The genre “Black Metal” derives its name from Venom’s sophomore album (1982) and its title track. While they functioned as an inspiration in terms of imagery (leather and spikes) and lyrics (mock-Satanic themes), Venom was a New Wave of British Heavy Metal band, and never as extreme as trve kvlt black metal. Other early influences include Mercyful Fate (who added the corpse-paint make-up to the Satanic themes) and Hellhamer/Celtic Frost (who added grim atmospheric soundscapes). The extremely fast distorted riffs, blast drum beats, and shrieking vocals we now recognize as black metal began with Bathory (who also pioneered the Viking metal genre by adding another source of non-Christian/pagan inspiration). By the early 90s, trve kvlt (grïm nekrø) black metal emerged predominantly in Norway and to a lesser extent Sweden. We’re talking about bands such as Immortal, Marduk, Darkthrone, Satyricon, Emperor, Carpathian Forest, Dark Funeral, and the even more extreme bands (I’ve stayed away from) such as Mayhem, Burzum, and Gorgoroth. On the fringes we find Ammon Amarth (melodic death, Viking/power metal), Dimmu Borgir (more commercial, melodic, symphonic black metal), and Cradle of Filth (also more commercial, symphonic, gothic metal). Then there’s the American black metal scene, including acts such as Krieg, Twilight, Nachtmystium, Leviathan, Xasthur, and so on and so forth.
Unfortunately, some members of this “cult” (also referred to as the “inner circle”) take their anti-Christian misanthropy overly serious... Some are known to display slaughtered goats or crucify naked women on stage, others have committed suicide or murder, and several were involved in a series of church burnings... It’s those kinds of disturbing excesses from which I wish to distance myself. I certainly don’t subscribe to their ideology, even if I think it’s healthy to be critical of organized religion, and to promote a strong non-conformist individualism. Another regrettable aspects of this scene is that several bands or their members have outspoken homophobic and neo-nazist sentiments. Perhaps you’d argue that such anti-Christian, sexist and racist ideas are the logical outcome of heavy metal, but I’d counter that singing about death and destruction, devils and damnation, dungeons and dragons, demons and wizards, is something entirely different than actually believing in them. One is a form of entertainment, the other a symptom of insanity! No matter what, I adore the sheer aggression of black metal.
Unfortunately, some members of this “cult” (also referred to as the “inner circle”) take their anti-Christian misanthropy overly serious... Some are known to display slaughtered goats or crucify naked women on stage, others have committed suicide or murder, and several were involved in a series of church burnings... It’s those kinds of disturbing excesses from which I wish to distance myself. I certainly don’t subscribe to their ideology, even if I think it’s healthy to be critical of organized religion, and to promote a strong non-conformist individualism. Another regrettable aspects of this scene is that several bands or their members have outspoken homophobic and neo-nazist sentiments. Perhaps you’d argue that such anti-Christian, sexist and racist ideas are the logical outcome of heavy metal, but I’d counter that singing about death and destruction, devils and damnation, dungeons and dragons, demons and wizards, is something entirely different than actually believing in them. One is a form of entertainment, the other a symptom of insanity! No matter what, I adore the sheer aggression of black metal.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.