Black Metal Recs

I'm looking for interesting, weird, and/or beautiful black metal bands. Preferrably ones that don't amount to well-played Satanist worship music (I'm looking at you Behemoth), or a neo-nazi punk band at 700 bpm. I like Alcest, Blut Aus Nord, Deafheaven, Gris, Kayo Dot's black metal side, Thantifaxath, early Ulver. Lyrics are a big part of how I listen, and I know it's a weird thing to consider with black metal recs. I just want something that feels a little human, I guess.

Well I don't know if they'd be what you're looking for but I'll drop a few names off the top of my head here.

Thanks for the recs, guys!

I am familiar with Deathspell Omega and their lyrical style. I do like their sound a lot, and at least appreciate their approach to their lyrical themes more than most Satanist bm bands. That said, I tend to fall towards the nope side of the fence. Still, as a musician of the diametrically opposing belief (Christianity), I don't think I should not hear what they have to say (just as a fellow human being and in order to say what I have to say more effectively), especially for a band who puts so much work into it as DO. Music is as much a conversation to me as it is a personal enjoyment. It's just very weird and unsettling to hear topics that have very immediate meaning and consequence to me used in that way. I don't approach those artists casually and I can't say I enjoy them in a pure sense.


Edited by Polymorphia - 12 Jan 2015 at 3:08pm

I assume you already know Negura Bunget?

If you like Alcest, try Mortifera and Amesoeurs.  Amesoeurs are the least black metal of the bunch.  You might also like Les Discrets (though I'm not big on them).

^ All of the above are predominantly foreign language so that might not be what you want at all

If don't mind instrumental stuff that is more on the ambient side, Extinction Algorithm is cool and they have 2 free albums


Edited by Triceratopsoil - 12 Jan 2015 at 3:50pm

I'm more of a casual listener of black metal, but here are some recommendations anyway.

The Secret's Agnus Dei is pretty good. It's a blend of black metal and crust, so it's not that refined or anything, but it's definitely an interesting black metal album that explores music outside of black metal.

Vetter's Vetterkult is also pretty damn good. To my ears, it has a slight avant-garde feel to it.

Chryst's PhantasmaChronica is more of a weird avant-garde affair, but there are plenty of black metal elements on it. You might find it interesting.

You might find Melencolia Estatica's Hël interesting. It leans towards depressive black metal, but draws on influences beyond that. Personally, I think it's not the most thrilling album in the world, but give it a listen anyway and see if it's your thing.

You might also want to check out Total Negation's Zur Späten Stunde | Zeiträume. It's probably one f the most innovative black metal albums out there, blending depressive black metal and Krautrock, and making use of a bunch instruments that are not normally used in black metal. This one is worth a listen.

Well thank you all. I will be checking these out. In fact, I'm listening to Myrkur right now.

Polymorphia wrote: Well thank you all. I will be checking these out. In fact, I'm listening to Myrkur right now.

Polymorphia wrote: Unitron wrote: Polymorphia wrote: Well thank you all. I will be checking these out. In fact, I'm listening to Myrkur right now. Nice  How you liking it so far? Just finished. I liked it a lot. There was something refreshing about hearing a female voice sing those choral harmonies instead of guys, even though I quite like the use of choral arrangements in bm in general. But I'd echo that we probably haven't seen the best of her.

There's of course also The Black Satans :-)

So far (not necessarily in this order):
I have gone back earlier in Blut Aus Nord's catalog at the recommendation of a PA member, and particularly love Memoria Vetusta ii: Dialogue with the Stars.

I have listened to Myrkur's EP, which I liked. It wasn't so much impressive as just refreshing, but I think she will turn out something impressive, so it gave me something to look forward to.

I absolutely love Fen's The Malediction Fields. Such a beautiful album. Haven't listened to anything else by them, but I definitely plan to.

I listened to Dark Space III I, as well. For some reason, I didn't really get this one. The space atmosphere was not as strong as people made it out to be. It just seemed meh almost the entire time except for a couple moments on "Dark 4.20." I feel it's likely a result of Darkspace doing something similar for their entire career and losing a bit of steam a long the way, so I'm going to go back and listen to an older album sometime to see if that doesn't do something for me.


Edited by Polymorphia - 22 Jan 2015 at 1:39pm