The best Black Metal Bands

This top 10 list was compiled after analize some others website ranking. I'm up to publish multiple top 10 lists here and it can vary from author to author. My list of best blackmetal bands will be ready in some days and I will publish here. If you want yours too, simply comment this post below and I will publish your list. Actually this Black Metal band tastes is very personal and by visiting other sites you will notice some changes. Anyway, here is an avarage which was made comparing other sites. Send me your top ten bands list too !! ( comment the post below )

Maybe you stumbled upon this site and want to see if our list compares to who you personally believe are the greatest black metal bands; or maybe you’re new to black metal music and are looking for guidance on which groups to listen to. If you fall into the latter category, let us quickly go into how the black metal genre has changed a bit since its inception in the 1980s.

Early black metal music, most notably Norwegian black metal, was purposefully recorded in lo-fi settings, and utilized DIY methods. This music was meant to sound distorted, raw, and unbearable to listen to (for some). A driving force behind this type of recording was in protest to main stream/corporate metal, punk, and all music in general really. Corpse paint, church arson, pseudonyms, satanic imagery, and even the murder of Øystein Aarseth by Varg Vikernes, were all defining characteristics and events of early black metal music. You’ll also note that most of the groups on our greatest black metal bands list are from the Norwegian black metal scene.

Over the next two decades black metal itself would inevitably become more mainstream, with recording quality improving, and black metal bands opting for a cleaner production sound and more technical musicianship. As of today black metal bands range from the Norwegian black metal traditionalists, to American Eco-conscious black metal, and even commercial symphonic black metal acts. Regardless of which black metal sub-genre you prefer, here are the top 10 greatest black metal bands of all time.

1 - Burzum

Burzum is the ambient black metal solo project of famed black metal pioneer, Varg Vikernes. Before Vikernes was sent to prison for the murder of his band-mate, Øystein Aarseth, Burzum recorded 4 albums (between 1991-1993). From those releases, “Hvis lyset tar oss” and “Filsofem” are definitely two of the greatest black metal albums ever created. While in prison, Burzum put out a couple dark ambient albums, using only synthesizers. Since his release in 2009, Varg Vikernes picked up where he left off with “Filosofem” and has been putting out something new regularly every year.

2 - Darkthrone

Darkthrone are another group who emerged as a top player in the early Norwegian black metal scene. Like Burzum, Darkthrone is a small group, comprised of primarily musicians Fenriz and Nocturno Culto. During their first few years, they played a more traditional brand of death metal, but around 1991 Darkthrone steered their sound towards black metal. “A Blaze in the Northern Sky” and “Transilvanian Hunger” are without a doubt their best work and two of the greatest black metal albums of the nineties.

3 - Emperor

Emperor was formed in 1991 by Ihsahn and Samoth. Yet another incredibly influential group of the early Norwegian black metal eruption. What set Emperor apart from other black metal bands of the time was their flawless integration of synthesizers that provided an eerie atmosphere behind their fiercely fast black metal. If you listen to anything by Emperor, check out “In the Nightside Eclipse” and “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk”.

4 - Bathory

Of course we didn’t forget Bathory, one of the very first black metal bands who undoubtedly inspired the top three of our greatest black metal bands list. Bathory formed in 1983 and not only played black metal, but also thrash and viking metal. The heart and soul of Bathory was founding member Quorthon, who ended up recording everything on Bathory’s later albums himself. While “Blood Fire Death” and “Hammerheart” are two of their greatest, there are countless other by Bathory that are just as deserving of attention.

5 - Mayhem

Mayhem might be the most recognizable of Norwegian black metal bands, mostly due to tragedies that have claimed the lives of their members. In 1991, their vocalist, aptly named “Dead”, committed suicide. Then in 1993, bassist Varg Vikernes murdered Mayhem guitarist Øystein Aarseth. Despite publicity from said events, Mayhem have also put out some great music. Their magnum opus was “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas”, sadly the final appearance by Øystein Aarseth.

6 - Immortal

One of the more theatrical of early Norwegian black metal groups was Immortal; they took the corpse paint and black leather studs and spikes to a new level. Immortal formed in 1990 by Abbath Doom Occulta (who’s still in the band) and Demonza Doom Occulta (who only contributes lyrics to the band now). Even though Immortal have been putting out albums since 1991 it’s really their later stuff, “At the Heart of Winter” (1999) and “Sons of the Northern Darkness” (2002), that are Immortal’s best work.

7 - Gorgoroth

Not only is Gorgoroth one of the greatest black metal band names, it’s also taken from a book that has inspired a lot of black metal artists: Lord of the Rings. But these guys are far from anything as “For All Ages” as LOTR. Gorgoroth completely embraced the idea of using Satanic imagery within their music and performances and are often under legal attack by Christian-led organizations and governments. “Under the Sign of Hell” and “Antichrist” have got to be the two best albums from Gorgoroth.

8 - Dimmu Borgir

Dimmu Borgir were probably the first black metal band to “hit it big”. When they formed in the early nineties, Dimmu Borgir were playing the kind of fast, noisy Norwegian black metal that was expected of them. Since the release of “Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia” in 2001, which was extremely well produced and really represented a more symphonic black metal sound, Dimmu Borgir have become a household name in the metal community and put out popular music videos. Besides the aforementioned album, “Enthrone Darkness Triumphant” is great as well.

9 - Borknagar

The final Norwegian black metal band on our list is Borknagar. Formed in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun, Borknagar really stand out amongst black metal musicians as they incorporate more melodic and progressive elements to their music. Borknagar are notable as they’ve had many “all stars” in the black metal community contribute to albums; Infernus (Gorgoroth), Ivar Bjornson (Enslaved), Grim (Immortal), just to name a few. Listen to their album “Empiricism”, even though just about everything Borknagar put out is great.

10 - Wolves in the Throne Room

Wolves in the Throne Room are the only black metal band on our list to have formed after the year 2000 and are not European. They’re American and formed in 2003. Wolves in the Throne Room are made up of the Weaver brothers, Nathan and Aaron, and they play a more atmospheric type of black metal. Wolves in the Throne Room have also broken the mold by not using pseudonyms, not wearing corpse paint, and not including satanism. Instead, Wolves in the Throne Room are more into environmentalism and self-sufficiency. Their albums “Diadem of 12 Stars” and “Celestial Lineage” are arguably the two greatest American black metal albums of the 21st century