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Your Top 100 Black Metal Albums


BlutAusNerd

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Well' date=' I see you found a couple to enjoy from my last post, but you have it backwards, the artist is Mystifier and the album is Goetia. Nice list though, lots of excellent albums and a decent chunk that I'm either not familiar with, or have heard but don't own.[/quote'] Fixed the Mystifier issue. This thread as well as many other on the forum have really helped my experience in black metal flourish and I'm happy I finally finished my list, although it's ever shifting of course. I'm pretty intrigued by the image of my taste which the list sketches, as it is something entirely different from how I would it describe it if it were asked. Concerning the albums you're not familiar with, I can only tell you every single one on my lists is surely worth a shot :)
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Fixed the Mystifier issue. This thread as well as many other on the forum have really helped my experience in black metal flourish and I'm happy I finally finished my list, although it's ever shifting of course. I'm pretty intrigued by the image of my taste which the list sketches, as it is something entirely different from how I would it describe it if it were asked. Concerning the albums you're not familiar with, I can only tell you every single one on my lists is surely worth a shot :)
I tend to learn more from my other forum, and mostly impart what I know to others on this one, but I have still found a good deal of music from users on this site as well. I know most of the names, but I'll check out those albums in particular. I've always found it funny how these lists come together, they often don't look how you had planned on them looking. Sometimes great albums just don't pop up as readily in your mind as others, and then when faced with trying to narrow the list down, you realize how much you had forgotten that you couldn't possibly omit, and you can make some surprising cuts by comparing albums that you wouldn't think about putting side by side otherwise. It's a good experience, and one that we should maybe try with death metal next...
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I've always found it funny how these lists come together' date=' they often don't look how you had planned on them looking. Sometimes great albums just don't pop up as readily in your mind as others, and then when faced with trying to narrow the list down, you realize how much you had forgotten that you couldn't possibly omit, and you can make some surprising cuts by comparing albums that you wouldn't think about putting side by side otherwise. It's a good experience, and one that we should maybe try with death metal next...[/quote'] Exactly. Death metal, eh? Should be fun ^^
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Maybe doom' date=' thrash, and other genres to follow, as most of the lists I've seen on the subjects are from sources like Decibel, which are sorely lacking.[/quote'] Doom could be interesting. I'll have to pass on trash; I dig quite some trash bands, but I have issues with the typical vocals in that genre. Decibel's lists are awful. I have only seen the black metal list so far, but that's all I had to see: I believe that of the first thirty albums, about 20-25 were made in Scandinavia. I can't deny those albums are great, but there's way more good material than just that one side.
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Doom could be interesting. I'll have to pass on trash; I dig quite some trash bands, but I have issues with the typical vocals in that genre. Decibel's lists are awful. I have only seen the black metal list so far, but that's all I had to see: I believe that of the first thirty albums, about 20-25 were made in Scandinavia. I can't deny those albums are great, but there's way more good material than just that one side.
Exactly, the classics on their list are only the obvious ones, and the newer albums on their lists are mostly overhyped crap. They seem to think that dropping one or two obscure gems on a list of 100 will give them some kind of credibility, but they don't really serve any purpose.
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i dont even have 100 i like to stick to my ultimate favs a blaze in the northern sky - darkthrone filosofem - burzum aske - burzum det som engang var - burzum burzum - burzum diabolical fullmoon mysticism - immortal battles in the north - immortal
It couldn't hurt to expand beyond the Norwegian sound, despite that a couple of those albums were on my list as well. Give any of the albums on anyone's lists a listen, you won't be disappointed. Even if you just try out more Norwegian stuff that's less well known, like Taake, Ragnarok, Aeternus, Obtained Enslavement, Aura Noir, Faustcoven, Ljå, Tsjuder, etc..., I think you'll find plenty to enjoy.
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  • 10 months later...

Once again have not got 100 Black Metal albums buuuuuuuut

RelentlessOblivion's Top 10 Black Metal Albums

Absu - Exhibit V: Tara

Agalloch - The Mantle

Arcturus - Aspera Hiems Symfornia

Aura Noir - Black Thrash Attack

Bathory - The Return...

Bathory - Under The Sign Of The Black Mark

Bathory - Blood Fire Death

Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion

Cradle Of Filth - Cruelty And The Beast

Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky

Darkthrone - Under A Funeral Moon

Darkthrone - Panzerfaust

Deathspell Omega - Paracletus

Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane

Immortal - At The Heart Of Winter

Immortal - Sons Of Northern Darkness

Inquisition - Into The Infernal Regions Of The Ancient Cult

Master's Hammer - Ritual

Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

Melechesh - Djinn

Melechesh - Sphynx

Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath

Mercyful Fate - Melissa

Necromantia - Scarlet Evil Witching Black

Primordial - Storm Before Calm

Ragnarok - Arising Realm

Rotting Christ - Thy Mighty Contract

Sacramentum - Far Away From The Sun

Sacramentum - The Coming Of Chaos

Samael - Ceremony Of Opposites

Sarcofago - I.N.R.I

StarGazer - A Great Work Of Ages

StarGazer - A Merging To The Boundless

Summoning - Dol Guldur

Taake - Nattestid Ser Porten Vid

Taake - Over Bjoergvin Graater Himmerik

Tormentor - Anno Domini

Ulver - Bergtatt

Venom - Black Metal

Venom - Welcome To Hell

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  • 1 year later...
2 hours ago, Vampyrique said:

I'll try to put something together for this. Forming a top 100 list is a daunting task and I have too many black metal CDs to mull over. I may have to limit the amount of releases per band for the sake of ease and variety.  

 

It did take a lot of time and consideration for me, but the cream rises to the top and cuts become easier to make when you have a big batch of albums to compare them to.

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6 hours ago, BlutAusNerd said:

It did take a lot of time and consideration for me, but the cream rises to the top and cuts become easier to make when you have a big batch of albums to compare them to.

The truth is that as my CD collection grew, I began spending less time delving deep into each individual album. So I have a lot of albums that I really like but I don't know as thoroughly as I'd want; or at least not enough be truly compare them one another without spending days listening to them. 

I'm familiar with most of the albums on your list, so you can expect my list would be very 90s dominant, albeit different from yours.  

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A work in progress, here is a rough list of  82  91 so far with a maximum of two releases per band for if it were a literal top 100, a band like Darkthrone would likely secure too many positions. I would consider most of these albums essential to my top 100 but some were chosen instinctually for I didn’t spend much time making this list. I also wanted to include some variety. I am partial to 90s black metal and black metal that emphasizes atmosphere, and I’ve never cared about the technical proficiency of a band or musician. Some quality bands have not been included yet because I haven’t decided on which album to list. Some albums may not be entirely black metal, but I tried to keep it within reason. I'll update the list and try to finish it when I have more time. 

 

Abigor – Verwüstung / Invoke the Dark Age

Abigor – Orkblut

Absu – Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L. 

Accursed – Meditations Among the Tombs

Agatus – Dawn of Martyrdom

Amen Corner – Jachol ve Tehilá

Ancient – Svartalvheim

Archangellus – Magnus Ominis Umbra

Arcturus – Aspera Hiems Symfonia

Art Inferno – Abyssus Abyssum Invocat

Avzhia – Dark Emperors

Baalberith – Storming Towards the Gate

Bathory – Bathory

Bathory – Under the Sign of the Black Mark

Behemoth – Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic)

Behemoth – Grom

Beherit – Drawing Down the Moon

Bethlehem – Dark Metal

Bishop of Hexen – Archives of an Enchanted Philosophy

Black Funeral – Vampyr - Throne of the Beast

Blut Aus Nord – Ultima Thulée

Burzum – Burzum

Burzum – Det som engang var

Carpe Tenebrum – Majestic Nothingness

Covenant – Nexus Polaris

Crimson Moon – To Embrace the Vampyric Blood

Darkness of Blood – A Dream of Vampires in Astral Dementia

Darkthrone – Transilvanian Hunger

Darkthrone – Panzerfaust

Deathspell Omega – Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice

December Moon – Source of Origin

Deviser – Transmission to Chaos

Dimmu Borgir – For All Tid

Dimmu Borgir – Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia

Dismal Euphony – Soria Moria Slott

Dissection – The Somberlain

Dødheimsgard – Kronet til Konge

Dornenreich – Durch den Traum

Draupnir – Black and Vicious

Emperor – In the Nightside Eclipse

Emperor – Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk

Enslaved – Vikingligr Veldi

Forgotten Woods – As the Wolves Gather

Gehenna – First Spell

Godkiller – The Rebirth of the Middle Ages

Gorgoroth – Under the Sign of Hell

Graveland – The Celtic Winter

Graveland – Carpathian Wolves

Hades – …Again Shall Be

Hirilorn – Legends of Evil and Eternal Death

Immortal – Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism

Immortal – Blizzard Beasts

Kawir – To Cavirs

Legion of Doom –  For Those of the Blood

Leviathan – Massive Conspiracy Against All Life

Limbonic Art – Moon in the Scorpio

Lord Belial – Enter the Moonlight Gate

Lvpercalia – The Sublimation of Darkness

Maldoror – Ars Magika

Maleficarum – The Unholy Falldown of Christianism

Malignant Eternal – Tårnet

Marduk – Dark Endless

Master’s Hammer – Ritual

Mayhem – De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas

Medo –  Matéria Negra

Mortuary Drape – All the Witches Dance

Mutiilation – Vampires of Black Imperial Blood

My Infinite Kingdom – Ecstasies Over Dreaming Lady

Necromantia – Scarlet Evil Witching Black

Old Man’s Child – Born of the Flickering

Order of the Ebon Hand – The Mystic Path to the Netherworld

Osculum Infame – Dor-nu-Fauglith

Root – Zjevení

Rotting Christ – Thy Might Contract

Rotting Christ – Non Serviam

Samael – Ceremony of Opposites

Satyricon – The Shadowthrone

Satyricon – Nemesis Divina

Sigh – Infidel Art

Sombre Chemin – Notre Héritage Ancestral

Taranis – Faust

Theatres des Vampires – Vampyrìsme, Nècrophilie, Nècrosadisme, Nècrophagie

Thorns – Thorns

Tormentor –  Anno Domini

Trelldom – Til evighet... 

Trom – Evil

Ulver – Bergtatt - Et Eeventyr i 5 Capitler

Varathron – His Majesty at the Swamp

Varathron – Walpurgisnacht

Venom – Black Metal

Xibalba – Ah Dzam Poop Ek

Edited by Vampyrique
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44 minutes ago, BlutAusNerd said:

^ Nice list.

Thanks. I have a lot of nostalgia for these. Many of them are among the first black metal albums I purchased, and others were integral to my understanding of black metal once I began branching out further beyond just the Norwegian bands. And some were obscure albums that I took a chance on and bought like the Accursed album. I had no idea of what to expect and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise and so there's a fondness for albums like that. 

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On ‎8‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 6:34 PM, Vampyrique said:

A work in progress, here is a rough list of  82  91 so far with a maximum of two releases per band for if it were a literal top 100, a band like Darkthrone would likely secure too many positions. I would consider most of these albums essential to my top 100 but some were chosen instinctually for I didn’t spend much time making this list. I also wanted to include some variety. I am partial to 90s black metal and black metal that emphasizes atmosphere, and I’ve never cared about the technical proficiency of a band or musician. Some quality bands have not been included yet because I haven’t decided on which album to list. Some albums may not be entirely black metal, but I tried to keep it within reason. I'll update the list and try to finish it when I have more time. 

 

Abigor – Verwüstung / Invoke the Dark Age

Abigor – Orkblut

Absu – Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L. 

Accursed – Meditations Among the Tombs

Agatus – Dawn of Martyrdom

Amen Corner – Jachol ve Tehilá

Ancient – Svartalvheim

Archangellus – Magnus Ominis Umbra

Arcturus – Aspera Hiems Symfonia

Art Inferno – Abyssus Abyssum Invocat

Avzhia – Dark Emperors

Baalberith – Storming Towards the Gate

Bathory – Bathory

Bathory – Under the Sign of the Black Mark

Behemoth – Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic)

Behemoth – Grom

Beherit – Drawing Down the Moon

Bethlehem – Dark Metal

Bishop of Hexen – Archives of an Enchanted Philosophy

Black Funeral – Vampyr - Throne of the Beast

Blut Aus Nord – Ultima Thulée

Burzum – Burzum

Burzum – Det som engang var

Carpe Tenebrum – Majestic Nothingness

Covenant – Nexus Polaris

Crimson Moon – To Embrace the Vampyric Blood

Darkness of Blood – A Dream of Vampires in Astral Dementia

Darkthrone – Transilvanian Hunger

Darkthrone – Panzerfaust

Deathspell Omega – Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice

December Moon – Source of Origin

Deviser – Transmission to Chaos

Dimmu Borgir – For All Tid

Dimmu Borgir – Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia

Dismal Euphony – Soria Moria Slott

Dissection – The Somberlain

Dødheimsgard – Kronet til Konge

Dornenreich – Durch den Traum

Draupnir – Black and Vicious

Emperor – In the Nightside Eclipse

Emperor – Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk

Enslaved – Vikingligr Veldi

Forgotten Woods – As the Wolves Gather

Gehenna – First Spell

Godkiller – The Rebirth of the Middle Ages

Gorgoroth – Under the Sign of Hell

Graveland – The Celtic Winter

Graveland – Carpathian Wolves

Hades – …Again Shall Be

Hirilorn – Legends of Evil and Eternal Death

Immortal – Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism

Immortal – Blizzard Beasts

Kawir – To Cavirs

Legion of Doom –  For Those of the Blood

Leviathan – Massive Conspiracy Against All Life

Limbonic Art – Moon in the Scorpio

Lord Belial – Enter the Moonlight Gate

Lvpercalia – The Sublimation of Darkness

Maldoror – Ars Magika

Maleficarum – The Unholy Falldown of Christianism

Malignant Eternal – Tårnet

Marduk – Dark Endless

Master’s Hammer – Ritual

Mayhem – De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas

Medo –  Matéria Negra

Mortuary Drape – All the Witches Dance

Mutiilation – Vampires of Black Imperial Blood

My Infinite Kingdom – Ecstasies Over Dreaming Lady

Necromantia – Scarlet Evil Witching Black

Old Man’s Child – Born of the Flickering

Order of the Ebon Hand – The Mystic Path to the Netherworld

Osculum Infame – Dor-nu-Fauglith

Root – Zjevení

Rotting Christ – Thy Might Contract

Rotting Christ – Non Serviam

Samael – Ceremony of Opposites

Satyricon – The Shadowthrone

Satyricon – Nemesis Divina

Sigh – Infidel Art

Sombre Chemin – Notre Héritage Ancestral

Taranis – Faust

Theatres des Vampires – Vampyrìsme, Nècrophilie, Nècrosadisme, Nècrophagie

Thorns – Thorns

Tormentor –  Anno Domini

Trelldom – Til evighet... 

Trom – Evil

Ulver – Bergtatt - Et Eeventyr i 5 Capitler

Varathron – His Majesty at the Swamp

Varathron – Walpurgisnacht

Venom – Black Metal

Xibalba – Ah Dzam Poop Ek

Fucking great list.

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  • 4 years later...

I remember my friend BAN asking me off the board one time some years back about what my top 100 black metal albums were. And after finding this old thread today, I belive that must have been at the time when he was compiling his top 100 list for this thread. I made him a list at the time and posted it on our old forum. But since that was over eight years ago in 2013 and that forum no longer exists anymore, I think it might be time to make a new list. I'm sure half of this ist will be stuff that's come out since then.

Not sure quite how I'm going to approach this, I suppose with 100 slots I could just scroll down my MusicBee library and start listing favorites alphabetically and then see how many that comes out to, but I'm not sure that'll work because I'll probably reach 100 long before I get to the end of the alphabet. But when I think about it, I guess 100 is just an arbitrary round number anyway, I'm really not good sticking to limits. I'll have to give this some thought. 

I will in no way be attempting to rank these by quality from 1 to whatever, that would be impossible. Maybe I'll put an asterisk next to my top tier albums, like the top 25 or whatever. My list will no doubt have a heavy recency bias, that's just how my brain works, deal with it. It's not supposed to be an all inclusive list of all the 'best' or the most important or groundbreaking albums in the genre, these are just some of my personal favorite black metal albums as per OP BAN's instructions. I'm leaving off black/thrash, black/death and blackened speed & punk for the most part just because even before I've started listing shit I already know that by the time I'm done I'll be way up over 100 anyway. A lot of these bands have other albums that are very good as well, but I didn't want to get up into the 200's. I'm sure I'll forget some shit but I'll do the best I can.

 

Aarkanne - Mysterii, 2021 Chile *

Abigail - Forever Street Metal Bitch, 2003 Japan

Adversum - In the Sign of Satan, 2016 Germany

Aegrus - Devotion for the Devil, 2015 Finland

Aeternus - ...And So the Night Became, 1998 Norway *

Aeternus - Beyond the Wandering Moon, 1997 Norway

Afsky - Ofte Jeg Drømmer Mig Død, 2020 Denmark

Akantha - Gnothi Seauton, 2020 Greece

Alastor - Alastor - Crushing Christendom, 2000 Portugal *

Albionic Hermeticism - Brittonic Ways, 2021 UK

Alchemist - Flesh to Be Broken, 2012 Portugal

Altar of Rot - Altar of Rot, 2020 USA

Ancient - Svartalvheim, 1994 Norway

Ancient Rites - Blasfemia Eternal, 1996 Belgium

Archgoat - Whore of Bethlehem, 2006 Finland *

Archgoat - The Luciferian Crown, 2018 Finland

Arckanum - Kostogher, 1997 Sweden

Arkona - Lunaris, 2016 Poland

Armagedda - Only True Believers, 2003 Sweden

Arnaut Pavle - Arnaut Pavle, 2019 Finland

Arsonists of Lucifer - Prophecy of Hate, 2020 Sweden

Avsky - Scorn, 2010 Sweden

Azaghal - Omega, 2008 Finland *

Azaghal - Teraphim, 2009 Finland *

Azrael Rising - Anti-Gravity, 2014 Finland

Baptism - Morbid Wings of Sathanas, 2005 Finland *

Baptism - Wisdom & Hate, 2004 Finland

Barathrum - Legions of Perkele, 1998 Finland  

Bathory - First 5 Albums, 1984 - 1990  Sweden

Baxaxaxa - The Old Evil, 2019 Germany

Behexen - Rituale Satanum, 2000 Finland

Besatt - Hail Lucifer, 2000 Poland

The Black - The Priest of Satan, 1994 Sweden

Black Dawn - Blood For Satan, 2001 Finland

Black Mass Pervertor - Phanerosis, 2016 Finland *

Black Spirit - El Sueño De La Razón Produce Monstruos, 2021 España

Blodsrit - Helveteshymner, 2004 Sweden  *

Bloodhammer - Abbedissan Saatanalliset Houreet, 2003 Finland

Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta I: Fathers of the Icy Age, 1996 France

Blut Aus Nord - Hallucinogen, 2019 France *

Blut Aus Nord - The Work Which Transforms God, 2003 France

Blutvial - Mysteries of Earth, 2018 UK

Burial Hordes - Incendium, 2014 Greece

Craft - Terror Propaganda, 2002 Sweden

Cultes des Ghoules - Henbane, ...or Sonic Compendium of the Black Arts, 2013 Poland *

Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky, 1992 Norway *

Darkthrone - Panzerfaust, 1995 Norway  *

Darkthrone - Ravishing Grimness, 1999 Norway

Darkthrone - Sardonic Wrath, 2004 Norway

Dawn - Slaughtersun Crown of the Triarchy, 1998 Sweden

Deathspell Omega - Inquisitors of Satan, 2002 France

Decayed - The Black Metal Flame, 2008 Portugal  *

Decayed - Hexagram, 2007 Portugal 

Deceiver Legion - Totuuden Polku, 2020 Finland

Demoncy - Empire of the Fallen Angel, 2003 USA

Diaboli - The Antichrist, 2006 Finland *

Diaboli - Wiking Division, 2015 Finland *

Drastus - La Croix De Sang, 2019 France

Ered - Goatworshipping Metal, 2010 España

Eternity - Funeral Mass, 2007 Germany

Faidra - Six Voices Inside, 2020 Sweden

Fanebærer - Den Første ild, 2020 Denmark

Flame - Into the Age of Fire, 2005 Finland

Flukt - Darkness Devour, 2019 Norway

Förgjord - Ilmestykset, 2019 Finland

Forteresse - Thèmes Pour la Rébellion, 2016 Canada *

Funeralis - Gateways to Esoteric Light, 2020 Chile

Goatkraft - Sulphurous Northern Bestiality, 2019 Norway

Gra - Gra, 2011  Sweden

Gråinheim - Teufelskunst, 2020 Germany *

Graven - Perished and Forgotten,2002  Germany *

Hades - The Dawn of the Dying Sun, 1996 Norway *

Hate Forest - Purity, 2003 Ukraine

Hautakammio - Pimeyden Valtakunta, 2015 Finland

Havukruunu - Havulinnaan, 2015 Finland *

Hell Spirit/Nocturnal Graves - The Grave Spirit Sessions split, 2010 Finland/Australia *

Hexen Blood - Unholy Blessing, 2020 Russia

Horna - Sanojesi Äärelle, 2008 Finland *

Horna - Sotahuuto, 2007 Finland

Horna - Askel Lähempänä Saatanaa, 2013 Finland

Horna - Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne, 2005 Finland

Hovmod - Doedsformasjon, 2019 Norway *

Í Myrkri - Black Fortress of Solitude, 2019 Denmark/USA

Ifernach - The Green Enchanted Forest of the Druid Wizard, 2020 Quebec Canadia

Imperium Dekadenz - Meadows of Nostalgia, 2013 Germany

Inquisition - Nefarious Dismal Orations, 2007 Colombia/USA *

Inquisition - all his other albums as well, won't list all the titles separately *

Kaevum - Natur, 2012 Norway

Kawir - Isotheos, 2012 Greece

Kommandant - The Draconian Archetype, 2012 Chicago USA

Korgonthurus - Vuohen Siunaus, 2016 Finland

Kriegsmaschine - Altered States of Divinity, 2005 Poland

Krypt - Preludes to Death, 2008 Norway

Logos - Of Darkness and Despair, 2020 Russia

Magoth - Anti Terrestrial Black Metal, 2017 Germany

Marras - Where Light Comes to Die, 2019 Finland *

Martwa Aura - Morbus Animus, 2020 Poland *

Megiddo - The Devil and the Whore, 2000 Canadia *

Moenen of Xezbeth - Ancient Spells of Darkness, 2018 Belgium

Monarque - Ad Nauseam, 2009 Quebec Canadia

Mork - Eremittens Dal, 2017 Norway

Morrigan - Celts, 2003 Germany *

Morrigan - Plague, Waste & Death, 2001 Germany

Morrigan - Enter the Sea of Flames, 2002 Germany

Mortuary Drape - Secret Sudaria, 1996 Italy 

Murg - Varg & Björn, 2015 Sweden *  

Murg - Strävan, 2019 Sweden

Mysticum - In the Streams of Inferno, 1996 Norway

Mystifier - Goetia, 1996 Brazil

Nargaroth - Black Metal Ist Krieg, 2001 Germany

Nattefrost - Blood & Vomit, 2004 Norway

Necromantia - Scarlet Evil Witching Black, 1995 Greece

Nidsang - The Mark of Death, 2007 Sweden

Oath - Saatanan Myrsky Yllä Pyhän Maan, 2014 Finland

Odious Devotion - S/T, 2018 Finland *

Ondfødt - Dödsrikets Kallelse, 2019 Finland

Ondskapt - Dödens Evangelium, 2005 Sweden

Ordinance - In Purge There Is No Remission, 2020 Finland *

Ossuaire - Derniers Chants, 2019 Quebec Canadia

Owl's Blood - Cold Night of Meditation, 2014 España

Pakkt - To Brocken Heights Where Witches Dance, 2021 Finland

Perdition Winds - Transcendent Emptiness, 2017 Finland

Pest - In Total Contempt, 2005 Sweden

Phlegein - Devotion, 2018 Finland

Profundis Tenebrarum - Disciples of Venomous Death, 2017  España

Pure - J'aurais Dû, 2017 Switzerland

Ragnarok - Diabolical Age, 2000 Norway

Reign In Blood - Missa Pro Defunctis, 2019 Germany

Rienaus - Saatanalle, 2017 Finland *

Sammath - Godless Arrogance, 2014 Netherlands

Sarastus - Enter the Necropolis, 2019 Finland

Sargeist - Let The Devil In, 2010 Finland *

Sarkrista - Summoners of the Serpents Wrath, 2017 Germany

Schrat - Schattenwahn, 2011 Germany *

Schrat - Alptraumgänger, 2018 Germany *

Setherial - Nord, 1996 Sweden

Setherial - Hell Eternal, 1999 Sweden

Setherial - Setherial - Endtime Divine, 2003 Sweden *

Shadow's Mortuary - Tulen Valtakunta, 2018 Finland

Sielunvihollinen - Hautaruhtinas, 2015 Finland

Skognatt - Ancient Wisdom, 2018 Germany

Sorhin - Apokalypsens Ängel, 2000 Sweden

Spectral Wound - A Diabolic Thirst, 2021 Montreal, Québec *

Spectral Wound - Infernal Decadence, 2018 Montreal, Québec

Svartsyn -Timeless Reign, 2007 Sweden

Temple Abattoir - Cacoangelion, 2017 España

Temple of Perdition - Tetragrammaton, 2018 USA/Norway

Throne of Ahaz - Nifelheim, 1995 Sweden

Throne of Katarsis - The Three Transcendental Keys, 2013 Norway

Todestriebe - In the Vortex of Destructive Creations, 2020 Russia

Totenwache - Der Schwarze Hort, 2019 Germany

Tsjuder - Desert Northern Hell, 2004 Norway

Ulvdalir - ...Of Death Eternal, 2018 Russia

Urgehal - Goatcraft Torment, 2006 Norway *

Utzalu - The Grobian Fall, 2020 Portland Oregon *

VarulV - Kerker, Todt und Teyfl, 2020 Austria

Vidargängr - A World That Has to be Opposed, 2016 Germany

Vinterland - Welcome My Last Chapter, 1996 Sweden 

Vintersemestre - Kirkkokyrpä, 1996 Finland

Walknut - Graveforests and Their Shadows, 2007 Russia

White Death - White Death, 2017 Finland

Wode - Servants of the Countercosmos, 2017 UK 

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8 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

I remember my friend BAN asking me off the board one time some years back about what my top 100 black metal albums were. And after finding this old thread today, I belive that must have been at the time when he was compiling his top 100 list for this thread. I made him a list at the time and posted it on our old forum. But since that was over eight years ago in 2013 and that forum no longer exists anymore, I think it might be time to make a new list. I'm sure half of this ist will be stuff that's come out since then.

Not sure quite how I'm going to approach this, I suppose with 100 slots I could just scroll down my MusicBee library and start listing favorites alphabetically and then see how many that comes out to, but I'm not sure that'll work because I'll probably reach 100 long before I get to the end of the alphabet. But when I think about it, I guess 100 is just an arbitrary round number anyway, I'm really not good sticking to limits. I'll have to give this some thought. 

I will in no way be attempting to rank these by quality from 1 to whatever, that would be impossible. Maybe I'll put an asterisk next to my top tier albums, like the top 25 or whatever. My list will no doubt have a heavy recency bias, that's just how my brain works, deal with it. It's not supposed to be an all inclusive list of all the 'best' or the most important or groundbreaking albums in the genre, these are just some of my personal favorite black metal albums as per OP BAN's instructions. I'm leaving off black/thrash, black/death and blackened speed & punk for the most part just because even before I've started listing shit I already know that by the time I'm done I'll be way up over 100 anyway. A lot of these bands have other albums that are very good as well, but I didn't want to get up into the 200's. I'm sure I'll forget some shit but I'll do the best I can.

 

Aarkanne - Mysterii, 2021 Chile *

Abigail - Forever Street Metal Bitch, 2003 Japan

Adversum - In the Sign of Satan, 2016 Germany

Aegrus - Devotion for the Devil, 2015 Finland

Aeternus - ...And So the Night Became, 1998 Norway *

Aeternus - Beyond the Wandering Moon, 1997 Norway

Afsky - Ofte Jeg Drømmer Mig Død, 2020 Denmark

Akantha - Gnothi Seauton, 2020 Greece

Alastor - Alastor - Crushing Christendom, 2000 Portugal *

Albionic Hermeticism - Brittonic Ways, 2021 UK

Alchemist - Flesh to Be Broken, 2012 Portugal

Altar of Rot - Altar of Rot, 2020 USA

Ancient - Svartalvheim, 1994 Norway

Ancient Rites - Blasfemia Eternal, 1996 Belgium

Archgoat - Whore of Bethlehem, 2006 Finland *

Archgoat - The Luciferian Crown, 2018 Finland

Arckanum - Kostogher, 1997 Sweden

Arkona - Lunaris, 2016 Poland

Armagedda - Only True Believers, 2003 Sweden

Arnaut Pavle - Arnaut Pavle, 2019 Finland

Arsonists of Lucifer - Prophecy of Hate, 2020 Sweden

Avsky - Scorn, 2010 Sweden

Azaghal - Omega, 2008 Finland *

Azaghal - Teraphim, 2009 Finland *

Azrael Rising - Anti-Gravity, 2014 Finland

Baptism - Morbid Wings of Sathanas, 2005 Finland *

Baptism - Wisdom & Hate, 2004 Finland

Barathrum - Legions of Perkele, 1998 Finland  

Bathory - First 5 Albums, 1984 - 1990  Sweden

Baxaxaxa - The Old Evil, 2019 Germany

Behexen - Rituale Satanum, 2000 Finland

Besatt - Hail Lucifer, 2000 Poland

The Black - The Priest of Satan, 1994 Sweden

Black Dawn - Blood For Satan, 2001 Finland

Black Mass Pervertor - Phanerosis, 2016 Finland *

Black Spirit - El Sueño De La Razón Produce Monstruos, 2021 España

Blodsrit - Helveteshymner, 2004 Sweden  *

Bloodhammer - Abbedissan Saatanalliset Houreet, 2003 Finland

Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta I: Fathers of the Icy Age, 1996 France

Blut Aus Nord - Hallucinogen, 2019 France *

Blut Aus Nord - The Work Which Transforms God, 2003 France

Blutvial - Mysteries of Earth, 2018 UK

Burial Hordes - Incendium, 2014 Greece

Craft - Terror Propaganda, 2002 Sweden

Cultes des Ghoules - Henbane, ...or Sonic Compendium of the Black Arts, 2013 Poland *

Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky, 1992 Norway *

Darkthrone - Panzerfaust, 1995 Norway  *

Darkthrone - Ravishing Grimness, 1999 Norway

Darkthrone - Sardonic Wrath, 2004 Norway

Dawn - Slaughtersun Crown of the Triarchy, 1998 Sweden

Deathspell Omega - Inquisitors of Satan, 2002 France

Decayed - The Black Metal Flame, 2008 Portugal  *

Decayed - Hexagram, 2007 Portugal 

Deceiver Legion - Totuuden Polku, 2020 Finland

Demoncy - Empire of the Fallen Angel, 2003 USA

Diaboli - The Antichrist, 2006 Finland *

Diaboli - Wiking Division, 2015 Finland *

Drastus - La Croix De Sang, 2019 France

Ered - Goatworshipping Metal, 2010 España

Eternity - Funeral Mass, 2007 Germany

Faidra - Six Voices Inside, 2020 Sweden

Fanebærer - Den Første ild, 2020 Denmark

Flame - Into the Age of Fire, 2005 Finland

Flukt - Darkness Devour, 2019 Norway

Förgjord - Ilmestykset, 2019 Finland

Forteresse - Thèmes Pour la Rébellion, 2016 Canada *

Funeralis - Gateways to Esoteric Light, 2020 Chile

Goatkraft - Sulphurous Northern Bestiality, 2019 Norway

Gra - Gra, 2011  Sweden

Gråinheim - Teufelskunst, 2020 Germany *

Graven - Perished and Forgotten,2002  Germany *

Hades - The Dawn of the Dying Sun, 1996 Norway *

Hate Forest - Purity, 2003 Ukraine

Hautakammio - Pimeyden Valtakunta, 2015 Finland

Havukruunu - Havulinnaan, 2015 Finland *

Hell Spirit/Nocturnal Graves - The Grave Spirit Sessions split, 2010 Finland/Australia *

Hexen Blood - Unholy Blessing, 2020 Russia

Horna - Sanojesi Äärelle, 2008 Finland *

Horna - Sotahuuto, 2007 Finland

Horna - Askel Lähempänä Saatanaa, 2013 Finland

Horna - Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne, 2005 Finland

Hovmod - Doedsformasjon, 2019 Norway *

Í Myrkri - Black Fortress of Solitude, 2019 Denmark/USA

Ifernach - The Green Enchanted Forest of the Druid Wizard, 2020 Quebec Canadia

Imperium Dekadenz - Meadows of Nostalgia, 2013 Germany

Inquisition - Nefarious Dismal Orations, 2007 Colombia/USA *

Inquisition - all his other albums as well, won't list all the titles separately *

Kaevum - Natur, 2012 Norway

Kawir - Isotheos, 2012 Greece

Kommandant - The Draconian Archetype, 2012 Chicago USA

Korgonthurus - Vuohen Siunaus, 2016 Finland

Kriegsmaschine - Altered States of Divinity, 2005 Poland

Krypt - Preludes to Death, 2008 Norway

Logos - Of Darkness and Despair, 2020 Russia

Magoth - Anti Terrestrial Black Metal, 2017 Germany

Marras - Where Light Comes to Die, 2019 Finland *

Martwa Aura - Morbus Animus, 2020 Poland *

Megiddo - The Devil and the Whore, 2000 Canadia *

Moenen of Xezbeth - Ancient Spells of Darkness, 2018 Belgium

Monarque - Ad Nauseam, 2009 Quebec Canadia

Mork - Eremittens Dal, 2017 Norway

Morrigan - Celts, 2003 Germany *

Morrigan - Plague, Waste & Death, 2001 Germany

Morrigan - Enter the Sea of Flames, 2002 Germany

Mortuary Drape - Secret Sudaria, 1996 Italy 

Murg - Varg & Björn, 2015 Sweden *  

Murg - Strävan, 2019 Sweden

Mysticum - In the Streams of Inferno, 1996 Norway

Mystifier - Goetia, 1996 Brazil

Nargaroth - Black Metal Ist Krieg, 2001 Germany

Nattefrost - Blood & Vomit, 2004 Norway

Necromantia - Scarlet Evil Witching Black, 1995 Greece

Nidsang - The Mark of Death, 2007 Sweden

Oath - Saatanan Myrsky Yllä Pyhän Maan, 2014 Finland

Odious Devotion - S/T, 2018 Finland *

Ondfødt - Dödsrikets Kallelse, 2019 Finland

Ondskapt - Dödens Evangelium, 2005 Sweden

Ordinance - In Purge There Is No Remission, 2020 Finland *

Ossuaire - Derniers Chants, 2019 Quebec Canadia

Owl's Blood - Cold Night of Meditation, 2014 España

Pakkt - To Brocken Heights Where Witches Dance, 2021 Finland

Perdition Winds - Transcendent Emptiness, 2017 Finland

Pest - In Total Contempt, 2005 Sweden

Phlegein - Devotion, 2018 Finland

Profundis Tenebrarum - Disciples of Venomous Death, 2017  España

Pure - J'aurais Dû, 2017 Switzerland

Ragnarok - Diabolical Age, 2000 Norway

Reign In Blood - Missa Pro Defunctis, 2019 Germany

Rienaus - Saatanalle, 2017 Finland *

Sammath - Godless Arrogance, 2014 Netherlands

Sarastus - Enter the Necropolis, 2019 Finland

Sargeist - Let The Devil In, 2010 Finland *

Sarkrista - Summoners of the Serpents Wrath, 2017 Germany

Schrat - Schattenwahn, 2011 Germany *

Schrat - Alptraumgänger, 2018 Germany *

Setherial - Nord, 1996 Sweden

Setherial - Hell Eternal, 1999 Sweden

Setherial - Setherial - Endtime Divine, 2003 Sweden *

Shadow's Mortuary - Tulen Valtakunta, 2018 Finland

Sielunvihollinen - Hautaruhtinas, 2015 Finland

Skognatt - Ancient Wisdom, 2018 Germany

Sorhin - Apokalypsens Ängel, 2000 Sweden

Spectral Wound - A Diabolic Thirst, 2021 Montreal, Québec *

Spectral Wound - Infernal Decadence, 2018 Montreal, Québec

Svartsyn -Timeless Reign, 2007 Sweden

Temple Abattoir - Cacoangelion, 2017 España

Temple of Perdition - Tetragrammaton, 2018 USA/Norway

Throne of Ahaz - Nifelheim, 1995 Sweden

Throne of Katarsis - The Three Transcendental Keys, 2013 Norway

Todestriebe - In the Vortex of Destructive Creations, 2020 Russia

Totenwache - Der Schwarze Hort, 2019 Germany

Tsjuder - Desert Northern Hell, 2004 Norway

Ulvdalir - ...Of Death Eternal, 2018 Russia

Urgehal - Goatcraft Torment, 2006 Norway *

Utzalu - The Grobian Fall, 2020 Portland Oregon *

VarulV - Kerker, Todt und Teyfl, 2020 Austria

Vidargängr - A World That Has to be Opposed, 2016 Germany

Vinterland - Welcome My Last Chapter, 1996 Sweden 

Vintersemestre - Kirkkokyrpä, 1996 Finland

Walknut - Graveforests and Their Shadows, 2007 Russia

White Death - White Death, 2017 Finland

Wode - Servants of the Countercosmos, 2017 UK 

I need to go through some of these again. Several I've never gotten around to.

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  • 2 weeks later...

battles in the north by immortal

under the sign of hell by gorgoroth

at the heart of winter by immortal

panzerfaust by dark throne

opus nocturne by marduk

in the sign of the ravens by mithotyn

attera totus sanctus by dark funeral

latex cult by impaled nazarene

mad grandiose bloodfiends by ancient

eskhata by catamenia

finnish steel storm by goatmoon

vobiscum satanas by dark funeral

damned in black by immortal

requiem by bathory

chaos born by catamenia

written in blood by gloomy grim

absence of war does not mean peace by impaled nazarene

black metal by venom

nordland 1 by bathory

nordland 2 by bathory

angelus exo pro eternus by dark funeral

at war with satan by venom

lucifer incestus by belphegor

king of the distant forest by mithotyn

blutsabbath by belphegor

coming of chaos by sacramentum

blood, monsters, darkness by gloomy grim

drachenblut by mystic circle

under a funeral moon by dark throne

viktoria by marduk

defending the throne of evil by carpathian forest

far away from the sun by sacramentum

agathonomicon by gloomy grim

open the gates of hell by mystic circle

total death by dark throne

the somberlain by dissection

the great beast by mystic circle

die ewigen steine by menhir

a blaze in the northern sky by dark throne

pure holocaust by immortal

serpent sermon by marduk

memory and destiny by graveland

ziuwari by menhir

ugra karma by impaled nazarene 

gathered around the oaken table by mithotyn

together we summon the dark by abyssos

in the sign of evil by sodom

all that you fear by impaled nazarene

chimera by mayhem

grom by behemoth

goat horns by nokturnal mortum

shadows embrace the dark by twilight ophera

to the gates of blasphemous fire by nokturnal mortum

and the forests dream eternally by behemoth

dawn of the black hearts by mayhem

thelema 6 by behemoth

fist of the northern destroyer by clandestine blaze

death before dishonor by goatmoon

zos kia cultus by behemoth

antichrist by gorgoroth

deliverers of the faith by clandestine blaze

non serviam by rotting christ

walspurgisnacht by varathron

genesis by rotting christ

opferblut by satanic warmaster

a dead poem by rotting christ

hiidentorni by horna

1184 by windir

over bjoergvin graater himirek by taake

soknardlr by windir

stridens hus by taake

likferd by windir

triarchy of the lost lovers by rotting christ

blodhemn by enslaved 

noregs vaapen by taake

the pagan prosperity by old man's child

demonic posession by tsjuder

servants of darkness by nifelheim

for all tid by dimmu borgir

pentagram by gorgoroth

enthrone darkness triumphant by dimmu borgir

drowned by drowning the light

ballade cuntre lo anemi francor by peste noire

eld by enslaved

desert northern hell by tsjuder

folkfuck folie by peste noire 

sudentaival by horna

demigod by behemoth

atomkinder by urgehal

s/t by nifelheim

athenian echoes by nightfall

in doloriam gloria by parnassus 

devil's force by nifelheim 

twilight of the gods by bathory

nihil by impaled nazarene

nemisis divina by satyricon

suomi finland perkele by impaled nazarene

the return by bathory

halls of frozen north by catamenia

 

 

 

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I'm not super confident in this list as I threw it together in about 15 minutes and didn't think about it too much, but it's a reasonable representation of my favourite Black Metal albums.

 

Abigor - Nachthymnen (From The Twilight Kingdom)

Acathexis - S/T

Aeternus - And So The Night Became

Aeternus - Beyond The Wandering Moon

Afsky - Ofte jeg drømmer mig død

Afsky - sorg

Akasha - Canticles Of The Sepulchral Deity

Akhlys - The Dreaming I

Ancient - Svartalvheim

Antaeus - Condemnation

Aosoth - An Arrow In Heart

Arckanum - Kostogher

Arckanum - Kampen

Baptism - Grim Arts of Melancholy 

Bathory - The Return

Bathory - Under The Sign of the Black Mark

Behexen - Rituale Satanum 

Behexen - By The Blessing of Satan

Blut Aus Nord - Hallucinogen 

Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta, parts I, II and III

Burzum - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss

Cirith Gorgor - Onwards to the Spectral Defile

Darkspace - III

Darkthrone - Under A Funeral Moon

Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger

Darkthrone - Panzerfaust 

Darkthrone - Hate Them

Dawn - Slaughtersun

Death Fortress - Deathless March Of The Unyielding

Death Fortress - Reign Of The Unending

Dissection - Storm of the Light's Bane

Drautran - The Throne of Depths

Drowning The Light - From The Abyss

Drowning The Light - Oceans of Eternity

Drudkh - Autumn Aurora 

Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse

Emperor - Anthems to the Welkin At Dusk

Enslaved - Below The Lights

Ethereal Shroud - They Became The Falling Ash

Forgjord - Ilmestykset

Forteresse - Thèmes Pour La Rébellion

Funereal Presence - Achatius

Gevurah - Hallelujah

Hades - Again Shall Be

Hades - Dawn of The Dying Sun

Havukruunu - Havulinnaan

Havukruunu - Uinuos Syömein Sota

Haxanu - Snare of All Salvation

Horna - Sanojesi Äärelle

Human Serpent - Inhumane Minimalism 

Human Serpent - For I, The Misanthropist 

Immortal - Pure Holocaust

Immortal - Battles In The North

Immortal - At The Heart of Winter

Inquisition - Invoking The Majestic Throne of Satan

Inquisition - Nefarious Dismal Orations

Inquisition - Ominous Doctrines

Judas Iscariot - To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding

Kjeld - Skym

Kriegsmaschine - Enemy of Man

Macabre Omen - Gods of War, At War

Marduk - Opus Nocturne 

Mgla - With Hearts Toward None

Mgla - Exercises In Futility

Misþyrming - Söngvar elds og óreiðu

Misþyrming - Algleymi

Monarque - Ad Nauseum 

Murg - Varg & Bjorn

Murg - Stravan

Myrkgrav - Trollskau, Skrømt og Kølabrenning

Mystifier - Wicca

Mystras - Castles Conquered and Reclaimed

Nagelfar - Srontgorrth

Nagelfar - Virus West

Naglfar - Vittra

Obsequiae - Aria of Vernal Tombs

Panopticon - Autumn Eternal

Panzerfaust - The Suns of Perdition, Parts I & II

Paysage d'Hiver - S/T

Paysage d'Hiver - Das Tor

Ravencult - Temples of Torment 

The Ruins of Beverast - Rain Upon The Impure

Sacramentum - Far Away From The Sun

Sargeist - Let The Devil In

Sargeist - Unbound

Satyricon - Nemesis Divina 

Sinmara - Aphotic Womb

Sorhin - I det Glimrande Mörkrets Djup

Spectral Lore - III

Spectral Wound - Infernal Decadence

Spectral Wound - A Diabolic Thirst

Taake - Nattestid Ser Porten Vid

Taake - Over Bjoergvin Graater Himmerik

Tsjuder - Desert Northern Hell

Vinterland - Welcome My Last Chapter

Wode - Servants of the Countercosmos

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Hmm. I've never really thought about listing my favorites. Could be a fun exercise when not limited to year of release or a definitive number (say top 10/20). Don't think I could hit 100, but can give it a shot. Kinda like the old "25 albums to take to a desert island" thread on MFi but with only black metal.

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  • 6 months later...

Just 10 records for me :

Akhlys - Melinoë
Diabolical Masquerade - Ravendusk in my heart
Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant
Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse
Immortal - Blizzard Beasts
Immortal - At the Heart of Winter
Impaled Nazarene - Suomi Finland Perkele
Le Chant Noir - La Société Satanique des Poètes Morts
Satyricon - Now, Diabolical
Satyricon - The Age of Nero

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