Many of my friends like black metal, but don't have time to sort through all the new releases. I'd like to make them a CD comp of the best out there. By the best, I mean the top 2% of so -- the releases that are really excellent and you can listen to for years. Style doesn't matter, nor does nationality, but quality is essential. They're familiar with everything up until 1998 or so. Any help appreciated.
I respectfully disagree with both above posters. Zyklon-B only had one EP and two split albums. I have often heard they are good but I must admit I haven't heard them yet. Either way I have never got the impression that they were that important to the scene. Did you mean Zyklon? Aren’t they more black/death? As for avoiding raw black metal, that's more or less saying avoid every founder of the movement and everything the black metal aesthetic is based on. Black metal is supposed to sound dark, grim, evil, and RAW. Clear production, romantic goth elements and pretty keyboards are ill suited to achieve the ends that the genre was based on. You personally may like this commercialized pop/goth/"black metal" sound better than the original raw sound, but isn't it presumptuous to say that the top 2% shouldn't include the founders and what the music was about for over a decade before the style you like came into being? When I make a BM comp, these are the bands I include and the albums I would include tracks from, so I guess this is my top 2% in no order: Venom: Welcome to Hell, Black Metal Bathory: S/T, The Return, Under the Sign of the Black Mark HellHammer: Apocalyptic Raids, Satanic Rites, Triumph of Death Von: Satanic Blood Angel Absurd: Asgardsrei Mayhem: Pure Fucking Armageddon, Deathcrush, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Wolf's Lair Abyss Darkthrone: A Blaze in the Northern Sky, Under a Funeral Moon, Transilvanian Hunger, Panzerfaust Emperor: Emperor / Wrath of the Tyrant, In the Nightside Eclipse, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk Immortal: Pure Holocaust, Blizzard Beasts Ulver: Nattens Madrigal - Aatte Hymne til Ulven i Manden Thorns: Grymyrk, Trøndertun, S/T Burzum: S/T, Aske, Det Som Engang Var, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss I'm the only person I know that particularly likes that Absurd album, but I think it brings a new yet not incongruous style to the genre. For the most part the others I listed are considered the best, most influential releases by the majority of serious fans.
I don't see why you'd disagree with Zyklon-B. Its pretty much a black metal supergroup. The guitarist/bassist is from Emperor, Gorgoroth and Satyricon, the drummer is also from Satyricon. The keyboardist is a guitarist for Emperor, and the vocalist is from Dodheimsgard. They've made some very wicked tracks that are well worth a listen. I'd easily put them in the top 2%. I'd respectfully disagree with you listing Venom (thrash metal) as the top 2% of a black metal compilation. haha. I believe the poster was looking for good black metal, not the influences that lead to be.
I agree, Venom isn't black metal. Satyricon has to be on it for sure, just like Emperor, a Mayhem and Darkthrone track, and a song of Immortal would just be righteous as well. Graveworm isn't typical black metal at all, but the absolute rawest stuff with the worst production shouldn't be seen as that as well haha (although it kind of is). If there should be a melodic track on it I'd say something of For all tid or even Stormblast, or a track of Covenant's In times before the light. Another melodic black metal album that I would consider is Mad grandiose bloodfiends by Ancient, although most people wouldn't agree with me.. Taake or Horna should be considered as well in my opinion.
Um, Panzer... the OP said "they are familiar with anything up until 1998 or so". That means they will probably know most of the bands you mentioned already. I propose... Lunar Aurora - Dunkler Mann Paysage d'Hiver - Welt aus Eis Peste Noire - Dueil Angoisseus Nagelfar - Der Herbst - Endzeit Armagedda - Afgrundsvisioner Gris - Veux-tu danser? The Ruins of Beverast - Between bronze walls These are some tracks that cause me to spontaneously combust out of pure nihilistic euphoria every time I hear them. But they are YOUR friends, you don't wanna throw all kinds of random shit on a disc just because some people on some forum tell you it's good... fill that comp with shit YOU like.
Symphonic black metal is by far the best, but as they say: Black metal is war. Everyone who listens to it disagrees with about all others it seems. Limbonic Art Unexpect (Avant-Garde BM) Capitollium Carach Angren Agathodaimon Graveworm Tvangeste And you can't leave out the rest though Naglfar Gorgoroth (Pentagram and Antichrist.. Anytime Gaahl wasn't the singer) Marduk Samael (Older, now is electronic) But if you are picking very limited bands I would go with Tvangeste (Plus all their songs are free online), Naglfar, and Marduk to get coverage of all the best of black metal.
