On the Definition of Black Metal (Nov. 2011)

Black Metal is often described as raw, fast-paced music with harsh vocals, blast beats and an emphasis on tremolo picking. Anything that possesses these core traits is accepted as being Black Metal, while anything that lacks these characteristics is rejected. This has created a problem when it comes to defining Black Metal, as younger people are unaware of the roots and thus discredit the very bands that created this movement in the first place. At the same time, this leads to bands that have very little to do with the original ideology or approach as being considered part of something that they are not, solely based on aesthetics or certain techniques.

Black Metal was born in the early 1980s. The term originated with the NWOBHM band Venom, and was even the title of their second full-length album. That this trio from Newcastle represents the true beginnings of Black Metal there is no doubt. The hellish sound, raw and energetic playing, dark atmosphere and Satanic themes were present from their first release. And it was these last two points that were the real determining factors as to whether or not something would be categorized as Black Metal. If it was dark and Satanic, then that was all that it took to be worthy of such a label. Bands such as Mercyful Fate, Slayer, Hellhammer, Sodom and Bathory all joined the unholy war and were considered part of the same movement. While similar imagery played a part, the lyrical content and dark atmosphere were the main elements to be taken into consideration. However, over time, the definition of Black Metal evolved and the First Wave bands were later expelled or ignored by many. Despite bearing dark, Satanic and occult lyrics, many albums were disassociated from the movement that they created, or given the tag “proto-Black Metal”. Even Venom was lumped in with Thrash Metal and thus robbed of their legacy, to a degree. Albums like Show No Mercy, Don't Break the Oath and Seven Churches were disregarded, completely, when discussing Black Metal. If anything, Slayer was nothing more than a heavier, faster version of Venom with better musicianship. What more is needed when every single song includes multiple references to Satan and Hell? Even the first two Bathory records are frequently said to be more Thrash than Black. It is only the band's third album, Under the Sign of the Black Mark, that is considered as a pure Black Metal album and this masterpiece is in many ways the template by which many later recordings were patterned. Strange that even the very band that perfected what Venom started could receive such treatment, as it regards their earlier output. Much of the problem can be traced back to the early Norwegian scene, which is ironic since even the main figures of this movement knew that it was mostly the lyrical content that determined whether or not something was Black Metal.

Norwegian Black Metal began with Mayhem and this influential group was largely responsible for the shift in perception. As their musical style developed, they dropped a lot of the more primitive structures and riffs and began to utilize tremolo melodies and blasting drums. As Euronymous was a very important figure in the scene and Mayhem was well-respected, many others were inspired to play a similar type of music. Not only did they incorporate the riffing style and overall approach, but they were educated on the older bands and soon many were discovering the classic 80s releases. Burzum, Darkthrone, Immortal, Thorns and Emperor all exhibited some similarities (or influences from) with Mayhem, as well as many of the First Wave bands. The most important, by most accounts, would have to be Bathory. They also injected a lot of original thought and demonstrated a high level of creativity. Though each one could be easily distinguished from the other, they shared many characteristics and thus the modern definition of Black Metal was born.

It is true that the Norwegian bands helped revitalize Black Metal and to resurrect it. Through the combination of old school 80s influences and their own artistic vision, they created a distinctive sound that soon narrowed the overall style of Black Metal. After a certain point, things got confusing and this Scandinavian variant seemed to reinvent the sub-genre, altogether. However, this lead to many misunderstandings. Any band from Norway that shared aesthetic or musical tendencies were considered Black Metal, regardless of the lyrical content. Listen to the early albums from Immortal, Satyricon and Enslaved, for example. They had the look and the general sound of Norwegian Black Metal; i.e. the tremolo guitar riffing, the blast beats, the screeching vocals, etc. But they would be the first to tell you that they didn't play Black Metal because their lyrics were not Satanic. Immortal said that they played "Holocaust Metal". Satyricon called their brand of music "Medieval Metal" and Enslaved claimed to play "Viking Metal", though it sounded nothing like Bathory's Hammerheart album. For them, the lyrical content was as important, if not more so, than the sound. They even cited Deicide as Black Metal, simply because of the Satanic content of the lyrics. They called it 'commercial Black Metal', but Black Metal nonetheless. So it came to be that people looked to the Norwegian sound as the one that defined Black Metal, yet ignored the words of musicians such as Euronymous, Fenriz and countless others when they discussed the history of the music and actually gave credit to where it belonged; i.e. the First Wave bands.

With the passage of time, the lyrics and atmosphere became secondary. The sound and imagery were all that mattered. This resulted in countless bands coming along and espousing a message that had absolutely nothing to do with Black Metal, yet being considered a part of it because they play a certain way or wear corpse paint. Somehow, though their music is neither dark nor evil and has nothing to do with Satanic or anti-Christian themes, these fake bands managed to sneak in and join something that they cannot even begin to understand. It has gotten to the point where emo kids have been able to hijack certain elements, injecting them into their depressive goth-rock projects and still get labeled as some form of Black Metal when, in fact, it has nothing at all to do with it.

Obviously, labels can become subjective to the point of insanity. There comes a point between "Medieval Metal" and "Midnight Stroll By the Lake Near the Forest Metal" where someone has to draw a line. The narrower the categories, the more subjective it becomes as something can fit into several different sub-genres. In this case, the point is that some need to have more of an open mind and realize that bands represent different things to different people. The Norwegians did a lot for Black Metal, but they don't have the final say in how it is defined. It is done a little differently in Sweden and in the Czech Republic and in Greece and so on and each scene has its own sound. The beauty of the First Wave was that there were so many bands, including Venom, Slayer and Mercyful Fate that had similar themes and some of the same influences, yet they all had distinctive sounds. It is completely asinine for someone to come along and say that Mercyful Fate was not Black Metal, because it doesn't sound like the Second Wave stuff. Ironically, though they seem to worship the likes of Euronymous or Fenriz, they missed the point that both made on numerous occasions, regarding the definition of Black Metal.

On the Fate of Metal (Oct. 2011)

At times, the future of Metal looks quite bleak, and one has to wonder what will happen when those few bands that keep the flame burning are no more. As it is, too few are adhering to the traditions of real Metal and far too many are putting forth great efforts to turn it into something hardly recognizable. Those that deviate from the true path are often hailed as being progressive and doing their part to help along the evolution of this music, when they are actually tearing it down. Meanwhile, those that try to uphold the tenets of Metal are often labeled as "retro acts" and not taken seriously. This discredits the bands and, even worse, allows the type of music that they are playing to be considered old and outdated.

In essence, Metal itself is becoming a relic of the past. Anything that does not possess the trappings of modernity is usually thought of as being retro or a tribute to those that came before. Even worse, very few bands seem to have a good grasp on what made the old albums special, so it is difficult to defend a lot of them. Things have become so diluted, over time, that the original inspirational forces behind the creation of the early classics of each sub-genre have been forgotten. Now, all bands are able to do is to try their best to mimic what their predecessors did, but without the true understanding it comes off as hollow and lacking the quality and sincerity of the old ones.

Looking at modern Thrash Metal, for example, one can see that most of these bands are doing all they can to rip off those that came before, without the talent to really match the creativity of the classic releases. More or less, they are going through the motions. In the 80s, there were countless bands that each had their own distinctive sound. Even within tight scenes, several bands would bear similarities while managing to carve out a place for themselves. Anyone with any familiarity with Teutonic Thrash, for instance, can tell the difference between Kreator, Exumer, Destruction, Sodom, Assassin, etc. Similarly, it is just as simple to discern Metallica from Slayer or Megadeth from Testament. However, most of the retro bands are unable to create their own identity; the best they can do is to earn praise by being compared to some group from the past. While there are a few that have maintained the true spirit of Thrash Metal (often mixed with something else), these bands are frequently lumped in with the masses and ignored.

Then there’s Death Metal, where all of the original concepts were completely abandoned and what passes for Death Metal today has nothing at all to do with great records like Scream Bloody Gore, Slowly We Rot, Consuming Impulse, Altars of Madness or Left Hand Path. As time went on, many bands abandoned Death Metal entirely, simplifying their music in an effort to catch the ears of more casual listeners. Others took it to the opposite extreme, going out of their way to play as fast as possible, with an infinite number of riffs and timing changes, and deeper vocals that all focused on trying to be more "brutal" or technical. Of course, there were also those that added more outside elements to the music until reaching the point where they could no longer be considered real Death Metal, thus spawning such movements as the Melodic Death scene, which owes more to Iron Maiden than to Death or Autopsy. It has gotten to the point where the whole purpose of creating a dark atmosphere of death and horror has been totally lost. Whenever a band comes along that still has a degree of respect for the past and tries to resurrect the old sound, they are labeled as a retro act and brushed aside, for the most part.

In the case of Black Metal, there is more of a traditionalist sense that is part of the core philosophy. For every band like Emperor that became more symphonic than Black, and ended up reverting to Death Metal, there have been groups like Nifelheim that continued to play a primitive and old school style of music that never allowed the flame to weaken too much. The same can be said of Doom, which was also hi-jacked by goths and used for purposes other than what it was meant to be, but there were always bands that continued to take things in the right direction, maintaining the true essence of Doom Metal (often the Death/Doom or Funeral Doom bands).

The unfortunate thing is that purists are often considered to be backward or stubborn for trying to uphold tradition, as many of their peers dilute the music with foreign, experimental elements that do not belong. Strange that for a Black Metal band to play pure Black Metal, for example, is thought of as stagnant and instead praise goes to the idiot bands that steal some of the techniques of Black Metal (as well as the aesthetics) and go on to make something completely different in the name of progress. Naturally, this is not too surprising in a world where maintaining one's own culture is looked down upon, while the mixing of races and cultures is hyped. In the end, all that is achieved is destruction of all variety and unique types of music in favour of abominations that are mere amalgamations of different styles.

In time, the experimental side of things very well may overtake the traditionalist approach and true Metal will die, only to be replaced by something else that goes by the same name while having nothing to do with what once was, at all. More bands should seek to connect to the inspirations that influenced the bands that started it all, rather than just watering things down by looking no further than the most recent generation. This is the only way to combat those that would see the various types of Metal disappear. Even still, no one should worry too much. There are enough lost or forgotten albums from years past that will keep real Metal fans satiated for a lifetime. Even after spending a few decades involved in the Metal scene, there are always more forgotten gems to dig up and explore.

On Expectations in Metal (Oct. 2011)

Why are Metal fans so hopelessly optimistic when it comes to their favourite bands? Time and time again, listeners are disappointed when a band's claim to be returning to a preferred style proves to be nothing more than wishful thinking, or when the return of a long-lost band member is hyped as the missing ingredient that was needed for a band to reclaim their former glory. Regardless of how many times a band burns its fans, far too many of them remain loyal and optimistic, only to be let down yet again. The recent Morbid Angel release is a good example of this.

In recent months, there had been a lot of talk regarding Illud Divinum Insanus, their first record since 2003 and the first to include David Vincent since 1995's Domination. The album was met with a great amount of backlash, and one has to wonder why. Of course, the album is pure trash, but what were people expecting? It would appear that a large section of their fanbase were holding their breath, waiting for a return to the glory days of Altars of Madness and Blessed are the Sick. This demonstrates a high level of unrealistic hopefulness on the part of the listeners. The high hopes were even less realistic as the band had already begun to churn out sub-par material before Vincent's initial departure. Domination was a far cry from the brilliance displayed only six years earlier, on the full-length debut. And, truth be told, the members of Morbid Angel seem to have, long ago, lost the fire and passion for creating anything worthwhile. Bands with such longevity rarely retain the same spirit that once possessed them in their earliest days.

It is the same, in many cases, and one need look no further than Metallica to witness a classic example of this. Whenever they release a new collection of aural atrocities. Anyone with the tiniest bit of common sense realizes that Hetfield and Co. are decades past their prime and there is not a single shred of realism to the expectation that they would, somehow, return to form and release another Kill 'Em All or Ride the Lightning. It does not take a genius to realize that those records were created by completely different people, and that has nothing to do with the line-up changes but everything to do with who they were at the time, versus who they became. "Metal Militia" and "Fight Fire With Fire" were written by musicians that had that fire in their eyes and a burning hunger to dominate the world through their music. By the time those same guys gave birth to such songs as "Enter Sandman" and "Until it Sleeps", it was absolutely clear that it had become a matter of money and was no longer art. There was also a sense of knowing that, no matter what kind of excrement they offered, there would be millions of people to eat it up. By the time they acknowledged that they had strayed from their roots and tried to reclaim their former glory, they were so out of touch that it came off as extremely weak and forced. The end result was more of a parody of their past, rather than reconnecting with it.

Metal fans often go against all common sense in the hopes that a band can regain their former magic and rise from the depths of mediocrity. While there have been a few cases of this, they remain among the minority. Once a band has proven to be no longer capable of delivering as they once had, it would be best to lower one's expectations or simply move on to something else. That is not to say that one should give up on a band for a single bad album, as anyone can make a mistake, but once a certain band displays a total lack of creativity and, consistently, tarnishes their name with one terrible release after another, the chance of them ever turning back are slim. Even if they attempt to reconnect with whatever musical movement that they were once a part of, it is more likely that they will show influences from its modern counterpart, rather than actually sounding like they did in the beginning. Always remember: expectations are planned disappointments. This is as true in the realm of Metal as with other areas of life.

On the Deception of Nargaroth (Oct. 2011)

Things are not always what they seem, and it is always important for one to think critically about the information that is presented to them. Black Metal has enjoyed a rather high level of popularity, within the underground (and beyond), for the past decade and a half. For those who do not remember, or were simply not around, it must be mentioned that things were not always this way. It was once something quite obscure and unknown to many. Even those who were aware of it often mocked and ridiculed it. With the media storm surrounding the Norwegian scene in the mid-90s, the popularity of this form of music began to grow at an astounding rate. Bands sprang up from all over the globe, and more and more listeners were turned onto this dark art. By the late 90s, it had become quite trendy in a sense, and a great number of posers and idiots had flocked to the bloodstained altars, in hopes of capturing some of its dark essence. Many attempted to recreate the magic of the past, while others simply adopted whatever elements they chose and mixed them with other influences, producing some bastardized form of music that should never have been. In this chaotic time emerged a Black Metal warrior from the long forgotten past. He went by the name of Kanwulf, and his band Nargaroth was established to uphold the true ways of the black cult. Well... actually, he was just another goth fag that latched onto the latest trend in hopes of impressing people and finding some community of outcasts to take him in. This feminine loser was better known to his friends and family as mild-mannered René Wagner.

Of course, anything of any real quality will, inevitably, begin attracting the attention of the wrong kind of people. It has happened within any kind of movement imaginable, whether it be related to music, film, politics, etc. Black Metal was no different, except that the shameful losers it attracted were even more ridiculous than usual. Ranking near the top of that list was the feeble-minded René, a disgrace to his German blood. Like many others, he was drawn to the aesthetics and the dark atmosphere evoked by the music, but he failed to look beneath the surface. His understanding of Black Metal is shallow and rooted in self-created mythology, influenced by fantastical stories printed in newspapers and magazines.

This goth loser was not introduced to Black Metal until 1996, at the very earliest. More likely, it was even a year or two later. This is when he formed his own band and began imitating his new-found heroes. After a couple of demos, his band Nargaroth released Herbstleyd at the end of 1998. For one reason or another, this record appealed to a decent amount of people and this is something that René should have been proud of. He had infiltrated a world in which he did not belong, like so many others were doing around that time. But this was not enough for him. He wished to be associated with the originators of this musical style, instead of being among the legions of imitators. So he began to create a backstory for himself and his band, to gain more credibility in the scene.

According to his story (which often changed), he formed Nargaroth in 1989 and recorded the first demos in 1991 and 1993. During this time, he traveled to Norway and met with both Dead and Varg Vikernes and discussed the ill-fated path that Black Metal was on. He then went to prison on charges of manslaughter, then re-emerged a handful of years later to constantly weep and mourn for the old days (of which he was never a part, in any way) and to keep the ancient flame burning with his musical contributions. The only problem is that none of this is true.

The German Black Metal scene was a small and close-knit group, back in the mid-90s. No one involved had ever heard of Kanwulf or Nargaroth until 1997 at the earliest, and when asked about this idiotic drama queen Varg denied meeting him and went on to say that no foreigners were present except for a handful of Swedes. This does not even take into account that he was a mere child at the time, anyway. Countless people have come forth to dispute the claims made by René, in his quest for acceptance. Also worth mentioning is that his pseudonym was taken from a Canadian television program that did not even air in Germany until 1996, or so. Obviously, this would add more suspicion the the claims that those “old demos” were recorded and released in the early 90s. René also admitted later on that the inspiration for the name of his band came from Gorgoroth, which certainly did not exist in 1989. How ironic that this poser scum took on a dramatic tone in so many interviews, talking about how Black Metal died in 1994 and that everything that came after that was utter garbage. He was describing himself, perfectly. Somehow, he had convinced himself that his lies were truth and that he was the last of a forgotten age. The truth of the matter was that the era that he was so desperate to associate himself with was over before he had even heard of it. He spent a lot of time and energy in trying to craft the perfect image for his Black Metal persona, yet he allowed his true face to appear on national television in late 1999.

On a tv talk show called “Sonja Live”, he appeared in all of his feminine glory, seeming very giggly and shy and allowing himself to be ridiculed in a very low-class environment. Smiling and soft-spoken, he sat there in a fishnet shirt while his roommate lambasted him for listening to music too loud. The old school Black Metal warrior backed down and agreed to retreat to his car to listen to music, and could not have come off as more of a homosexual unless he began making out with the guy on stage. Far from the honourable Black Metal warrior that he pretended to be, this was most likely an accurate representation of his true personality.

To defend his actions, René took to the internet and masqueraded as other people in order to back up his own ridiculous claims or actions, as well as to speak highly of his own band. It was later discovered that the IP addresses for the fake users were all linked to the very university where René was taking classes. He brazenly lied time and again and then posed as random people to support his claims and to be his own number one fan... This guy truly had no shame.

As for his band's second full-length album, Black Metal Ist Krieg, it was nothing more than a pile of garbage and stolen ideas. It contains four cover songs from a handful of obscure bands that few were aware of. He had only been introduced to these bands a short time before recording the songs and, in the case of Moonblood, had actually said that they were shit. Obviously, the idea behind this was to build even more credibility by pretending to possess knowledge of these obscure bands. Weird that someone would cover a band that he considers to be shit, but understandable since they had a level of respect in the underground and he knew that others regarded them highly. Even more disgusting that this shameless poser has amassed such a following while a brilliant band like Moonblood languished in relative obscurity.

As for the rest of the album, it contains ridiculous lyrics that are all about Black Metal itself, resulting in unintended self-parody. Riffs are stolen, such as the Strid melodies in “Seven Tears Are Flowing to the River”, the Immortal plagiarism in “Erik, May You Rape the Angels” (which is a total farce, making a tribute song to someone that he had never met, pretending to be some close friend) and the obvious theft from Darkthrone in “Possessed By Black Fucking Metal”. Obviously, he spent a lot of time listening to End of Life, Pure Holocaust and Under A Funeral Moon, when writing the material for this album. Outside of these “borrowed” concepts, his own material is incredibly derivative and more of a mockery than a tribute. Just listen to “The Day Burzum Killed Mayhem” and read the lyrics and wonder how René managed to record this with a straight face. Boring and generic riffs, comical displays of false emotion and horrid movie samples all populate an album that has, somehow, gained a high level of respect among more casual listeners. Sad to see so many stupid children that do not realize what a piece of trash this album really is and this was only the second one.

René continued his pathetic antics, even including a home video of him whining and crying that some people had seen through his lies and burning t-shirts and records for some unknown purpose. The thing that seems to go unnoticed is that this loser is an attention whore and always has been. Like a lot of other people, he saw Black Metal as some “island of misfit toys” that would accept him in ways that the goth community would not. It was also probably more interesting and excited him to think that he could be a part of something that was, at times, dangerous and legitimately evil. Kanwulf is nothing more than a weakling that has enjoyed the attention of uninformed listeners that take his false claims at face value.

That is the real problem here. It is not just that some loser ran around, spreading lies and trying to be part of something to which he did not belong. Posers are all over the place, and their presence is annoying but, ultimately, does not matter. The thing is that this particular person managed to create a mythology around himself (not so much his true self, but a character that existed only in his mind) and his band to fool many in the underground for several years. There are many that still revere the work and words of this fool, based on his hideous lies and posturing, and it should not only be known that it was all false, but that others like him are surely lurking all over. Honour is something that is rapidly fading from this world. Disingenuous people are multiplying in this modern age of technology and it is only getting worse. Do not be so quick to offer your support to such scum.

On the Plague of Modern Production (Sept. 2011)

One of the worst things about modern Metal is the soulless, plastic sound that most bands strive for. A large number of bands do their best to attain the exact same type of production, using the same technology and thus draining any potential character out of the music. For whatever reason, many bands have been conned into thinking that this disgusting sound is a positive thing. In the past decade or more, the typical “wall of sound” production (complete with clicking bass drums) has come to dominate most Metal. Though it has become most unbearable in recent years, the roots of the problem go back quite some time.

On can look to the early 90s, when many Swedish (and some foreign) Death Metal bands were traveling to Studio Sunlight, in Stockholm, hoping to capture the same sound that was achieved on Entombed's Left Hand Path. Not only were most of the bands playing a very similar style of music, but they wished to stamp their work with the same buzzsaw guitar tone, as well. This resulted in countless records that had no real character of their own, as most people would just compare them to Entombed anyway. This particular production was not bad anyway, but it got old after hearing a dozen or so records with little or no alteration in their approach.

Around the same time, a similar situation was developing in the American Death Metal scene, particularly in Florida. A plethora of bands were going to Morrisound Studios and trying to get what was then considered to be the ideal Death Metal production, with many of them losing their identity in the process. If one were to take a handful of albums from 1990-1992, from such bands as Deicide, Malevolent Creation, Death, Obituary, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death and Pestilence (the latter so obsessed with getting the Florida Death Metal sound that they traveled across the Atlantic to do so), one can cut and paste various sections from one album to another and the result would be hardly perceptible. A lot of this falls on the shoulders of people like Scott Burns, who had no concept of albums needing to maintain their own identity and raping brilliant records, like Blessed are the Sick, and giving them a sterile feeling. This type of mentality has persevered to the present and is like a cancer upon various forms of Metal.

For the most part, in the 80s, each release had its own character. Even several bands that were playing a similar style would sound completely different due to the recording techniques and the type of equipment that was used for the albums. Because of this, Metal seemed much more diverse and bands of the same sub-genre could still appear different enough to warrant attention since each had their own way of doing things. Unfortunately, many musicians prefer to use the best and latest technology at their disposal, and the results are atrocious. The slick, modern sound means a total absence of real atmosphere and character.

There are many reasons to dislike modern bands, whether it's the fact that they are simply rehashing what has been done before or maybe adding in alien elements that don't belong. However, the prime reason for newer bands to lose any chance of credibility right out of the gate is the utilization of fake, modern sounds that leave the music bereft of any feeling, whatsoever. This does not mean that one should opt for only garage-quality recordings, as this may be taking things to the opposite extreme; however, bands should get the right sound to compliment what they are doing. In most cases, going for the trendy plastic production is the wrong move.

There is a wave of bands, currently, that are doing their best to achieve an older sound, adding great depth and character to their music. Ghost is among them, and one of the main appealing factors of this group is that they managed such a natural, organic sound on their debut album. Rather than being seen as retro acts, these bands should be hailed as examples that the rest should follow. Returning to a more natural style of production broadens the possibilities for atmosphere and for bands to distinguish themselves from one another, a bit more. Then they can work on improving the generic riffs, and the fact that a large percentage of their songs are driven forward by overdone double bass, instead of the guitars.

In the end, bands need to focus more on creating atmosphere and making meaningful music, rather than releasing a polished product that is ready to appeal to the majority, seeking instant gratification and not wanting to be challenged in any way, at all. In the words of Darkthrone's Fenriz, “the only time I saw something raw and wrapped in plastic was when it was dead meat”.

On Black Metal Elitism (May 2011)

There has long been a struggle, within the realm of Metal, between those that wanted to keep things underground and those who sought to reach as wide of an audience as possible. This has been especially true with Black Metal. In maintaining relative obscurity, many felt that this would ensure a certain level of purity. Only the most dedicated musicians and fans would be involved, leaving casual listeners to their trends. In a sense, it was an attempt to keep this art form away from those that would cheapen or corrupt it. However, as with most meaningful movements, it was impossible to prevent outsiders from infiltrating and diluting the Black Metal scene.

As Death Metal experienced a surge in popularity, in the early 90s, this attitude was reinforced as many did not wish to see the same thing happen to Black Metal. It was often noted how one could easily see normal people walking around with shirts from such bands as Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Obituary, Entombed and so on. As well as reaching a wider audience, most of these bands had also forsaken their previous styles and evolved into something more acceptable, in sound and appearance. Part of the movement known as the Second Wave was that it was very anti-trend and was in part a rebellion against what had transpired with Death Metal. If Death Metal bands were going for a slick, modern production for their albums, Black Metal bands would hearken back to the 80s and deliver records that sounded ugly and primitive. Instead of using artists to make elaborate paintings for their album covers, some opted for obscure photographs. The mentality had become so extreme, in some cases, that any band that made a dime off of their work were considered to be sellouts.

Mayhem guitarist, Euronymous, once expressed that his band was suffering because of these underground values. He also stated that only those that truly deserved to be included should even have access to their music. One outlandish idea called for interested fans to send in a photo of themselves and a letter that told some info, before being allowed to buy records from Euronymous. Of course, this type of mindset would have killed the entire movement dead in its tracks. Money was needed, to keep things going, so it was deemed a necessary evil to allow casual fans to purchase such albums. Later on, he cited how Venom did things on a large scale and were not beholden to any such underground code. He decided that the important thing would be to make as much money as possible and spread the evil far and wide.

Other than simply using posers for their money, the argument can be made that many of these people simply don't know any better, since they have not been exposed to the right music. Given the opportunity, they could become just as dedicated as the next person. Keeping Black Metal as such an exclusive and secretive art would prevent many that would be rightfully drawn to its black flame. With the rise of the internet it was no longer a possibility to keep things private or maintain a cult following. While this has helped expose people to something special that they might not have otherwise discovered, it has also greatly cheapened it.

These days, any trendy band can come along and hear a few songs, then mimic something enough to get signed by some small underground label and to then water down the scene even more. To be fair, it is not only the fault of the internet when it comes to the current state of Black Metal. Many of the musicians played a role in expanding the audience beyond what it should have been, mostly through the activities of several figures in the Norwegian scene, in the early-to-mid 90s. Once it had garnered so much attention, the mindless sheep began to flock to it based more on the controversy than for the actual musical appeal. In turn, they started their own bands in order to rip off this sound and try to be a part of something that they hardly even understood. This diluted the meaning even more.

So the question is whether or not this should be preserved for the few or if bands should attempt to spread the darkness by reaching as many people as possible. In this age, there is no such thing as Black Metal for the elite. Despite those that carry such an attitude, the fact remains that any 12-year old kid with internet access can download all of the classic albums in the span of a few hours and transform himself into a self-proclaimed expert by the end of the weekend. So in attempting to keep things small and avoid attaining any level of success or notoriety, only the bands and true fans are hurt in the long run. Posers have always plagued any artistic movement and Black Metal is no different. Attempting to limit the audience will only exclude those who could have potentially understood it for what it truly is, and gone on to contribute in some way or another.

On Necro Production (Mar. 2011)

Necro production is a lo-fi style of recording that dates back to the underground releases of the 1980s, particularly from the First Wave of Black Metal. The classic albums and demos from Venom, Bathory, Hellhammer and others were done in a very primitive and raw manner, mainly because this was the best that they could manage to do at the time. In most cases, it had nothing to do with wanting to sound so unpolished, but just as a result of the financial circumstances. Whether or not it was intended, this added a lot to the overall character of these releases.

In the early 1990s, when the Second Wave of Black Metal was exploding, many bands were opting for an old school sound and this was not limited to just the style of playing. Bands like Darkthrone and Emperor embraced the lo-fi style of production, on purpose, partially as a way to distance themselves from the slick, overproduced Death Metal albums of that time period, as well as paying homage to the First Wave bands. Bands recorded their material on low budgets and utilized four-track recorders and whatever equipment that they could come across. In the case of Darkthrone, they had a clean, well-produced sound on their debut album, when they were still playing Death Metal. However, each subsequent release saw them going for a more raw and necro sound, culminating with 1994's Transilvanian Hunger. This album remains the epitome of the style, though others have managed to sound "worse", only Darkthrone were able to achieve this sound and to utilize it properly, without going too far and rendering the music ineffective. Burzum is another well-known example, as Varg Vikernes used cheap and inadequate equipment for the recording of Filosofem, which resulted in extremely fuzzy guitars and distorted vocals. While these bands used such techniques to great effect, others have misinterpreted the meaning behind this and created somewhat of a problem.

While the musicians in Darkthrone and Burzum were quite skilled and knew what they were doing and how to achieve the desired results, those who followed showed a total lack of understanding and simply tried to copy the necro sound for the wrong reasons. In some cases, bands simply felt that this was the only way to do things and worked under the incorrect assumption that all of their albums had to have a demo-quality production job, or else it was "overproduced" and they would be deemed sellouts. Of course, this is ridiculous and it is not necessary for Black Metal albums to be of such low quality that no one can decipher any of the riffs. There are also countless bands that only go for a low-quality necro sound because it hides their flaws and makes it more difficult for listeners to tell just how bad they are. Too many bands using this type of production gives the impression that Black Metal is talentless noise and that the musicians are clueless and incapable of creating meaningful music, which is not true.

The necro sound does have its positive side, however. It helps to maintain a connection to the roots of Black Metal. Whereas Death Metal bands continued jumping on the most modern technology and lost all sense of atmosphere, many Black Metal musicians are conscious of traditions and strive to keep the old spirit alive, while still moving forward in some sense. They realized that the old ways were better and chose not to abandon them, for the evil known as progress. Of course, this reveals another difference between the two in that Black Metal is more past-oriented. It is important to uphold the traditions and to not stray too far outside the established boundaries of the sound. It is because of this that in 2011 we are still able to come across releases that sound as if they are from 1985. Meanwhile, the majority of Death Metal bands have absolutely no connection to their roots. That is not to say that there are not tons of modern Black Metal bands that have embraced the overproduced recording style and also lost touch with the true spirit of the music. One does not have to look far to see such evidence. However, those bands that remain the most pure have a sound that embodies the old school feeling and rejects the modern ways. Fewer bands (that matter) are aiming for a truly necro sound, these days, as it is finally seeping into their brains that one can still make a decent record without purposely sabotaging the material to the point where it can hardly be heard. However, they still manage to keep more to the raw, lo-fi side of the spectrum, being aware of the dangers of soulless modernity.