Greatest Black Metal Albums of All Time

For black metal noobs:
The internet is filled with terrible lists. Some of them are accurate and many of them are not. Some of the most inaccurate lists out there are ones related to black metal. Many black metal noobs like Anthony Fantano of The Needledrop (the world’s busiest, most pretentious hipster) have started to review black metal albums without the slightest knowlege of the genre. Kvelertak isn’t black metal Anthony, fuck off. Here I will list the top 15 black metal albums of all time as I see fit. Because lets face it, I’m awesome.

For obvious reasons I’m listing only ONE album per artist. But I will list the runner up albums by that band.

Also, screw Venom.

15. Gorgoroth – Under the Sign of Hell

Alright, lets start with Gorgoroth. This album is special because it features vocals by PEST instead of Gaahl’s whiny imp-like rasp. The unintentional lo-fi quality is majestic on this one (unlike Gorgoroth’s last few albums which featured disastrous attempts to make their music sound lo-fi using hi-tech equipment, especially the 2011 remastered version of this album) The album maintains an intangible dark aura. Pest’s vocals feel possessed and diabolical as fuck.

14. Isengard – Vinterskugge

Darkthrone mastermind Fenriz has always been a god in black metal and Isengard was his divine vehicle back in the 90’s. A mixture of black, death and folk metal, this lo-fi gem takes you into a hybrid world of Viking folklore and, of course, Middle-earth. All the instruments as well as the vocals are played by Fenriz himself. Contrary to popular belief, this album is actually a compilation of Isengard’s early demos and every song sounds different in one way or another. The vocals on this album are strange - tracks like Vinterskugge have amusing operatic vocals while tracks like Ut i Vannets dyp Hvor Morket Hviler have full on orthodox black metal vocals. Fenriz also mastered the use of synthesizers on this one with some really good dark ambient interludes.

13. Beherit – Drawing Down the Moon

One of the first few examples of black metal fused with industrial music. Beherit from Finland likes to experiment with black metal. And they always get away with it with amazing results. Beherit was formed with the purpose of performing "the most primitive, savage, hell-obsessed black metal imaginable.” Drawing Down the Moon was released in 1993 was initially met with a lot of mixed reviews. It was only after a few years that people realized this album is fucking amazing.

12. Absurd – Facta Loquuntur

Another lo-fi gem, this album features some of the rawest Oi!/RAC (Rock Against Communism) songs ever recorded. One of the finest examples of National Socialist Black Metal (NSBM), Facta Loquuntur was released in 1996 and its popularity grew mainly due to the band’s controversial nature (teenage murder, leadman Hendrik Mobus’ crazy adventures and other crap). Initially only 500 copies were released (I’d love to get my hands on one of those) The album cover features Thor pawning a bunch of goats. Tracks like Werwulf and Pesstanz are landmark tracks within the NSBM scene. Other notable tracks include Dreaming of Love and Mourning Soul.

11. Ulver - Nattens Madrigal: Atte Hymne Til Ulven I Manden      
           

Perhaps the most lo-fi and rawest black metal album of all time, Nattens Madrigal (Norwegian: Madrigal of the Night) was released in 1997. While Ulver isn’t known for any controversies, they are best known for kickass experimental music. Nattens Madrigal was their last black metal album before changing their style to avant-garde metal. It is a concept album about a man who becomes a werewolf (no thanks to Satan himself). It was apparently recorded in a forest, A FOREST. Nattens Madrigal maintains such a unique, chaotic atmosphere never to be heard again in their subsequent releases.

10. Mayhem – De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

Lets see...double murder, arson of historical churches, grave desecration, suicide and downright awesomeness. De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas was the epitome of the Norwegian black metal scene and features some of the most legendary musicians from the second wave including Euronymous, Varg Vikernes, Dead, Atilla Csihar and Hellhammer. Atilla Csihar had to do the vocals since Dead blew his brains out for the lulz and needless to say his vocals are magnificent. The artwork features the Nidaros Cathedral from Trondheim, Norway which was planned to be blown up to coincide with the album’s initial release. The album features some of Euronymous’ most majestic, blazing, and downright sinister riffs as made evident in the title track as well as Freezing Moon, which is undoubtably the most popular song in black metal. Varg’s basslines are relatively silent, yet vicious. Hellhammer’s blast beats are powerful enough to deafen the whole Christian population of Scandinavia and Dead’s lyrics are as morbid and depressing as ever. After Varg stabbed Euronymous to death, his family asked Hellhammer to remove the bass tracks recorded by Varg. He promised he would but ended up using them anyway because, lets face it - its fucking kvlt. Imagine how this album would turn out if they took out Varg’s bass.

9. Immortal – Battles In The North

Apart from making ridiculous videos, Immortal is known as one of the most consistent and heaviest black metal bands from Norway. Abbath’s monotonous rasp of a voice is something I enjoy more than sex itself, the man is a genius. Demonaz’s lyrics are full of ice, war, Norse mythology and medieval awesomess. This album features some of the last guitar work done by Demonaz before he was diagnosed with acute tendinopathy thus ending his career as lead guitarist and sticking exclusively to writing lyrics for Immortal. Battles In The North is best known for Immortal’s most popular songs Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms and Blashyrk (Mighty Ravendark) which introduced the fictional realm of Blashyrk that has been ever present on subsequent Immortal releases.

Runner up: Sons of Northern Darkness

8. Marduk – Nightwing

Sweden’s Marduk are notorious for making the fastest, nastiest, and most blasphemous black metal music around, and Panzer Divison Marduk is undoubtably Marduk’s most popular album. But is it THAT good compared to Nightwing? Fuck no. This album beats all other Marduk albums by a long shot. Released in 1998, part 1 of a concept album trilogy about blood, war and death, Nightwing is about blood and Vlad III Dracula, the Impaler. Its safe to say that this album pays great accolade to Vlad Tepes. A vampyric atmosphere surrounds the album thanks to its blasphemous lyrics and sinister riffs. Needless to say that if this was released in 15th century Romania, Vlad would impale his enemies to tracks like Kaziklu Bey and Dreams of Blood and Iron. This album marks the debut of Marduk’s second (and best) vocalist Legion who joined the band in 1995. Nightwing is the soundtrack to hell.

Runner up: Panzer Division Marduk

7. Satyricon – Nemesis Divina

They are called the “undisputed kings of black metal” for a reason; this album. Nemesis Divina is considered to be Satyricon’s last great album before they turned to utter sh*t. If you like Diabolical, you can now fuck off. Sometimes I like to think that they channeled too much epicness into this album that left them artistically handicapped for the rest of their career (this is probably what happened). Having Nocturno Culto of Darkthrone perform on this album is one of the key components of its majestic beauty. Blazing, agressive riffs will attack your ears like a colony of pissed off army ants eating away your braincells. Thunderous, treacherous blastbeats by Frost will give you chronic vertigo. Blasphemous, calamitous vocals by Satyr will rip your soul into shreds like a satyr from hell itself. The combination of Nocturno Culto’s legendary riffs and Satyr’s malicious tremelo attacks are  monumentally epic and creates a formidable aura of chaotic awesomeness. Get this album or die.

Runner up: The Shadowthrone

6. Drudkh – Forgotten Legends

The undisputed successors to Burzum, Drudkh (“Woods” in Sanskrit), from Ukraine, took the hypnotic sounds of Hvis Lyset Tar Oss, improved it, and made it their own. While I’m relatively new to this band it didn’t take me long to discover the depth and sophisticated nature of this masterpiece. The album consists of 4 very long tracks (much like Hvis Lyset Tar Oss) and deals with Slavonic mythology and nature. Forgotten Legends produces a trance-like state in the mind of the listener by the end of the first track. Not much could be said about this mysterious album other than the fact that it is pure brilliance.

Runner up: Autum Aurora

5. Inquisition – Invoking the Majestic Throne of Satan

Dagon of Inquisition has one of the best monotonous black metal vocal styles that I’ve ever heard. Its simplistic, nihilistic and an absolutely pleasure to listen to. Inquisition has humble beginnings in Columbia as a thrash metal band formed in 1988 by Dagon. In 1996 Dagon moved to the States and started making black metal. One of the finest examples of raw black metal, Inquisiton released their second black metal album Invoking the Majestic Throne of Satan in 2002 and it does exactly that. This album is very blasphemous and destructive but it is also actually pleasant to listen to. For a detrimental fucking malicious masterpiece of epic raw black metal this album maintains a calm, slumbering aura of chaotic beauty fueled by Dagon’s majestic vocals and facile riffs. Great album to calm your nerves.

4. Dissection – Storm of the Light’s Bane

On 16th August, 2006 notorious Satanist Jon Nödtveidt from Dissection shot himself in a candlelit circle with a Satanic grimoir by his side. Just 2 years before, he had been released from Swedish prison for second degree murder. Aside from being a crazy Satan-worshipper, Jon was a musical mastermind and an ingenious guitarist who made one of the greatest albums of all time. Storm of the Light’s Bane is the Beethovan’s 9th symphony of black metal with a lot of neo-classical influences. Nödtveidt’s majestic rasps and brilliant musicianship paved the way for Dissection’s legendary status in the black metal underground. The album starts with the beautiful instrumental At The Fathomless Depths which brings a whole new meaning to the medieval tritone. Unhallowed features some of the best drumwork by Ole Ohman. I should also mention that Storm of the Light’s Bane features artwork by Kristian Wåhlin who created artwork for Bathory, Emperor, Necrophobic and that sh*tty pop metal band Therion. Where Dead Angels Lie is probably the best track off the album and features some of Nödtveidt’s best vocals and a fantastic solo. Storm of the Light’s Bane paved the way for melodic black metal but sadly that subgenre is complete sh*t now. R.I.P Jonny.

3. Darkthrone – Under a Funeral Moon

Lo-fi at its best.

Misanthropic Darkthrone revolutionized the world of black metal with the release of their first black metal album A Blaze in the Northern Sky which pretty much sparked the second wave of black metal. Initially a death metal band, Darkthrone decided to go kvlt because death metal was gay in Scandinavia at the time. Despite being a “black metal” album, A Blaze... was pretty much a blackened death metal album so they decided to record a “pure 100%” black metal album and thus Under a Funeral Moon was released. Part 2 of Darkthrone’s “Unholy Trinity” Under a Funeral Moon is simply the most nihilistic, harshest, blasphemous, and sinister black metal album ever concieved. Its creepy, strange production makes it sound like Cthulhu himself is humming in the background. Under a Funeral Moon features the most blasphemous lyrics written by Darkthrone and could induce heart attacks in decent Christian folk. This album, along with Bathory’s self titled, pretty much created the sound of modern black metal. Nocturno Culto’s misanthropic, hideous snarl of a voice and lightning fast, venomous riffs creates a very eerie atmosphere above the layer of diabolical blastbeats hammered away by Fenriz. There is nothing warm about this music. This is the music of sociopaths, mass murderers aaaaand Satan 666 etc J

Runner ups: A Blaze In The Northern Sky, Panzerfaust

2. Bathory – Bathory

Tomas “Quorthon” Forsberg’s Bathory is perhaps the most influential extreme metal band of all time spanning nearly 2 decades and 3 genres. Along with Viking Metal genre, Bathory pretty much created modern black metal. Sure, Venom invented the term “black metal” but it was Bathory that took Venom’s idea and made it something artistically worthwhile. Bathory’s self-titled debut album Bathory was released in 1984 and people loved it. Despite being just 28 minutes long, Bathory pretty much laid the groundwork of modern black metal by including Satanic lyrics, harsh, inhuman vocals, blazing guitar riffs, and lo-fi production. The sound of Bathory is pretty much faster, darker thrash metal with gravely vocals and blasphemous lyrics. The popularity of Bathory spread around Scandinavia and became one of the main influences of second-wave Norwegian bands that worshipped Bathory, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost and Venom. Despite being a fun, lulzy, blackened thrash metal album, Bathory has a very creepy atmosphere. Imagine having rabies and a demon possession at the same time while guzzling down pints of Jack Daniels and going around town, raping, pillaging churches and lacerating minds in the name of the Goat! OH YEAH! Quorthon was a genius.

Runner ups: pretty much every Bathory album

1. Burzum – Filosofem

Varg Vikernes’ entire career has been overshadowed by the murder of Euronymous, but it also made him very popular. However, many people don’t appreciate him for his musical genius. Varg might be a crazy neo-Nazi, but he is, perhaps, the most talented Norwegian musician alive today (come at me Norskies). Filosofem isn’t that popular compared to his popular masterpiece Hvis Lyset Tar Oss, but many people don’t realize that Filosofem is much more influencial than any of his other albums. The first track, Dunkelheit (Burzum), is undoubtably one of the first ambient black metal tracks every recorded. The simple, depressive, nihilistic beauty of Dunhelheit defined Varg’s early career. Jesu Død is the epitome of chaos and maliciousness of black metal with its dark sinister riffs and thunderous blast beats and not to mention the blasphemous lyrics. Beholding the Daughters of the Firmament is perhaps the best song off Filosofem. Its nihilistic beauty cannot be expressed by words. The track, over 7 minutes long, creates a trance-like, sad, ambient world around the listener enabling one to get lost in Varg’s eternal despair. It makes you feel small, alone and vulnerable but it is a good feeling, kind of like an ego death. Listening to this album is almost a religious experience where the listener feels like a prisoner in his own mind and doesn’t feel shame to indulge in his own sadness. Rundgang um Die Transzendentale Säule der Singularität is a 25 minute long ambient masterpiece proving once again that Varg’s genius extends beyond just black metal. This track further extends the psychological impact made by Beholding the Daughters of the Firmament in a more nihilistic, repetitive and simple ambient style. Getting lost in this track is a euphoric feeling that no other song will allow you to do. Gebrechlichkeit I and II are haunting and depressive tracks with some of the most painful vocals Varg has ever recorded. This album creates a strong feeling of sympathy for Varg and allows us to get lost in his dark mind. Filosofem was intentionally recorded on very bad equipment. Varg used a headphone mic to record the vocals and plugged his guitar into an old stereo instead of using a guitar amp. So, in a way, he created art out of nothing. Chaotic masterpiece.

Runner up: Hvis Lyset Tar Oss

- Cyrus