Black Metal

[Blood Music]

Diabolical Masquerade is one of my favorites. We talked about working on some vinyl a few years back together, but it didn't work out cause of some rights issues. But man, that is one of my favorite bands from years ago. "Death's Design" is such an amazing album.

"Blood in Our Wells" is the pinnacle of Drudkh imo but a very worthy predecessor to a lot of stuff that's going on today, I think they are indirectly responsible for a lot of the production coming out today.

Speaking of Mayhem - I loved "Esoteric Warfare," despite it getting kinda low ratings. I thought people were rather hard on the album, just cause it's so far removed from "De Mysteriis," although it actually sounds quite a lot like Thorns to me, who is great.

[zoid1892]

I agree about Esoteric although I think I prefer Ordo still. Interesting comment about Blood in our Wells as that was a disappointment for me when it came out although still a strong release. Such a consistently great band though.

[Godflesh]

I like Ordo too. It's only that the sound is so muddy and flat that I can't listen to it often.
Esoteric is pretty good. It took a while for me to warm up, but now it sounds great and I like the mix on that album.

[Iced Guardian]

Diabolical Masquerade is one of my favorites.  We talked about working on some vinyl a few years back together, but it didn't work out cause of some rights issues.  But man, that is one of my favorite bands from years ago.  "Death's Design" is such an amazing album.

Love Diabolical Masquerade with Death's Design in particular. That would have been great if you guys did some LP releases of it. I had seen a few sites selling it way back but haven't come across it since for anything near a reasonable price.

[kadaver]

Seems like I'm going to have to listen to some more Mayhem. :p Although I really should be checking out more Roadburn bands considering it kicks off in half a week's time, but who am I kidding? Planned out most of my Roadburn itinerary anyway.

[Emplate]

Great that the discussion took off so well! I've been quite busy this weekend (although good busy: eating, drinking and band rehearsals), and now there's quite a few posts I want to comment on. 

I find nothing 'offensive' nor thought-provoking about the band.  Nothing in the production, songwriting, performance.  That is what I mean by something is missing.  Sounds ridiculous, but it is precisely how I would picture a black metal band put together by guys in suits to appeal to a black metal crowd.  Heard their albums and seen them live, I get the same feeling from everything.

I know that isn't the case, but that's why it does nothing for me.

I feel like this album already did everything Mgła is trying to do and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBnyyfvDwX8

Blood in Our Wells is one of my all-time favorites. It came out just in time for my breakup from a quite a harmful relationship. Songs like "Solitude" really gave me strength through despair. It wasn't only a few times when I was totally collapsed under the weight of the song, but in the midst of all that I found some strange comfort and power. I still have shivers down my spine every time I hear it.

Otherwise, this time I have to completely disagree with you : ) First of all, I don't see much resemblance in the way Drudkh and Mgla operate, other than that they play black metal. Drudkh relies more on the atmosphere and repetitiveness. Sure, Mgla also has elements of these things, but I think they create their moods with different tools, melodies being the key in their songs. I think Mgla's songwriting, execution and lyrics breathe such pure emotion that they outshine almost all of their rivals. I'm not usually that much into lyrics, but this band's an exception. Their lyrics feel like they have much more depth to them than many of the other bands around. I read a interview not long ago at No Clean Singing (http://www.nocleansinging.com/2016/03/15...view-mgla/), in which M stated that they 

I also greatly enjoy the fact that Mgla plays "just" black metal, and does it so damn well. It seems like nowadays every band should be post-this or avant-garde that. I'm not saying that there wouldn't be bands who succeed in creating something unique, but there's also a lot of bands, which sound like... well, like they would try to sound like something special.

I really like what's happening in the US black metal scene (and spilling into parts of my country Canada). That "Cascadian Black Metal" pioneered by bands like Panopticon (another favourite from 2015), Agalloch and Wolves In The Throne Room (plus non US bands like Fen Drudkh etc.). 

A lot of new(ish) bands are being influenced by that sound and making some great stuff. Bands like:
Alda 
Woman Is The Earth
Skagos (from Canada)

Skagos is pretty cool, and Agalloch, though something I wouldn't define solely as black metal, is probably one of my top 5 bands. The problem with Cascadian/post-black metal to me is that it tends stumble on its own atmosphere and build-ups. At some point the songs cease to be songs and they just end up floating in air aimlessly. I like well crafted build-ups and atmospheres, but I like riffs, too. Luckily, there's a lot of bands who execute the atmospheric approach really well, like aforementioned Drudkh. I also just have to throw Gris into this conversation. Beautiful music and skilled musicians. Think of Godspeed You! Black Emperor playing black metal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWUr3JWi9ZM

So much listening... so little time... :-)

Oh I hear ya. I'm always hesitant to share too much because it becomes overwhelming, but I just can't stop!

Every time I go into a thread like this I get lost in black holes of bands. Looking them up on Metal-Archives then seeing "similar artists" and related music in YouTube.

It's never ending. But so amazing.

Haha, totally! It's a never-ending cycle! But on the other hand, I simply love finding new bands and stuff to listen to. I just can't understand people who are like "I haven't listened to anything new since year X". I couldn't live without new music.

Ah, I feel so stupid for not going to NBM... that lineup was amazing and it's not even an hour away from where I live.

Some of my favorites last year:


A Forest of Stars — Beware The Sword You Cannot See - my favorite black metal related release of last year
Misþyrming — Söngvar elds og óreiðu - supreme Icelandic black metal
Atrorum — structurae - wacky German avant-garde black metal
Porta Nigra — Kaiserschnitt decadent German avant-garde black metal
Lychgate — An Antidote for the Glass Pill avant-garde black + organs
Dragged Into Sunlight / Gnaw Their Tongues — N.V. concentrated evil?
Abyssion — Luonnon harmonia ja vihreä liekki - psychedelic black metal from the Finnish Wastement collective, sharing (live?) members with notable artists Oranssi Pazuzu and Dark Buddha Rising

Listened to A Forest of Stars a while back. Sounded interesting, I may have to look into it more. At first, Misthyrming sounded really great, but after a few listens it didn't quite stick with me after all. Basically same with Abyssion. I got Luonnon harmonia ja vihreä liekki LP 'cause I really digged the first preview track, but the album on the whole turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. Lychgate's album was simply great! Dragged Into Sunlight and Gnaw Their Tongues are interesting bands in a way, but something about them bugs me a bit. Seeing some live video from Dragged Into Sunlight gave me a... I don't know if dishonest is the right words, but I'm not a native English speaker, so can't think of anything else. Will have to check out Atrorum and Porta Nigra!

Regarding some other bands mentioned in the discussion: Outre, which came out at the start of the thread, I had spotted them on some of the top lists of 2015, but hadn't yet gave them a listen. Did now, thanks to this thread. While the elements kind of seemed to be there, it felt like it was missing something. Don't know if that was the subconscious comparison to DsO, but it just left me wanting something more. But Zhrine. Damn, how have I missed that? Really cool sounding, dark black/death. Reminded me a bit of Blood of Kingu. Definitely have to listen to this more! And I just have to say, I can't understand the hype around Batushka. I've tried to listen to it a couple of times, but I find it really boring : D

[kadaver]

At first, Misthyrming sounded really great, but after a few listens it didn't quite stick with me after all. Basically same with Abyssion. I got Luonnon harmonia ja vihreä liekki LP 'cause I really digged the first preview track, but the album on the whole turned out to be a bit of a disappointment.

I might be able to see where you're coming from there. I actually really loved the Misthyrming record when I first heard it. Listened to it for a few days straight, suddenly wore off, and haven't felt the need to play it again since. Might've just been that I overplayed it or haven't been in the mood. Still, got about 18 spins of it in before I got a bit tired of it. Saw them live not too long after and found their show enjoyable, if a bit underwhelming (sound was off). I got into Abyssion after a huge Oranssi Pazuzu binge, looking for more psychedelic black. Really liked it, but it wore off a bit quickly. Seeing them live soon, so hopefully they will blow me away.

Lychgate's album was simply great! Dragged Into Sunlight and Gnaw Their Tongues are interesting bands in a way, but something about them bugs me a bit. Seeing some live video from Dragged Into Sunlight gave me a... I don't know if dishonest is the right words, but I'm not a native English speaker, so can't think of anything else. Will have to check out Atrorum and Porta Nigra!

I got about 10 plays of each of those before I got tired of them, which is pretty good, imo. Paraphrasing a friend: "GTT is just some fat guy", hahaha. Disingenuous, is what you meant maybe? I've had a few opportunities to see them live, but didn't end up going because I became aware they weren't doing a collaborative set. I enjoy each of them to some extent, but the collab is the only thing that stuck with me, so far. I'd say Atrorum is somewhere in between Solefald and Mirrorthrone. Porta Nigra is... eh, decadent, fin de siècle themed avant-garde black metal, a duo that got tired of playing the more traditional style of black metal. I wouldn't really know where to place them, but I like 'em. Their "Kaiserschnitt" isn't that consistent of an album, but it has some standout songs that I do come back to.

[kadaver]

Speaking of placing bands. Let's play the Triptykon game! What genre do they play? You guys like 'em? Who's opening up the doom thread? ;d

[kadaver]

it is precisely how I would picture a black metal band put together by guys in suits to appeal to a black metal crowd.

Makes me think of this tidbit of info about Mgla's M.: "Mikołaj Żentara is the son of Edward Żentara (18.03.1956-25.05.2011), Polish actor who appeared in more than 50 films and television shows." Ehh, yeah. :p

[Godflesh]

Aren't most actors notorious alcoholics and drug users...