Favorite Black Metal album(s)

Without thinking too hard, it would look something like this. If I thought a little harder it could look quite different.

Drudkh - Forgotten Legend & Autumn Aurora
Paysage d'Hiver - His whole discography
Mortuary Drape - Secret Sudaria
Trist - Hin-Fort
S.V.E.S.T. - Urfaust
Burzum - Filosofem
Belenos - Notre Amour Eternal
Darksapce - Their whole discography
Emperor - In the Nightside Eclipse
Master's Hammer - Ritual
Summoning - Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame
Ulver - Bergtatt .....
Nahvalr - Nahvalr

I can write of few more words on any of those if your interested.

Also some recent stuff I've been really enjoying, but have not had enough listening time to have gained status of 'favourites'

Gnaw Their Tongues (numerous albums) & most of the side projects.
&
Aeternus - Beyond the Wandering Moon

Guai ai gelidi mostri �Everything that is doddering, squint-eyed, infamous, sullying, and grotesque is contained for me in this single word: God� Andr� Breton

I guess my favorite black metal album, if it even counts as black metal, is Celtic Frost's "Morbid Tales" (incl. "Emperor's Return"). I'd also recommend Immortal's "Battle In the North" and Emperor's "In the Nightside Eclipse", mainly because they're classics and pivotal releases in the Norwegian black metal movement.

I must admit that I've never thought Burzum's stuff was anything special, but I have it from some black metal afficionado friends of mine that "Filosofem" is not that bad (according to them, that's the only good Burzum album).

Immortal - At the Heart of Winter and Sons of Northern Darkness (lots of thrash elements)
I - Between Two Worlds (some traditional metal elements)
Enslaved - Isa (progressive)
Burzum - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss (very atmospheric)

Phonebook Eater wrote:

^ the thing I was most interested in here are the bands Burzum, Paysage D'Hiver, Drudkh, Darkspace, and of course Ulver, which I knew already.

Thanks a lot! Tongue

So your interested in the ambient/atmospheric side of the equation?

Burzum really is your touch stone guy if your even remotely interested in the Atmospheric/Ambient side of BM, he's someone you should give a shot, at least for historical sake. Tho' I think he is much more than that. His albums Hvis lyset tar oss & Filosofem are my favourites. I'd be inclined to recommend the latter. It's raw, but it is his most fully fledged ambient infused effort. I'd stay away from his recent releases, despite his latest release receiving positive reviews from fans, it's little more than a mediocre effort in light of his earlier works.

Had a quick look at your review to gain a better gauge of your tastes. You might try working backwards with In the Woods... if you've not do so already. HEart of the Ages is an interesting progression in their sound. At this time they were still more BM than the progressive/avant-metal found on their later albums. But their newer sounds is definitely shinning through.

I'll continue further when I have the time...

Guai ai gelidi mostri �Everything that is doddering, squint-eyed, infamous, sullying, and grotesque is contained for me in this single word: God� Andr� Breton

lucas wrote:

...
Some of my favourite bands of the genre :

Cradle of Filth...

Good to see another CoF fan - most people seem to simply associate the band with the audience, and disassociate themselves from the audience - which is a very poor reason for dissing a band IMHO.

Phonebook Eater wrote:

Wow thanks a lot for your help!

I guess I am more interested in the atmospheric side of BM, but I still want to learn more about the old school and the rough sound.

You can't get an awful lot more old school or rough than Sodom (except Venom, of course). Their early demos are awesome, if you're not one of those who demands superlative production and performance instead of gut feel. I posted some vidz from these demos today; http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/sodom.aspx

+1 on Celtic Frost's "Morbid Tales"

Edited by Certif1ed - 03 Jun 2010 at 8:50am

I'm honestly not a big black metal guy, but have heard quite a bit of it. The two albums that stand out in my mind are:

Emperor - IX Equilibrium
Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane

negura bunget - 'n crugu bradului

deathspell omega - fas - ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum

Mayhem are great but only up to Chimera though, after that they just go down hill.

Of their classic stuff I've only heard Deathcrush and De Mysteriis, and then Ordo Ad Chaos, but somehow nothing of it has ever really impressed me. Pretty much same thing for e.g. Immortal, though I do like one of their albums, but I mostly grew up on Burzum, Darkthrone and Emperor when it comes to these influential 90s bands.

I still haven't given my list of top albums to this topic because it's a pretty hard question. No idea where I would start, except mentioning the obvious ones ("Filosofem", "Transilvanian Hunger", "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss"...)

God, someone remind me never to make lists, I always cringe looking back on them.

7997 you've made me dig up Goatmoon's Death before dishonour. Is this a good thing? Yes. Some brazen shit right here.

Is Ash Pool the guy from Prurient? Cannot remember his name.

Been meaning to check out Branikald for a while now, loved Forest's first album.

cheers

Guai ai gelidi mostri �Everything that is doddering, squint-eyed, infamous, sullying, and grotesque is contained for me in this single word: God� Andr� Breton