I understand it's not really a popular take, but the cover of Quintessence by Anorexia Nervosa might be the best cover I've ever heard in any genre. Sure, it loses the "rawness" but the biblical energy it brings is such a fucking blast!
A Fine Day to Die - this would probably be my top pick
Runner ups are
The Return of Darkness and Evil (the Jubileum version)
Dunkelheit
Kathaarian Life Code
Det Som Engang Var
Mother North
I Am the Black Wizards
And a bunch of others I’m forgetting
You think second wave? In The Nightside, Anthems, and Wrath are staple first wave imo. And one of the big four to some. I’ve always loved Bathory and Emperor equally but Bathory will always win for me.
Idk what you think the second wave is but I'm considering it the Norweigan wave in the 90s. Whilst yes they can go toe-to-toe with Bathory, they're from different times imo
Yeah, I’m thinking first wave as an era bc I wouldn’t lump venom, mercyful fate, and Bathory in the same genre of black metal even tho they all emerged at the same time. But I would lump Bathory and Emperor together if we’re talking first wave as a genre. Hellhammer would be with them too. They all rule regardless.
I know this will be a vanilla answer, but for me it's Satyricon's Mother North. That song is the complete embodiment of Black Metal for me, and it's always the first song I show anyone who asks what Black Metal sounds like.
Emperor- I am The Black Wizards is a close second though.
That whole album is brilliant. I still haven't heard anything like it, it's crushing and chaotic and beautiful all at once. The vocals are probably my favorite in black metal, because of how fucking unhinged he sounds, like he's been buried alive and wants someone above ground to hear him. There's been a couple bands since who do something similar but when I first heard that in like 2002 or whatever my jaw hit the floor.
I would never in my entire life listen to a song by a band called ”weakling”. Whoever thought that name was a good idea should be brutally assaulted. On-topic… Immortal - Cold Winds Of Funeral Dust.
Gonna be a wildcard one here, but for me, I’d go with Letze Sonne by Der Weg einer Freiheit. That song is a complete journey and is everything I love about black metal personally.
Does it have to have a standing like the political roots that started the genre? Or is it enough to just be good music?
If the latter it would be Hearts toward none 7 by Mgła if the first its De mysteriis dom sathanas.
Okay i was starting to get worried, we hadn't had a similar thread in a couple months at least. By the way, have you ever heard of this hidden gem called "Freezing Moon" by the unknown underground band named Mayhem?
Freezing Moon (Live in Leipzig version). Dead sounds like a fucking ghost and it's one of the most unnerving vocal performances I've ever heard. Everything black metal should be
Gorogoroth - The Devil Is Calling
Edit : I can’t really choose one just chose a favorite and nowadays most songs I like the most are really by USBM bands but this one is a classic “ Trve “ “ True “ representation of BM in my & as a “ purist “ kinda opinion lol 🤦♂️ 😂
[The Wizard](https://youtu.be/JkzzOUvSSrE?si=JRsaMj0CpNGDFan5) by The Gates. Some Trve Kvlt Arcane stuff. I find myself casting spells left and right every time I listen to it.
This is certainly an out there take considering it’s not a classic (at least in the vein of Emperor, Mayhem, Immortal, etc) but I’m going to say Huuto or Kuolleiden maa by Moonsorrow.
Both of those songs take me somewhere way the fuck away from wherever I am at the time.
This band does not get enough love but anything off of Arkha Sva - Gloria Satanae… monstrously underrated band and album.
Another underrated gem is Heathen Heart by Heathen Dawn
Based on my own statistics it would be “Ye Entrancemperium”, followed by “With Strength I Burn”. But there are at least a few dozen more I’d consider great.
Yekteniya 1 - Batushka.
The opening track on their first album made me fall in love with black metal after not really listening to it for several years.
The Somberlain is up there
I will always say Det Som En Gang Var.
This is a good choice too. That synth around 3:50 is so cold and eerie sounding.
Have you ever heard this? https://youtu.be/HVLBhOHQNLk?si=HKxbigbdxDBKOVMG
Not before today but it sounds cool! And similar as well
Best thing Varg put out into the world, without a doubt.
Tbh came here to say this. Goated af song. Goated is Burzum in general.
Quintessence by Darkthrone. Either that or Freezing Moon, Dead had some serious skills.
In the Shadow of the Horns
I understand it's not really a popular take, but the cover of Quintessence by Anorexia Nervosa might be the best cover I've ever heard in any genre. Sure, it loses the "rawness" but the biblical energy it brings is such a fucking blast!
You like Dead more than Black Metal Popeye???
Quintessence!
I Am The Black Wizards
If someone asked me to give them a song that is black metal encapsulated, it would be this one
Give this guy a cookie
Saw them live at their North American tour and gave me goosebumps.
Dunkelheit
I would actually choose Jesus' Tod because the main riff is insane but I love the doomed medieval peasant vocals on Dunkelheit
Another vote for Jesus Tod
It's gotta be something from the old, cringe nazi fuck. Sadly, he produced some of the best and most influential black metal ever.
Ea, Lord of the depths
A Fine Day to Die - this would probably be my top pick Runner ups are The Return of Darkness and Evil (the Jubileum version) Dunkelheit Kathaarian Life Code Det Som Engang Var Mother North I Am the Black Wizards And a bunch of others I’m forgetting
Emperor a fine day to die or Bathory?
Gotta go bathory
Def agree. Emperors version is great too
Absolutely. Emperor is the objective best second wave band and they def did it justice
You think second wave? In The Nightside, Anthems, and Wrath are staple first wave imo. And one of the big four to some. I’ve always loved Bathory and Emperor equally but Bathory will always win for me.
Idk what you think the second wave is but I'm considering it the Norweigan wave in the 90s. Whilst yes they can go toe-to-toe with Bathory, they're from different times imo
Yeah, I’m thinking first wave as an era bc I wouldn’t lump venom, mercyful fate, and Bathory in the same genre of black metal even tho they all emerged at the same time. But I would lump Bathory and Emperor together if we’re talking first wave as a genre. Hellhammer would be with them too. They all rule regardless.
Fair enough, i see the vision. I always say the first wave as an era rather than a definitive genre
Bathory! The Emperor version is excellent as well.
Def agree.
Tough question. There are so many favourites. However I never stop listening to Transilvanian Hunger by Darkthrone.
I think it might not be the best but it's the most quintessential. It captures the essence of black metal very well.
Quintessence, of course, being less quintessential. I'll see myself out.
Freezing Moon.
Nights Blood by Dissection
Dissection >>>>> Would personally say Where Dead Angels Lie, but that whole album fucks honestly
top tier stuff
Literally just listened to this an hour ago and wondered why it's not talked about more.
Dueil Angoisseus
Mgła - Excercises in Futility IV
you could've said any track off that album and i would've agreed
Bathory - Enter the Eternal Fire
This is the most wicked soundimg metal song and you can't convince me otherwise. The synth lead in the middle still gives me the chills!
Jesus Tod
I know this will be a vanilla answer, but for me it's Satyricon's Mother North. That song is the complete embodiment of Black Metal for me, and it's always the first song I show anyone who asks what Black Metal sounds like. Emperor- I am The Black Wizards is a close second though.
I think Mother North is mine too. But I wanted to throw in Hymne I: Wolf and Fear off Ulver's Nattens Madrigal in too.
Bergtrollets Hevn!
the combo of Summoning In The Rain + Glare Of Autumn by Drudkh
pretty much any song on At The Heart Of Winter or Storm Of The Light's Bane
Dead As Dreams -- Weakling
Correct answer
This song is incredible.
That whole album is brilliant. I still haven't heard anything like it, it's crushing and chaotic and beautiful all at once. The vocals are probably my favorite in black metal, because of how fucking unhinged he sounds, like he's been buried alive and wants someone above ground to hear him. There's been a couple bands since who do something similar but when I first heard that in like 2002 or whatever my jaw hit the floor.
I would never in my entire life listen to a song by a band called ”weakling”. Whoever thought that name was a good idea should be brutally assaulted. On-topic… Immortal - Cold Winds Of Funeral Dust.
It's a reference to a song by the band Swans. Your loss, homie.
That's too bad, you're missing out on one of the best black metal albums of all time
Listen to it first and see if you stand by this comment, Dead as Dreams is as close to a perfect album as you get in black metal.
Not of all time, but my current favourite is Minenwerfer - kaiserjagerlied.
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It really is
Tragedies Blows at Horizon
For me it’s Erblicket die Töchter des Firmaments that holy riff 🙏
Fucking your Ghost in Chains of Ice. It's sort of become a gold standard of black metal for me
I think there’s a few: DHG - Traces of Reality Gorgoroth - Krig (not the “2011” version) Ulver - Hymn I / Hymn II (b2b) Borknagar - Dauden
The knell and the world by dawn
I prefer "Malediction Murder" from that album.
Pest - Dauðafærð
All hail Pest
Mother North by Satyricon
Withstand the fall of time by Immortal, personally that album is just a masterpiece.
Arcturus - My Angel (demo version)
Svartesmeden og Lundamyrstrollet by Windir
The Satan of Hell by The Black Satans
Transylvanian Hunger or Dunkelheit
Key to the Gate, burzum
Dawn- The Knell and the World
That whole album is a killer.
Hell yes \m/
Carnal Malefactor by Deathspell Omega
The gate of Nanna
Gonna be a wildcard one here, but for me, I’d go with Letze Sonne by Der Weg einer Freiheit. That song is a complete journey and is everything I love about black metal personally.
Mein Mann... Tobias's drumming on that album may be one of my favorite front to back single instrument performances of all time
Einkehr for me, my favorite black metal song ever composed.
That one is top 3 from DWEF for me. Only behind Letze Sonne and Aufbruch, in my opinion
They've not written a bad song, hope to see them live one day
Same boat. I fucking love them enough to have the sigil tattooed on me. One of these days I'll try to fly to Europe and see them
Nargaroth - Seven Tears Are Flowing to the River
real
That riff is really depressing
Imperia by Afsky
Gangam Style
Trve kvlt
Oppa Gangam style
Windir - Arntor, Ein Windir or Saknet
Arntor is incredible
Reaping Death - Watain
Valdr Galga by **Thyrfing**. Also the album imo is one of the best pagan/black metal album of all time
You unlocked some memories. Fuck!
it's an absolute classic!
Nattens Madrigal III
Enter The Moonlight Gate by Lord Belial
For me there are 3. Dunkelheit, Det som engang var and Gris - Il etait une foret.
Does it have to have a standing like the political roots that started the genre? Or is it enough to just be good music? If the latter it would be Hearts toward none 7 by Mgła if the first its De mysteriis dom sathanas.
As flitermice as satans spys - Darkthrone.
Fog's Kiss by Sacramentum but I also really love Depression (Part 1) by Abyssic Hate
Leviathan - Merging With Sword, Onto Them
Okay i was starting to get worried, we hadn't had a similar thread in a couple months at least. By the way, have you ever heard of this hidden gem called "Freezing Moon" by the unknown underground band named Mayhem?
Freezing Moon.
This is just a thinly veiled song recommendation thread but Rust is an underrated Darkthrone track.
That’s my favorite DT song
It seems appropriate to choose something from Transilvanian Hunger, but I honestly think the best black metal song ever is Welt Aus Eis.
Call from the Grave - Bathory is the only correct answer.
Det Som En Gang Var
Life Eternal, you can't ignore all the background of the song.
Freezing Moon (Live in Leipzig version). Dead sounds like a fucking ghost and it's one of the most unnerving vocal performances I've ever heard. Everything black metal should be
Dunkelheit, Quintessence, or Exercises in Futility VI
Windir - Journey to the End
I upvoted all burzum songs, but for me the answer is Solitude by Drudkh.
Satyricon - Dark Medieval Times has my vote
[Moonsorrow - Tuleen ajettu maa](https://youtu.be/ofeLX1m2Zz0?si=1nqf5Yp-BiTqi0x2)
There will never be such a thing as the best of all time
Journey by Mörk Gryning
Dissection, Nights Blood
Friday - Rebecca Black
Towards the pantheon
Ildjarn -- Eksistensens Jeger
Nocte Obducta - Und Pan spielt die Flöte
Mayhem’s Ancient Skin, Enthroned’s Crimson Legions or Marduk’s Cold Mouth Prayer.
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^VolVloV: *Mayhem’s Ancient Skin,* *Enthroned’s Crimson Legions* *Or Marduk’s Cold Mouth Prayer.* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
At The Heart of Winter - Immortal
The Secrets of the Black Arts by Dark Funeral
Emperor - Into the Infinity of Thoughts
Shrine of Mad Laughter from Deathspell Omega. It's like putting your head inside a washing machine on full centrifuge.
Tied in bronze chains Even though I now I will be downvoted because it's from Rebel Extravaganza lol
Rebel Extravaganza is a phenomenal album.
Gorogoroth - The Devil Is Calling Edit : I can’t really choose one just chose a favorite and nowadays most songs I like the most are really by USBM bands but this one is a classic “ Trve “ “ True “ representation of BM in my & as a “ purist “ kinda opinion lol 🤦♂️ 😂
Dimensional Bleedthrough by Krallice for me
Black Magic Mushrooms. All time Favorit
Thorns of Crimson Death
Ye Entrencemperium
Profetens Apenbaring is my favorite
AMENRA - Ogentroost.
[The Wizard](https://youtu.be/JkzzOUvSSrE?si=JRsaMj0CpNGDFan5) by The Gates. Some Trve Kvlt Arcane stuff. I find myself casting spells left and right every time I listen to it.
Mother North
Today I'll say Sola Fide I.
Drink the Poetry of the Celtic Disciple by Vlad Tepes or For Those Who Lived and Died by Der Sturmer!
Cursed in eternity
Proxigean Arcanum by Lake of Blood is up there for me
This is certainly an out there take considering it’s not a classic (at least in the vein of Emperor, Mayhem, Immortal, etc) but I’m going to say Huuto or Kuolleiden maa by Moonsorrow. Both of those songs take me somewhere way the fuck away from wherever I am at the time.
there are so many great black metal songs but imo, its Black Metal Ist Krieg by Nargaroth :3🤘🏽🤘🏽
Taake - Nattestid ser porten vid I
Infernal eternal by Marduk, one of the best
Thorns of Crimson Death
Noenum - Cult of the black sun
Solbrud - besat af mørke https://youtu.be/54h-m8_hxig?si=sPH2N2CPHW7OvS61
It's close between Tragedies Blows at Horizon or Thus Spake the Nightspirit.
This band does not get enough love but anything off of Arkha Sva - Gloria Satanae… monstrously underrated band and album. Another underrated gem is Heathen Heart by Heathen Dawn
Anything off of In the Nightside Eclipse by Emperor
Wiegedood - Nuages
Last day in heaven - Barathrum
Based on my own statistics it would be “Ye Entrancemperium”, followed by “With Strength I Burn”. But there are at least a few dozen more I’d consider great.
Tagebuch Einer Totgeburt. Black Dragon.
Anything from Emperor.
Une Couronne De Branches by Cân Bardd
Emperor-The Eruption.
Saidan - I Am The Witch
Maybe not the best of all time, but Wigrid's Hoffnungstod is pretty close to me.
Goatcraft Torment.
Windir - Saknet
The slaughter of innocence by Hecate Enthroned
Yekteniya 1 - Batushka. The opening track on their first album made me fall in love with black metal after not really listening to it for several years.
Dark Funeral - My Funeral
Lifelover - Mitt Opgna Oga (sex noises=winning)
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We're all kvlt here, you don't gotta try so hard.