Metal Reviews

Discuss.. What is the relation? Are bands less less black metal if they do not use inverted crosses, pentagrams and other satanic/anti-religious symbols?

In my opinion, no. The genre should be based on the music not by the symbolism. Others might disagree.

Agreed.
I don't remember, say, Shining using inverted cross, pentagram and all the pseudo-satanist folklore. That doesn't make them any less BM.
And that goes for a lot of other bands which don't even have satanist-themed lyrics.

And another thing? Is there somthing called Christian Black Metal? Should christian bands be labeled black metal at all?

Visual factors are not necessarily important; primarily BM is a musical clasification. You should be able to identify something as black metal by listening to it, and not have to take anything else into account.

I would say lyrics are important, though. There are some lyrical subjects that I would say probably do make a band less black metal.

Of course the music defines the genre, but I'm not going to lie and say I hate the whole corpsepaint and spikes or whatever thing. I like atmosphere, in my TV shows, movies, and same goes with my music.

I do think a lot of bands do go overkill on the whole " Omfg inverted crosses we love satan " biz, but you know, whatever.

I'd love the bands equally, but I think for many bands it can sort of add to their music.

For example, a BM band with this kind of lyrics would look kinda stupid :

"Friday night and I need a fight
My motorcycle and a switchblade knife
Handful of grease in my hair feels right
But what I need to make me tight are

Girls, Girls, Girls
Long legs and burgundy lips
Girls,
Dancin' down on Sunset Strip
Girls
Red lips, fingertips

Trick or treat-sweet to eat
On Halloween and New Year's Eve
Yankee girls ya just can't beat
But they're the best when they're off their feet

Girls, Girls, Girls
At the Dollhouse in Ft. Lauderdale
Girls, Girls. Girls
Rocking in Atlanta at Tattletails
Girls, Girls, Girls
Raising Hell at the 7th Veil Have you read the news
In the Soho Tribune
Ya know she did me
Well then she broke my heart

I'm such a good good boy
I just need e new toy
I tell ya what, girl
Dance for me, I'll keep you overemployed
Just tell me a story
You know the one I mean

Crazy Horse, Paris, France
Forget the names, remember romance
I got the photos, a menage a trois
Musta broke those Frenchies laws with those

Girls, Girls. Girls
Body Shop. Marble Arch
Girls, Girls, Girls
Tropicana's where I lost my heart

Girls, Girls, Girls"

Yeah, with the visuals, when people say "more black metal", for me it just means that the band fits more snugly into the black metal cliche. It doesn't really relate to the music at all, which either is or isn't black metal.

What's everyone's opinion on Immortal who don't use the cheesy santanic lyrics in their music but they are labeled black metal all the way through?

Black metal doesn't have to be satanic but singing about the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ with muffled production sounds like a bad idea despite Anorexia Nervosa being pretty decent.

It has to be long dark teatime of the soul stuff, at least. Cobalt, f'rinstance.

Yes, there are a few christian black metal bands and the first band that started the whole thing is actually Norwegian!

I believe they are called Antestor. Soon bands like Horde, Kekal, Crimson Moonlight, Sorg, Vaakevandring and Drottnar followed. And here's a funny little observation: Stian Aarstad of Dimmu Borgir fame produced Vaakevandring's first EP, i kinda find that hilarious

Admonish is another good CBM band that everybody should check out, i found out about them through Pimp My Ride of all things, you may have seen the episode where they are in Sweden and they are pimping a set of black metal twins car, that's a funny ass episode, check it out on youtube or something.

No. Black Metal doesn't have to satanic, but it sure as Hell cannot Christian.

Even christian with a vengeance?

If Doom can be Christian, I don't see why Black Metal can't be. Obviously it wouldn't be TRUE BM of a Satanic variety.

Come on, man... Doom and Black Metal are not the same.

As soon as the lyrics start praising the virtues of Jesus, it ceases to be Black Metal, surely you understand why this is.

Can we have muslim, jewish, buddhist or hinduist BM then?
Does it actually exist?

Yeah, but they can have similarities... Funeral Doom is straddling the line.

haha, Those countries in which those religions are the predominate ones probabaly don't even allow Metal, let alone Black Metal.

Yet it exists.

http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=3540256815

For example.

There is metal from Israel, India, Thailand, Vietname, China and many arab countries...