Alright, so I am just curious what albums are Black Metal Classics in your guys' opinions. I haven't heard much black metal, (basically just early Venom, Mercyful Fate, a bunch of Enslaved, and Watain's Lawless Darkness) and haven't been able to find a good list to show the "best" black metal albums. Most of the lists I find are by big fans of the genre, who choose very underground albums. I am curious to see what the best, just straight black metal albums are.

I am honestly just not sure where to get started. Is Mayhem worth checking out? Or are they just famous because of the fucked up things their band has done (they are pretty / tr00), or should I check out Darkthrone (I think they are black metal?), I am not really sure, but let me know in the comments.

To clarify
Doom-Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Thrash-Master of Puppets
Death-Scream Bloody Gore
Power-Keeper of the Seven Keys 1or2
Black-[tell me in the comments!]

*(Suggestion Thread)* Would probably make more sense as the title.

This is a fun one...

Burzum - all recordings prior to Dauði Baldrs
Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky to Transilvanian Hunger
Dissection - The Somberlain or Storm Of The Light's Bane
Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk
Immortal - Pure Holocaust or At The Heart Of Winter
Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

It's such a loaded genre though - chances are you'll have to dig for more obscure bands, sub-genres, etc. to fully get the gist of all it has to offer.

That's a good starting list that Troy posted, but I'd also have to include:

Mayhem - Deathcrush
Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse
Bathory - Blood Fire Death
Ulver - Bergtatt

Written by Troy Killjoy on 31.01.2011 at 02:48


It's such a loaded genre though - chances are you'll have to dig for more obscure bands, sub-genres, etc. to fully get the gist of all it has to offer.

Yeah, and I hope i enjoy the genre enough to do so, I just really couldn't figure out where to start. It's much appreciated though.

Emperor - Wrath of the Tyrant
Sarcofago - INRI (I'd rather consider it death/thrash than black, but nevertheless hugely influential for the second wave and considered black by many)
Enslaved - Vikingligr Veldi & Frost
Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky, Under a Funeral Moon
Mayhem - Deathcrush (I'd consider this one primitive death more than anything, but the same applies as with INRI), De Mysteriis...
Bathory - s/t to Blood Fire Death
Beherit - Drawing Down the Moon
Thorns - Stigma Diabolicum comp for Grymyrk and Tröndertun demos
Burzum - s/t to Filosofem
Hellhammer - Demon Entrails comp (for the Satanic Rites demo)
Graveland - Carpathian Wolves
Master's Hammer - Ritual

...should get you started and give a good, yet varied overview.

EDIT: pffft, forgot about the Greek scene, check out earlier recordings by Rotting Christ, Varathron and Necromantia as well.

Written by JCJen7 on 31.01.2011 at 04:19

Written by Troy Killjoy on 31.01.2011 at 02:48


It's such a loaded genre though - chances are you'll have to dig for more obscure bands, sub-genres, etc. to fully get the gist of all it has to offer.

Yeah, and I hope i enjoy the genre enough to do so, I just really couldn't figure out where to start. It's much appreciated though.

Well at your age I started with more melodic forms of black metal, which is more accessible. A list if you'd like (not really classics, but could help you in your journey):

Cradle Of Filth - Midian
Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant
Graveworm - Engraved In Black
Illnath - Cast Into Fields Of Evil Pleasure
Old Man's Child - In Defiance Of Existence
Shade Empire - Sinthetic

And always feel free to message me if you want some more obscure stuff - or of course, dig through various websites' charts and suggestion threads.

Quote:

Written by Troy Killjoy on 31.01.2011 at 04:35

Written by JCJen7 on 31.01.2011 at 04:19

Written by Troy Killjoy on 31.01.2011 at 02:48

Well at your age I started with more melodic forms of black metal, which is more accessible. A list if you'd like (not really classics, but could help you in your journey):

That actually sounds perfect. Everyone seems to be loving Watain's new album, but I can't really get in to it, seems a little too extreme I guess. I assume that will change once I get in to the genre though, so this list sounds good.

And always feel free to message me if you want some more obscure stuff

I may take you up on that, I'll see if I can get in to it all. Thank you very much dude, cheers!

Written by Guest on 31.01.2011 at 04:34


...should get you started and give a good, yet varied overview.

Sounds perfect, thank you very much.

I'm pretty new to black metal also.

So, from not knowing much about the genre, the first black metal album I got into was Marduk's "Rom 5:12". Now it's in my top 20 albums of all time...I think it's that good!

Perhaps try that one out...

Blasphemy - Fallen Angel of Doom
Satyricon - Nemesis Divina

Windir- Arntor
Bathory- Hammerheart

I made a list about Black Metal some time ago, you could check it out (it's in my profile) and maybe you find something that you like

TRY things from first wave like early Bathory ,Hellhammer,Venom...that stuff is trash-like BM so its good starting point for people that listen a lot of trash
BTW Bathory Hammerheart is best piece of music ever written (in this genre ,and its good starting point if you like folk/viking stuff)

Written by Diabolos on 31.01.2011 at 15:31

I made a list about Black Metal some time ago, you could check it out (it's in my profile) and maybe you find something that you like

Good list dude, I'm gonna be looking for those albums, got a few of them already but there's some I wasn't aware of.

Written by Guest on 31.01.2011 at 16:43

Written by Diabolos on 31.01.2011 at 15:31

I made a list about Black Metal some time ago, you could check it out (it's in my profile) and maybe you find something that you like

Good list dude, I'm gonna be looking for those albums, got a few of them already but there's some I wasn't aware of.

Thx, I hope you find some albums that you like

Thank you a lot everyone. I was all excited when I saw all these albums I should check out, but then I went to the MS main page, and the 2010 awards just got released! So, I will have to put these albums on hold so I can listen to those albums I missed and vote! But thank you very much,

Troy's first list is as good a starting point as any.

i'd go with most of those - maybe start with Immortal's "At The Heart Of Winter". it';s not the greatest representative of "pure black metal", but it shouuld be a good staring point with massive, powerful riffs. it's catchy enough and not too extreme.

Ulver's Bergtatt is my favorite metal album and would be a good one as well, as the album itself builds from pleasant calm music to blackened metal fury.

As far as Bathory goes, Blood Fire Death and Under The Sign Of The Black Mark are the ones I'd pick for a black metal essentials list. Hammerheart is awesome, but it doesn't have a whole lot to do with black metal.

For something traditional but not quite of the same classic status as the earlier recommendations, you should check out Kampfar's Mellom Skogkledde Aaser and Taake's albums.

There have been some great suggestions so far, and it would be easy to make a detailed list of various albums that are well worth checking out. I see you're already familiar with Venom and Mercyful Fate, which is a good start to the early years of Black Metal.

Burzum, Darkthrone, VON, Rotting Christ, Mayhem and others have released splendid, classic albums.. But to keep things simple, I'd say that if you're unfamiliar with Bathory, then 'Under the Sign of the Black Mark' is the one main album to have as a priority.

A lot of Black Metal can be traced back to early Bathory as an influence, with regards to the vocal style, guitar tone etc., and this album is the best Bathory album of this style IMO. It sounds 'evil' and raw, yet also contains some great riffs and songwriting.

Apparently, Quorthon (Bathory) himself didn't actually rate this album much, but it's been very inspirational to more modern bands and still sounds great in this day and age. Fenriz of Darkthrone has said he considers it to be the "quintessential black metal album", too.