Metal Reviews

Steve said that DSO wasn't one of them. I think he is wrong, but couldn't quite come up with my own list. Let's say within the last ten years.

I would say Krallice is probably up there for me. But I can't think of any mid-2000 albums that grabbed me. I never loved Blut Aus Nord, Taake or Lunar Aurora. Watain, Absu, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Shining might be on my list or Peste Noire if they hadn't gone so hokey. Cobalt maybe if they actually count as black metal. Xasthur and Leviathan were always too fuzzy for me, besides here and there out of Leviathan's catalog.

1 Deathspell Omega
2 Wolves in the Throne Room
3 Krallice
4 Panopticon
5 Watain

Mine is obviously US heavy, but there has to be some bands I'm missing. But I really don't see anybody being better than DsO.

Peste Noire
Akitsa
Inquisition
Negative Plane
Varathron

Shining
Watain
Leviathan
Kroda
Drudkh

Drudkh have had their time, every album they've gotten progressively more watered down and weaker. There are hosts of Finnish bands I can list too, stuff like Blood red fog, Nehemah, Musta Kappeli have all maintained the traditional Norwegian sound.

I agree that Drudkh has been pretty shitty lately. But Blood in Our Wells is one of my favorite all time records, no denying that for me.

In no particular order:

Deathspell Omega
Nokturnal Mortum
MGLA
Negura Bunget
Drudkh

That doesn't eliminate the fact that they released six of the best Eastern European black metal albums in four years. Ooooh, Nokturnal Mortum's Om... I don't know if that alone would get them on my list.

No BM HAS to maintain the traditional Norwegian sound! BM is about pushing boundaries and limits in musical structure and unconventional dynamics. It's definitely not about maintaining the "spirit" of the past although it can quite obviously be that way as there are so many derivative bands out there.

Three bands that stand out for me:


Deathspell Omega
Furia (Poland)
Negura Bunget

I agree with both of you about Drudkh. Nokturnal Mortum's Om? I think you're thinking in Negura Bunget.

Autumn Aurora is one of my favorite black metal albums, but as decent as they're work overall has been it hasn't appealed to me on the level of the aforementioned bands.

Also the outstanding music of Inquisition.

Edit: Also the highly original atmosphere of Negative Plane.

I'm totally unfamiliar with Furia. Will have to check out, Poland has breed such fine actions.

Touche.

Check 'em. Fantastic stuff.

I disagree

What else is new.

V is making an obvious point that much of that early shit was calling back to some primal or primordial culture that was being lost. And in that respects, it is/was conservative in terms of trying to re-establish or maintain traditions. However, much of those bands quickly cast that off like Ulver or even Emperor, for instance. Am I wrong, boss?

I think they went their own ways based on the logical continuance of their sound not with any regards to any sort of inherent ideology.

+1.

Ok, that's it!

I said once before I was going to get myself into BM, but I didn't put my heart into it. This time I'm really gonna do it. Gonna start with trapt's bands because I liked his recommendations when I tried them briefly before.

This is it. Gonna do it.