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Top 10 Albums of Any Given Genre or Concept


Requiem

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20 hours ago, Requiem said:

For me, the first three Satyricon albums are all better than anything released by Immortal and Gorgoroth; however, Satyricon's lows are also worse than Immortal and Gorgoroth's lows. 'Dark Medieval Times', 'The Shadowthrone' and 'Nemesis Divina' are aurally, aesthetically and emotively monumental. 

Enslaved are a funny one. I simply adore their first three albums, but found 'Blodhemn' to be a bit lost and empty. Almost clumsy. 'Below the Lights' was ok, but they started to move away from what really interests me, and while I enjoy the odd track of their nowadays material, I can't say I'm a fan. The last album I bought was 'Ruun' and it gets exactly zero plays these days. Actually that could be a great candidate for my daily commute disk list. I love checking out albums I haven't heard in years whilst sitting in traffic. 

Were it not for Pentagram, At the Heart of Winter, and Sons of Northern Darkness, I could get behind that. The last couple of Satyricon albums are certainly worse than the worst from Gorgoroth and Immortal (probably Destroyer and Blizzard Beasts respectively), but while at times they get close, they can't top those two at the top of their game in my book. I would still rank them on about the same tier though and can see them being comparable in some ways, I guess I just prefer the others over Satyricon, even though I discovered Satyricon first and have a lot of attachment toward them because Volcano was one of the first black metal albums I ever purchased. 

I can understand that Enslaved's progressive albums aren't for everyone, but like Voivod, they're one of those bands that has always been constantly reinventing themselves whilst always retaining their distinct and inimitable sound. Even for non-fans, I would have a hard time believing that they weren't one of the most respected bands to ever come from Norway due to their longevity, consistently high quality of releases, and completely unique sound. 

 

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16 hours ago, BlutAusNerd said:

Check out Pentagram, it might change your mind. I know it changed mine. 

'Pentagram' is cool, but it's not even in my top two Gorgoroth albums. I prefer (the original) 'Under the Sign of Hell' and 'Antichrist'. 'Pentagram' is awesome though. 

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7 hours ago, Requiem said:

'Pentagram' is cool, but it's not even in my top two Gorgoroth albums. I prefer (the original) 'Under the Sign of Hell' and 'Antichrist'. 'Pentagram' is awesome though. 

Given your tastes, I'm not surprised by that. Under the Sign of Hell is my 2nd favorite of theirs (never bothered with the re-recording), it's easily the best of their faster stuff. I guess I prefer them as a more mid-paced band.

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16 hours ago, BlutAusNerd said:

Given your tastes, I'm not surprised by that. Under the Sign of Hell is my 2nd favorite of theirs (never bothered with the re-recording), it's easily the best of their faster stuff. I guess I prefer them as a more mid-paced band.

What do you make of their two latest 'Infernus' albums?

I really really love 'Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt' (I wish they'd go back to using titles I didn't have to google to remember...), but found 'Instinctus Bestialis' to be a bit flat and a cheap copy of 'Quantos'. I'm going to wager that you're not that into these albums, but for me, damn I love 'Quantos'. The riffs are so emotional after the norsecore of the Gaahl/King era. 

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6 hours ago, Requiem said:

What do you make of their two latest 'Infernus' albums?

I really really love 'Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt' (I wish they'd go back to using titles I didn't have to google to remember...), but found 'Instinctus Bestialis' to be a bit flat and a cheap copy of 'Quantos'. I'm going to wager that you're not that into these albums, but for me, damn I love 'Quantos'. The riffs are so emotional after the norsecore of the Gaahl/King era. 

Quantos is okay, but I expected better with Pest returning and Infernus writing the songs again. Maybe he let King and Gaahl take over because he didn't have much else to say, not that they did a better job. A few of the songs are pretty good, but most of it sounds trite to me, and I forget what I've heard right after the track stops. After not hearing anything to write home about with Quantos, I didn't bother with the newest one.

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Requiem's Top 10 Metal Songs about Alcohol

As I nurse a hangover I cannot but reflect on metal's long association with the demon drink. Here are my favourite metal songs about drinking. 

 

10a. My Dying Bride - 'My Wine in Silence' from Songs of Darkness, Words of Light (2004)

An odd start because there is nothing about alcohol in the lyrics at all, but the title and sentiment make this a great song about sitting, drinking and reflecting on not having a girlfriend. 

10b. Ozzy Osbourne - 'Demon Alcohol' from No Rest for the Wicked (1988)

There's a better Osbourne classic coming up in this list, but this is a killer song from Zakk's first album. Obviously Ozzy knows a thing or two about alcohol, and this is a good warning to steer clear. Well, it's Bob Daisley's warning as lyricist, but sounds good coming from Ozzy. 

9. Alestorm - 'Nancy the Tavern Wench' from Captain Morgan's Revenge (2008)

Alestorm receive a lot of contempt from the straight-faced minions of metal's macho militia, but this is such a catchy and fun song. I won't lie, I definitely like the idea of pretending to be a pirate. 

8. Korpiklaani - 'Let's Drink' from Tervaskanto (2007)

One of the better pro-drink anthems, the Finns know a thing or two about alcohol abuse, and it doesn't seem so bad in a historical context - or in folk metal. Goddamn catchy. I know if I was living in the middle ages I'd be drunk pretty much all the time if I could manage it. 

7. Alestorm - 'Drink' from Sunset on the Golden Age (2014)

This makes number six on the list in part due to the fantastic video. Straight laced high-born women turned into table dancing party wenches. I guess it's not quite as much fun without the video, but this is still a rollicking ode to pirate partying. 

6. Sentenced - 'Guilt and Regret' from The Cold White Light (2003) 

Another anti-drink song, this is about waking up the next day and not remembering what you did - and the negative consequences attached to that. I've been there, that's for sure... As a track this is just fantastic and from one of my favourite albums. Famously, the lead guitar player would die from alcohol related ill-health six years later, and the singer would abstain entirely. This song came from the heart. 

5. Ozzy Osbourne - 'Suicide Solution' from The Blizzard of Ozz (1980)

If I'm in my Ozzy zone this could easily be number one, but objectively it sits about here for me. Stunning song, Bob Daisley's lyrics always got to the heart of who Ozzy is/was. He knew Ozzy better than Ozzy knew himself. 

4. Moonsorrow - 'Tulkaapa Aijat' (Come Along, Fellows) from Suden Uni (2001)

A bonus track on the re-release of 'Suden Uni', this could easily pass many metal fans by, but that would be as unfortunate as running out of mead at the Althing. An amazing party anthem with rousing viking chorus at the end. Check it out. Moonsorrow were so far ahead of the viking metal pack in the early 2000s it was ridiculous. 

3. Korpiklaani - 'Vodka' from Karkelo (2009)

This takes the number 1 place for best pro-alcohol song in metal. It's almost the perfect folk metal song. It's repetitive, it's dance-worthy, it has a great chorus "Drinking is good for you..." and just makes me feel that worrying about the little things in life is just futile. Live, love and lose, it's all good. 

2. Katatonia - 'Serein' from The Fall of Hearts (2016)

I forgot this track in my initial assessment. Another amazing anti-drink song, this is about being resigned to the routine and emptiness of alcohol dependence, and it's just driven by this amazing drive and melody. I had to look up the meaning of the title: a rain that falls from a cloudless sky. 

1. Devilment - 'The Seductive Poison' from II The Mephisto Waltzes (2016)

I bet none of you saw this coming. This is a bonus track on the new Devilment album, and if you need any convincing of how great Dani Filth can be without the musical limitations of Paul Allender, then look no further. The Devilment team are so goddamn pro. This is an anti-alcohol song with luscious lyrical lectures about ludicrous libations, yet it has a subtlety about alcoholism that just nails it. The Iron Maiden style beginning is cool and everything, but as of 3:30 when the metal drops away and that piano starts, then the rest of the music builds up and Dani sings the "Sekhmet save me..." it's fucking glorious. Goddamn. Best metal song about alcohol for me. 

"Raised glasses praise spirits, a lyrical toast / To the Djinn in my veins and the unholy ghost"

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Requiem's Top 10 Metal Albums about Romance

I've always been a romantic man. And there's always been a passion in metal that is, when you boil it down, a thinly disguised yearning for romance. A hotbed for homoeroticism and heterosexual wishful thinking by bearded virgins, even the sternest of metal is ultimately about the desire for personal connection. I'm going right to the heart of that theme with my favourite ten albums that are (more or less) explicitly about the candlelit dinner/walks on the beach/mourn at your lover's grave side of romance. 

10. Anathema - 'We're Here Because We're Here' (2010)

I know the heading says 'Metal Albums' but just go with it. The first five songs here are straight up odes to romance basically, and they are fantastic. This is lighter than my wife's fat free celery sticks, but deeply emotional with enough "I love you" lyrics to qualify. When i was looking at Anathema's catalogue for inclusion here I discovered that they generally don't sing about romance as much as I thought. Even 'Serenades' is touch and go. This is a very soft album, so you really need to be in the right mood. 

9. Woods of Ypres - 'IV: The Green Album' 

I'm a disciple of David Gold's and this is his most romantic album having just broken up with his girlfriend at the time. Staggeringly honest and emotionally laid bare, songs like 'Shards of Love' and 'You Are Here With Me' are haunting and deeply moving. Other songs like 'Everything I Touch Turns to Gold (Then to Coal)' (David Gold - get it?) are crushing. This is a really unique album from someone I consider a true genius. 

8. HIM - 'Greatest Love Songs Vol 666' (1998)

This is more like it. The purveyors of 'love metal', every song here is about relationships. Ville Valo doesn't get a lot of credit in regular metal circles, and I can appreciate that, but the guy is a living legend and this album of gothic rock songs is brilliant. 'Your Sweet 666' and 'When Love and Death Embrace' are next level. Mandatory listening if you're in love. 

7. Type O Negative - 'Bloody Kisses' (1993)

This could easily be number one really. There are great anthems to romance here. 'Christian Woman', 'Summer Breeze' and 'Can't Lose You' are perfect for making love on a rug in front of an open fire or whatever. Several songs not quite on the romantic theme keep this slab at number 8. 

6. My Dying Bride - 'The Angel and the Dark River' (1995)

Not every song here is about romance, but all time epics like 'From Darkest Skies' and 'A Sea to Suffer In' are dripping with the stuff. MDB are the ultimate love metal band if you ask me. The combination of violin, Aaron's mournful croon and the sexuality of bereavement all contribute to this being a classic romance album. It's also epic and spacious, giving it a more romantic feel to many of their other works that are bit more doomy. 

5. HIM - 'Razorblade Romance' (2000)

The best HIM album is also the most romantic (generally speaking). Valo croons his way through 'Poison Girl', 'Right Here in my Arms', 'Bury Me Deep Inside Your Heart' - on and on every song is killer and every song is about romance. I suspect more metal fans like HIM than let on. Maybe not. Anyway, I'm man enough to put on the eyeliner and feather boa occasionally. This is an amazing album. 

4. Theatre of Tragedy - 'Aegis' (1998)

A loose concept album regarding women throughout history and mythology, this is dripping with a sort of Helen of Troy type wistfulness and yearning. The band stripped away the renaissance theatrics for a more melodious, understated album that is just brilliant. 'Cassandra' and 'Lorelei' are landmarks. There's definitely something that I find sexually appealing about historical women. Just saying. 

3. Saturnus - 'For the Loveless Lonely Nights' (1998)

Technically an EP, but one that had a huge influence on me, and still does. This is close to perfect gothic doom with a wonderful atmosphere. The live version of 'Christ Goodbye' is better than the album version due to the choir and 'For Your Demons' is just a miracle song of acoustic guitar and violin. As the title suggests, good to listen to in the emptiness of another interminable night...

2. My Dying Bride - 'Like Gods of the Sun' (1996)

This rates more highly than 'The Angel and the Dark River' on this list because it's much more romantic. Nearly every song is a dark ode to love, and the band has never sounded tighter and more in charge of their material. The final album to feature the original six, in my opinion they would never reach this level of authenticity again. 'For My Fallen Angel', 'For You' and the title track are perfection. 

1. Type O Negative - 'October Rust' (1996)

And the winner is my favourite album of all time. 'Love you to Death', 'Be My Druidess', 'My Girlfriend's Girlfriend', 'Die With Me', 'Cinnamon Girl', 'Wolfmoon' and 'Haunted' are all more glorious, more moving, and more emotional than anything else on this list. The ultimate romance album. Hail Peter Steele. Hail the full moon. Hail Romance. 

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Requiem's Top 10 Solo/One-Person-Band Albums

Bands are so old hat in this age of bedroom recordings. Here are my favourite albums by solo artists or 'bands' that are just one individual. Or actual bands that just use the singer's name as the title... It's a grey area but hopefully you get the picture. 

 

10. Xasthur - 'Nocturnal Poisoning' (2002)

I remember when this came out it made big waves. Malefic created a dense yet strangely melodic atmosphere that really set the standard for twenty-first century one man black metal. He was really mysterious back then too and head and shoulders above his US peers. Later imitators would fail dismally. 

9. Bruce Dickinson - 'The Chemical Wedding' (1998)

A surprise inclusion? This album really floats my aural boat. After Maiden this had a cool modern quality without being overly clinical or soulless. There's so much soul here. There are some real singalong anthems present and the William Blake themes give it a nice sophisticated edge without losing its cool. 

8. Bathory - 'Under the Sign of the Black Mark' (1987)

My favourite Bathory black metal album, this has the darkness and power that ended up defining the Norwegian approach. There's no arguing the influence of this album, but it makes the list because it's brilliant and full of great songs. It's just amazing when you think of what Quorthon accomplished. 

7. Dio - 'Holy Diver' (1983)

I'm not as obsessed with this guy as everyone else on the planet seems to be, but you can't argue with this album. It's killer. Can't believe Viv Campbell was only 19 or whatever. 'Holy Diver' is often on a television advertisement for a car here in Australia, so this is often on my mind these days. 

6. Falkenbach - 'Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty' (2003)

This is the best Falkenbach album. Viking metal with a brilliant forward chugging mid-paced vibe with great melodies over the top. Effective viking croon. It amazes me how effective some people are at conjuring up the viking atmosphere through instruments. It's kind of bizarre. 

5. Bathory - 'Hammerheart' (1990)

This feels like it could be higher, being such a kvlt album, but if I'm being honest with myself it's where it belongs for me. 'Father to Son', 'One Road to Asa Bay' - they're all here. Quorthon's clean vocals are just amazing, so is the artwork, so is the vibe. Not a bad album to create a(nother) genre. 

4. Burzum - 'Hvis Lyset Tar Oss' (1994)

You couldn't escape Varg in a list like this. This is epic, personal, dark, with some of the greatest vocals you'll ever hear on a recording. 'Det Som Engang Var' would be in the top 7 or 8 black metal songs of all time. Great Kittelsen cover. 

3. Windir - 'Arntor' (1999)

Valfar (hail) is without doubt the most underrated (former) musician in the metal world. This, the second Windir album, opens with the single best accordion song you'll ever hear before launching into untouchable sognametal that is just so honest and unique. The photo of him in the booklet standing in front of a tractor in Norway is timeless. I spent some time at Sognafjord a few years ago and can vouch for its inspiring scenery. 

2. Burzum - 'Filosofem' (1996)

What more needs to be said about this? I'm just going to focus on the artwork. Theodor Kittelsen is a cult figure and this album cover here is my favourite of his. 

1. Ozzy Osbourne - 'The Blizzard of Ozz' (1980)

Number one. I love this album with a passion. It's a slightly disingenuous entry as Ozzy didn't write a single thing, basically, but it's got his name on it (to the surprise of the rest of the band at the time) and so it counts. Every song's a hit and the album represents everything that is awesome about Ozzy, Bob, Randy, and Lee, post-Sabbath life and the era of partying. It's true love. 

 

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I'm really labouring the top 10 point by now, but before I relax a bit I want to do an EP list. Requirements: Must be an actual individual stand alone release and not just a glorified single, hence 'Black Winter Day' by Amorphis and 'Reverence' by Emperor miss out. Here they are, my favourite Extended Plays: 

 

Requiem's Top 10 Metal EPs

10. My Dying Bride - 'The Manuscript' (2013)

MDB have released heaps of EPs, especially early in their career, but they were all a bit hit and miss. This is a really good one, however, and I prefer it to the album that came out around the same time: 'A Map of All Our Failures'. In fact I prefer this to the last few albums. 

9. Age of Silence - 'Complications' (2005)

This little gem is really underrated. Great vocals from Lars (Borknagar/Solefald), drums from Hellhammer. It's better than their album that came out the next year. Excellent melodic metal. 

8. Moonsorrow - 'Tulimyrsky' (2008)

This is where Moonsorrow start to get a little bogged down in their own ambition. The title track here is 25 long, slightly boring, minutes, but the rest of this EP is fantastic. The highlight is definitely their cover of 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' by some little known US band. If you haven't heard this cover, fill up your mead horns and get around it. 

7. Graveland - 'Impaler's Wolves' (1999)

This is one of Graveland's best releases, and another underrated classic. There's something about this two track release. Maybe the fantastic composition, maybe the subject matter, definitely the atmosphere. Total Carpathia. 

6. Burzum - 'Aske' (1992)

I have the shirt of this. The music isn't quite to the standard of Burzum's best, but it's not far off. The atmosphere and sentiment here are quite magical. 

5. Anathema - 'Pentacost III' (1995) 

The last release with Darren White on vocals, this is epic, doomy and emotional. A great way for him to end his tenure with the band. Goddamn where they've ended up. 

4. Katatonia - 'Sounds of Decay' (1997)

Basically songs that didn't make it onto 'Brave Murder Day', these tracks are next goddamn level. Mikael Akerfeldt on vocals and that classic Katatonia style. 

3. Mayhem - 'Deathcrush' (1987)

From the immortal and kvlt intro through to the final notes of 'Pure Fucking Armageddon', this is fresh, exciting, jubilant and couched in history. 

2. Cradle of Filth - 'V Empire' (1996)

Untouchable vampiric atmosphere. This release has come up in a few of my lists now so I won't gild the (withered) lily. 

1. Saturnus - 'For the Loveless Lonely Nights' (1998)

My favourite EP. The studio tracks are achingly perfect gothic doom while the live tracks are stunning with the choir. I remember the first time a friend and I heard this back in about 1998, because it was before 'Martyre' came out the following year. When the first few notes of 'Starres' began we just sat there staring at each other, jaws on the floor. What an EP. 

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  • 1 month later...

Requiem's Top 10 Metal Albums from the 80s

This was a pretty crazy idea, distilling an entire decade into a list of 10. I'm excluding hard rock so that it doesn't just descend into a Hair Metal list (I did that one already). To my discredit, I'm definitely a 90s kid at heart, so delving into the 80s is going to be fine but not entirely natural and will take some thinking. Here's where my thinking led me... 

10a. Manowar - 'Kings of Metal' (1988)

I just had to include a Manowar album, and I think this is my favourite. It's got a bit more bombast (if that's possible) than some of their other releases and for me it just really works as an album. 'The Crown and the Ring' is a personal favourite. DeMaio's bass solo in 'Sting of the Bumblebee' is just so ridiculous that I have nothing to say about it. Iconic 80s cover. 

10b. Black Sabbath - 'Heaven and Hell' (1980)

This is a pretty good damn album. Look at the tracklist - all killer no filler. Dio goes alright and the production is just perfect. Awesome cover art. 

9. Candlemass - 'Epicus Doomicus Metallicus' (1986)

I nearly forgot about these Swedes. I owe a lot of my current favourite bands/albums to this album here, and while I can't say I play it every day, it definitely has a special place in my heart. I really love the follow-up in 'Nightfall' too and that album is probably at 11 on this list. Amazing cover art. 

8. Bathory - 'Under the Sign of the Black Mark' (1986)

This is Bathory's best black metal album in my opinion and really started something. Cool title, cool songs. Cover art is cool but weird if you look at it too closely. 

7. Iron Maiden - 'Number of the Beast' (1982)

Good old Maiden. I don't know, I'm in a bit of a Maiden slump these last 24 months, but there's no denying how great this album is. It's easy to forget how special 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' and the title track are because we've heard them so many times. Everything about this album is fun and cool. Excellent cover art. 

6. Dio - 'Holy Diver' (1983)

This album slays and I've always preferred it to 'Heaven and Hell' which I guess is its most obvious rival. Excellent singalong songs that aren't too challenging. It's just a fun album. You could listen to it anywhere and enjoy it. Awesome cover art. 

5. Metallica - 'Master of Puppets' (1986)

I hate to admit it, but I turn my nose up at this band and its fans quite a bit. But if I'm being honest you simply can't go past how great 'Puppets' is. That one-two of 'Battery' and the title track gives me chills. The rest of the album is just so ahead of the competition that it almost defies understanding. Still, fucking Lars and James...

4. Ozzy Osbourne - 'Diary of a Madman' (1981)

I don't know how many times this album has appeared in my lists. I'll just say that as much as I love it I don't think it rates near 'Blizzard' and 'Bark'. It just doesn't have the depth. The opening and closing tracks are all types of glorious though. I love this man and his cronies (Daisley, Rhoads, Kerslake) so it's hard for me to get off the Ozzy (crazy) train and into, say, 80s thrash which I know is scandalously absent from this list. Ozzy really sums up the 80s to me though: excess! 

3. Ozzy Osbourne - 'Bark at the Moon' (1983)

The first Jake E Lee album is amazing. Bob Daisley's lyrics are briliant and the whole thing is amazing. Daisley's swipe at Sharon 'Now You See It Now You Don't' and 'Waiting for Darkness' are underrated gems. Slightly stupid album cover but hey it's the 80s. 

2. Mayhem - 'Deathcrush' (1987)

Nearly forgot about this little gem. I've said all that can be said about this release already on these lists: the haunting intro, the attitude, the iconic artwork (front and back cover), the songs that get better with age. There is magic here that is hard to quantify. 

1. Ozzy Osbourne - 'Blizzard of Ozz' (1980)

The masterpiece. Everything about this album is perfect and this is twice as good, in my opinion, as the next 80s album with the exception of 'Deathcrush'. Ozzy's greatest album also features his greatest artwork. 

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Nice list... some interesting inclusions (Manowar, 3 Ozzy albums) but hard to argue with most of it.

Operation Mindcrime & Don’t Break the Oath come to mind as albums I’d swap in. And Powerslave might be my fav Maiden album.

But realistically there’s so much from this magical decade. Which we shall certainly discuss ad nauseam Sunday night!

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4 hours ago, True Belief said:

Nice list... some interesting inclusions (Manowar, 3 Ozzy albums) but hard to argue with most of it.

Operation Mindcrime & Don’t Break the Oath come to mind as albums I’d swap in. And Powerslave might be my fav Maiden album.

But realistically there’s so much from this magical decade. Which we shall certainly discuss ad nauseam Sunday night!

How much metal kaos can two men kreate? Konsiderable! 

As for ‘Powerslave’ I really sweated over the tracklist for that, ‘Beast’ and even ‘Seventh’ in order to determine my favourite. I just thought that ‘Powerslave’ had a touch more filler while ‘Seventh Son’ was a touch too pop. Really though I could interchange any of these three without losing sleep.

 

 

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  • 4 months later...

Top 10 Black Metal Albums:

 

10. Burzum - Filofosem

A classic in its own right and while Jesus Død is one of my favorite songs of all time, I cannot put the album any higher since the last three songs on the album are not really that high of quality compared to the first songs.

 

9. Fall Of Rauros - The Light That Dwells In Rotten Wood

I really enjoy the avant garde and atmospheric stylings of black metal so when I heard this work it evoked this feeling of standing above a waterfall in the cold north. Its a very beautiful album.

 

8. Agalloch - The Mantle

I enjoy the nature theme on black metal and this hits the figurative nail on the head for me. I also enjoy that I can throw this album on around my friends who may not be into Black metal and have them tolerate or enjoy the album.

 

7. Panopticon - Kentucky

This album began my long love for Panopticon, my favorite black metal artist, and what a way to start off. The way it blends classic blue grass so seamlessly into its black metal is both exciting and calming.

 

6. Enslaved - Below The Lights

Their best album in my opinion by one of my favorite bands. They handle harsh vocals with their straight vocals very well and deliver a sense of atmosphere with stunning darkness.

 

5. White Ward - Futility Report

A new love but a love nonetheless. Its avant-garde nature mixed with incredible traditional style is exactly what I look for in this genre.

 

4. Taake - Noregs Vaapen

One of the more straight forward black metal albums I love. I don't think I can really say much about it besides to listen to the song Myr.

 

3. Panopticon - Roads To The North

The quintessential winter album for me. It fits naturally in with his other work and improves upon the work he did on Kentucky.

 

2. Woman Is The Earth - Torch of Our Final Night

For me, this is a love letter to atmospheric black metal and that is all it needs to be. A pinnacle of the genre in my opinion and has amazing drum work.

 

1. Panopticon - Autumn Eternal

This album just hits all the right buttons for me. Since it came out, I just felt a spiritual connection to each song on the album. It hits on my southern roots, my love for metal, the chill of autumn, the beauty of nature, and it all culminates onto this one album.

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9 minutes ago, CommandoPanda said:

Top 10 Black Metal Albums:

 

10. Burzum - Filofosem

A classic in its own right and while Jesus Død is one of my favorite songs of all time, I cannot put the album any higher since the last three songs on the album are not really that high of quality compared to the first songs.

 

9. Fall Of Rauros - The Light That Dwells In Rotten Wood

I really enjoy the avant garde and atmospheric stylings of black metal so when I heard this work it evoked this feeling of standing above a waterfall in the cold north. Its a very beautiful album.

 

8. Agalloch - The Mantle

I enjoy the nature theme on black metal and this hits the figurative nail on the head for me. I also enjoy that I can throw this album on around my friends who may not be into Black metal and have them tolerate or enjoy the album.

 

7. Panopticon - Kentucky

This album began my long love for Panopticon, my favorite black metal artist, and what a way to start off. The way it blends classic blue grass so seamlessly into its black metal is both exciting and calming.

 

6. Enslaved - Below The Lights

Their best album in my opinion by one of my favorite bands. They handle harsh vocals with their straight vocals very well and deliver a sense of atmosphere with stunning darkness.

 

5. White Ward - Futility Report

A new love but a love nonetheless. Its avant-garde nature mixed with incredible traditional style is exactly what I look for in this genre.

 

4. Taake - Noregs Vaapen

One of the more straight forward black metal albums I love. I don't think I can really say much about it besides to listen to the song Myr.

 

3. Panopticon - Roads To The North

The quintessential winter album for me. It fits naturally in with his other work and improves upon the work he did on Kentucky.

 

2. Woman Is The Earth - Torch of Our Final Night

For me, this is a love letter to atmospheric black metal and that is all it needs to be. A pinnacle of the genre in my opinion and has amazing drum work.

 

1. Panopticon - Autumn Eternal

This album just hits all the right buttons for me. Since it came out, I just felt a spiritual connection to each song on the album. It hits on my southern roots, my love for metal, the chill of autumn, the beauty of nature, and it all culminates onto this one album.

Interesting list.  I take it that you prefer more experimental bm bands?

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Interesting list.  I take it that you prefer more experimental bm bands?
Seems like mostly post-rock/black metal and more nature/folk oriented atmospheric black metal. I have to be in the right mood for it to strike me, but some of this stuff is tenuously black metal at best.

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59 minutes ago, Balor said:

Interesting list.  I take it that you prefer more experimental bm bands?

Absolutely. While I do enjoy the traditional style of black metal, it all sounds a bit derivative after a few listens through the more well known releases. However when I listen to an atmospheric or experimental band, I can expect them to bring in a style of their own and create a soundscape that pulls me into its ethos.

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Absolutely. While I do enjoy the traditional style of black metal, it all sounds a bit derivative after a few listens through the more well known releases. However when I listen to an atmospheric or experimental band, I can expect them to bring in a style of their own and create a soundscape that pulls me into its ethos.
I feel like a lot of the post-rock/black metal and atmospheric black metal I've heard can get pretty derivative and repetitive. Especially when it's often devoid of traditional riffs and melodic progressions, it tends to sound like an amorphous swath of flowing chords with mostly minimal changes over long songs. It works well for some bands, but I tend to prefer riffs in my metal, regardless of the genre.

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8 minutes ago, BlutAusNerd said:

I feel like a lot of the post-rock/black metal and atmospheric black metal I've heard can get pretty derivative and repetitive. Especially when it's often devoid of traditional riffs and melodic progressions, it tends to sound like an amorphous swath of flowing chords with mostly minimal changes over long songs. It works well for some bands, but I tend to prefer riffs in my metal, regardless of the genre.

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I feel like this could also apply to some prog metal that goes more out there with its style rather than staying on the traditional plan of heavy metal. I can also agree that some of the post and atmospheric BM bands can sound derivative but I think this is more do to the popularity of the style at the moment through acts like Wolves in The Throne Room and Agalloch creating a lot of worship bands around themselves. A lot of trad black metal feels rather derivative of the second wave style and I find it hard to point towards any newer bands in the scene I can enjoy. On the topic of riffs, I am all for them if they are good except in the case of albums that use the same riff over and over again.

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I feel like this could also apply to some prog metal that goes more out there with its style rather than staying on the traditional plan of heavy metal. I can also agree that some of the post and atmospheric BM bands can sound derivative but I think this is more do to the popularity of the style at the moment through acts like Wolves in The Throne Room and Agalloch creating a lot of worship bands around themselves. A lot of trad black metal feels rather derivative of the second wave style and I find it hard to point towards any newer bands in the scene I can enjoy. On the topic of riffs, I am all for them if they are good except in the case of albums that use the same riff over and over again.
The style is popular, but a lot of these bands (like Agalloch) also aren't really black metal. There's a little bit of that in their sound, but not much, so a lot of this style has been moving further away from black metal into a metallic post-rock/folk direction. Not that there's anything wrong with that per se, I enjoy listening to Agalloch, it's just not something I put on when I'm in the mood for black metal because it scratches a different itch.

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Just now, BlutAusNerd said:

The style is popular, but a lot of these bands (like Agalloch) also aren't really black metal. There's a little bit of that in their sound, but not much, so a lot of this style has been moving further away from black metal into a metallic post-rock/folk direction. Not that there's anything wrong with that per se, I enjoy listening to Agalloch, it's just not something I put on when I'm in the mood for black metal because it scratches a different itch.

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I can see that. For example, if I wanna just have something in the background while I am browsing forums or writing papers I can throw on a Saor or Panopticon record. While if I am angry or wanna immerse myself into this state of darkness I would put on a 1349 or Inquisition album. Its different flavors for different needs and while I prefer the atmospheric style, there will always be a time and place for traditional black metal.

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