Balor

So true. I listen to more pop than metal because of work.

"Black Moon Overture" - Nokturnal Mortum

Me too. I just found out that I got Christmas off from work.

The guitar work is not that bad, and his new music conveys an interesting atmosphere. However, the vocals turned me off a bit. Interestingly, he (Scott Conner) also has a youtube channel.

"Autumn Aurora" - Drudkh Maybe Skinless?

Zephyr drifting, The first touch of chill in the last green of autumn. Jasper peaks obscured in mist, Empty mountains, timeless clouds, a fluting echoes afar. White cranes dance in maple woods, Swirling along, shatters of Terpsichore. Brook warbles through the valley, Toxicated in the amber odor of autumn. Yellow leaves staggering, One thousand years in a never-ending chess game under the pine tree. Birds linger on and on, Wings so heavy for the sough way home. - "Afterimage of Autumn" - Zuriaake

"Usvakuningas" - Havukruunu Awesome demo from an awesome band. This had some of the best riffs I have heard in a while.

"Songs of Grief and Solitude" - Drudkh

But it is a part. A genre seems to be a category applied to a specific collection of musical attributes. Lyrics are certainly one of these attributes, though it is not as significant as others.

But certain lyrical themes do tend to coincide with specific genres of music.

Is this real?

I think that Slayer is probably my favorite, as they are heavier/darker than Metallica or Megadeth. However, I do not know how I feel about their solos. Sometimes they sound too excessive.

"Filosofem" - Burzum Several songs by Burshtyn

I only bought one 2017 album this year: "Terra Damnata" by Nightbringer. It was a solid example of Emperor-inspired BM.

Interesting point. I think that innovation from within a genre just represents the creative power of the artist. I would imagine, however, that to innovate within a genre, you also might shed some portions of it. Thus, you might end up redefining the genre to fit your own music, or creating something completely new. Perhaps that is where new genres all come from. However, that's only true until something new does not fit nicely into an existing category. The next big innovation could be right around the corner...

"Ordo ad Chao" - Mayhem "Terra Damnata" - Nightbringer

"Grand Declaration of War" - Mayhem "Emperor" - Emperor

I just found this today, and thought I would share it. Some scientists created an AI that can create music after analyzing albums. It is an interesting concept and the music is not that bad (apart from the vocals, which are horrible). Nevertheless, it is slightly disturbing that computers are able to do so much. What do you all think of this? http://exclaim.ca/music/article/listen_to_a_black_metal_album_created_by_an_artificial_intelligence_neural_network https://dadabots.bandcamp.com/album/coditany-of-timeness

I actually like his singing.

I only heard it for the first time a few days ago, but I completely agree.

While not books, I have taken to reading academic essays on black metal that I have found on my college's research database. I read an interesting one on NSBM yesterday.

"Destruction Algorithm" - Doomsday Cult "Estrangement" - Drudkh "Voice of Steel" (song) - Nokturnal Mortum

I imagine that this is the same for all forms of art. To create something totally new is extremely difficult, and perhaps even lucky.

There is a god in man And in nature He who sits in the dark The bringer of light This beauty The sign of an open eye Call him to black flame Call him (the bringer of light) Call him to black flame Call him, call him, call him - "Sign of an Open Eye" - Gorgoroth

"Litourgiya" - Batushka "Destruction Algorithm" - Doomsday Cult