end, much the same way as Cronos saw his earliest interpretation split down a different path, black metal promptly warped the 2nd wave model. This is crucial to keep in mind if you’re one of those longtime enthusiasts who’s all-too quick to point a finger at bands such as Deafheaven or Bosse-de-Nage for supposedly browning the black metal pool in the modern age. Evolution has, without question, been a part of this genre from its most germinal stage, and it will always be present.
Indeed, not only is evolution inescapable, it is hugely beneficial for black metal. Without growth and expansion, stagnation and demise is a grim certainty. Boundary-bending bands not only serve the purpose of introducing new & interesting angles and wooing neophytes to the periphery, their simple existence helps feed the fires of creativity for the regressive fiends on the opposite end of the spectrum who push back with a reciprocal force of backward-thinking stubbornness. The constant turn of the great wheel in full action. Would bands such as Mgla or One Tail, One Head strike with as much bitter intensity without the Ghost Baths or Myrkurs of the day to provoke? Perhaps. But an active presence on both ends of the spectrum helps keep the combustion engine roaring like hellfire.
Ultimately, the ever-expanding presence of forward-thinkers and evolution in black metal clearly does bring further attention, new devotees and endless bandwagon jumpers into the game, but the core logic behind the pervasiveness of this branch in the modern age is actually very simple: We’re obsessed with negativity.
MISERY LOVES THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF COMPANY
“Just think of any negativity that comes at you as a raindrop falling into the ocean of your bliss.” ~ Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Funny how that quote can be interpreted in two seemingly paradoxical ways.
Fear, rage, panic, revulsion, disappointment, guilt, hate, decay, disgust, anxiety, evil, contempt and all variations of disaster in-between: Negativity has become an integral part of habitual existence in 2015. Sure, in all life some rain must fall, but today’s society actually labors to pile on and propagate negativity. We creak out of bed and check news sources that toil and race to report interminable stories about the shittiest of people doing the most horribly shitty things to good people; we drive to work angrily in swelling, toxic traffic; we ride maddening public transportation amidst wafting armpits, serial gropers and kids who’d rob you at gunpoint for five bucks with a smile on their face; we rot, underpaid in cage-like cubicles until the sun goes down; we watch our school debt amass into unscalable mountains and then struggle to find work to help pay it down; and we deal with the horror of it all in the easiest way possible: By drinking or drugging just enough to not care a little more, but hopefully not enough to make us hate life even more when we have to rise and do it all again the next day. Shit Ouroboros, Randy.
In essence, humans are angry, depressed, desperate and more desensitized than ever, and the pessimism, grimness and violence that’s roiling like a festering boil now hits us from every conceivable angle, including work, school, news, social media, and all forms of entertainment.
Don’t misinterpret the message, however: There’s nothing wrong with exploring your darker side in a manner that paints a picture of, say, a movie where people forcibly get their faces sewn to the asses of other people. But darkness is currently crushing the light to the point where it’s become as much a form of blissful entertainment for the entire populace as Laser Tag was in 1988. We’ve become intimately cozy with misery, and if you think that’s overly pessimistic, consider the fact that even Whoppers have managed to join the dark side. Sure, they were always evil, but now they’ve managed to look like black blood horked up in a crumbling forest grave under a frost moon apocalypse.
Of course, the fact that metal and its fans have always been naturally drawn toward negativity ain’t exactly a news flash. The marked increase in worldly suffering makes for a suitable companion to any of our branches, but it’s particularly well-suited for black metal, our genre’s darkest projection. Subsequently, it’s only natural that people currently surviving and thriving within the swirling maelstrom of constant negativity that is Earth/2015 would gravitate more toward black metal, and that bands would want to play black metal more. And really, no matter what sort of ingenuity or bright design gets thrown into the model, the grim, raw devilry that’s forever woven into black metal’s crux will always manage to swing the pendulum back into the shadows. So, the sow will continue to grow fatter, the beast’s coils will continue to sprawl wider, and nothing short of a cleansing plague or exit to another solar system is likely to save this dirty planet from plunging even further into the murky depths. We are doomed; please tip your servers majestically.
“ALWAYS END THE NIGHT WITH SOMETHING POSITIVE” ~ UNKNOWN ASSHOLE
The silver lining, if one is needed, is the fact that recognition of this super-colossal eclipse is a painless step toward rebuilding some semblance of equilibrium, if you happen to be the type of person who, you know, enjoys a decent balance of dark AND light. Some of us have offspring that help deliver that golden, youthful innocence and joy that we lost the very moment our first boss in the adult world crapped down our neck about the botched Pinkleman account. Others coochy-coochy-coo-face with kitties, dogs or… fucken squirrels, or baby skunks, or whatever else happens to be the current buzzfeed fuzzy-face.
If you need a few positive pointers, try listening to some power metal for once. YEAH, power metal. Get over yourself, Bringer of Nuncrushing Gales.
Gene Wilder or Leslie Nielsen movies?
Ice cream sandwiches?
The Far Side?
Youtube clips of people falling down escalators?
The Cosby Sh…
Point being, don’t forget to enjoy yourselves out there. You don’t necessarily need to listen to hours of depraved Les Légions Noires while wearing a Free Hugs t-shirt, but I certainly wouldn’t fault you for doing so. Maybe try waltzing to Under A Funeral Moon.
Then again, maybe you’re one of those greasy ghouls who delights in every facet of the crumbling decay that’s consuming our rotting society. In that case, I tip my hat to ye; at this point, you folks must be a tiny breeze away from a roaring orgasm 24 hours a day. Hails for that.
Some people have lost their way
Some people have lost their mind
Recommended Reading:
Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult by Dayal Patterson: Here
Editorial Playlist:
Abyssion – Luonnon harmonia ja vihreä liekki
Arcturus – Aspera Hiems Symphonia
The Black – The Priest of Satan
Darkthrone – Hate Them
Demoncy – Faustian Dawn
Dispirit – Separation
Gehenna – First Spell
Grav – Omhulda Ondskans Kretslopp
Grifteskymfning – Djavulens Boning
Hades Archer – For the Diabolical Ages
Immortal – Pure Holocaust
Judas Iscariot – Heaven in Flames
Katavasia – Sacrilegious Torment
Kawir – Isotheos
Leviathan – Scar Sighted
Master’s Hammer – Rituál
Obsequiae – Aria of Vernal Tombs
Odz Manouk – Odz Manouk
Sodom – Obsessed by Cruelty
Samael – Blood Ritual
Satyricon – Dark Medieval Times
Tormentor – Anno Domini
Vlad Tepes – March to the Black Holocaust
Vreid – Kraft
Xasthur – The Funeral of Being
