Black Metal vs Death Metal

Black metal aims for the mind and soul (Introcide)........
Death metal aims for the body and carnality (Extrocide)......

Written by [user id=4365] on 08.01.2011 at 14:34

Written by Axe Argonian on 08.01.2011 at 04:45


Would you be so kind as to list a few? Recently I searched through the many genres of metal for bands appealing to my tastes, but death metal, unfortunately, received little to no love. I struggled to find a good death metal band that both sounded good and avoided the common lyrical pitfalls of blood, guts, hate, etc. I would truly appreciate a few recommendations that fit the bill.

Let's see: Akercocke, Benighted, Gorod (though the recent album is mediocre generica de la boring), Lykathea Aflame, Dãm, Edge of Sanity, Demiurg, Portal, The Amenta, Arghoslent, Demilich, Intestine Baalism, Duobetic Homunkulus, I really like some of Tiamat's early death stuff (The Astral Sleep in particular), some of The Chasm's records and if you want to classify them as death then !T.O.O.H.!. I can't really inform you of all their lyrical themes because I don't really know, but musically I find them to be pretty different/interesting.

That's more or less my entire listening habits where death is concerned these days. Any death metal that just sounds like brutal pummelling or ripping off the overcooked old-school framework without an interesting sound or a few curve balls thrown in just gets a big fat cross stamped on the forehead.

Man, that 's a weird list!
From brutal death over grind over progressive, melodic, industrial or technical death metal.
Difficult for someone new to get into I think.
Some good bands though. I really like The Chasm, Arghoslent, Edge Of Sanity and Demiurg and THE Demilich!

Written by Koen Smits on 02.03.2011 at 21:01


Man, that 's a weird list!
From brutal death over grind over progressive, melodic, industrial or technical death metal.
Difficult for someone new to get into I think.
Some good bands though. I really like The Chasm, Arghoslent, Edge Of Sanity and Demiurg and THE Demilich!

Yeah it probably is a pretty weird list thinking about death metal in general. I can't really find myself getting interested in typical sounding death metal so I do enjoy anything weird and offbeat.

I love both genres...but I like death metal just a bit more.

DM by far, tech death, end of story.

Written by [user id=103388] on 02.03.2011 at 18:28

Black metal aims for the mind and soul (Introcide)........
Death metal aims for the body and carnality (Extrocide)......

Screamo caters to the whole package.

Written by Yasmine on 17.05.2011 at 20:17

DM by far, tech death, end of story.

Indeed.

Black Metal can be great - I love the sort of mournful atmosphere that it can produce, but I just can't get over the cliche "look how evil we are" satanic themes - no offense. It seems a bit repetitive to me. I could be wrong; I don't know as much about metal as most of you, I'm sure.

Gotta go with Death, particularly its melodic and technical incarnations.

Hm... Can't decide...

Black metal - minimalistic, melodic and mostly monotone.
Death Metal = Much more diverse + brutal.
I'm clear here?

Man I can't get into black metal, it is impossible for me, and not to mention I've tried, yes there is some bands that are good
obviously its like anything, but I can't actually listen to most of them... I lose focus

anyways to me its death all the way

also, like some ppl said here, look at the diversity of the scene... from good ol' Death debuts up to Melodic and Technical death
even some of them with the blessings of Grindcore, and others with the blessing of folk and extreme power metal. How can black even
compete. YEs YES YES there is folk black metal probly more than folk death I KNOW, but who cares lol

I only like so many black metal bands, not a big enough genre, it needs more expansion.

I'd go for Black Metal, just coz it's been a few years I listen much more black than death.

Both genres are extremely vast and diverse, reason why they probably are my 2 favorite genres in metal. As for those saying that black is just minimalistic/bad production/satanic/grimness, etc... just make a little research, won't be very dificult to realise it's probably the genre with most sub-styles, almost anything fits with BM. I think some instantly relate it to norwegian 2nd wave (even if it's awesome stuff ). Same goes for death metal, there is much more than typical brain-dead gore lyrics with cookiemonster vocals.

I like both genres, because they both have unique features to them. However, I definitely lean further towards black metal than death metal, mainly because black metal is more melodic than death metal.

Written by Vombatus on 19.05.2011 at 18:19

won't be very dificult to realise it's probably the genre with most sub-styles, almost anything fits with BM.

I agree with you even though I believe that Doom has most "sub-styles", but that doesn't hacve to do with the topic. So yeah... I agree with you.
I fully understand why somebody couldn't get into Black Metal but saying that it's not diverse, well, they are not trying.



Also.. My two cents here: Tech Death Metal..... Diverse? That's a good joke. It's hard to keep up with so many bands that emerge from that subgenre that play the same thing over and over again.

Methinks this thread needs a list of all the black and doom sub-sub genres and then a list of all the thrash and death ones xD

Fact is a few years ago who'd heard of post-rock/black metal or black metalgaze?

Written by [user id=4365] on 19.05.2011 at 19:52

Methinks this thread needs a list of all the black and doom sub-sub genres and then a list of all the thrash and death ones xD

Fact is a few years ago who'd heard of post-rock/black metal or black metalgaze?

I wouldn't do that, I won't be able to resist picking apart rather those are actually subgenres or not, lol, or why they're so damn bad.

Written by Richard 32 on 18.05.2011 at 12:35

Black Metal can be great - I love the sort of mournful atmosphere that it can produce, but I just can't get over the cliche "look how evil we are" satanic themes - no offense. It seems a bit repetitive to me.

i'm not excited by that shit either, it's just plain cheesy. but a lot of that has gone by the wayside. for every DarkClone or whatever that apes shit that was done better 15-20 years ago, there are bands skipping the d&d ideologies and imagery while embracing the aesthetic.

black metal has evolved and there are a lot of bands now putting out interesting stuff.

as for death metal. i think there is one album released in the past decade which would crack my top 10... Bolt Thrower. and that's because it's continuing the formula they continued to tweak and master in the 90's. shit now might sound awesome and be amazingly complex, but it just lacks the spirit that made me love the stuff in the first place.

Written by Yasmine on 19.05.2011 at 20:16

Written by [user id=4365] on 19.05.2011 at 19:52

Methinks this thread needs a list of all the black and doom sub-sub genres and then a list of all the thrash and death ones xD

Fact is a few years ago who'd heard of post-rock/black metal or black metalgaze?

I wouldn't do that, I won't be able to resist picking apart rather those are actually subgenres or not, lol, or why they're so damn bad.

It's true sub-genres are bad but it's where the "bad" line gets drawn that's the issue. Some are absurd (djent, suicide etc) whereas others are handy like fushion genres (doom-death, black-thrash, etc). There's a bit of a DYI thing going on half the time which can often be limited to a single band.

Written by [user id=4365] on 19.05.2011 at 22:01

Written by Yasmine on 19.05.2011 at 20:16

Written by [user id=4365] on 19.05.2011 at 19:52

Methinks this thread needs a list of all the black and doom sub-sub genres and then a list of all the thrash and death ones xD

Fact is a few years ago who'd heard of post-rock/black metal or black metalgaze?

I wouldn't do that, I won't be able to resist picking apart rather those are actually subgenres or not, lol, or why they're so damn bad.

It's true sub-genres are bad but it's where the "bad" line gets drawn that's the issue. Some are absurd (djent, suicide etc) whereas others are handy like fushion genres (doom-death, black-thrash, etc). There's a bit of a DYI thing going on half the time which can often be limited to a single band.

My line is drawn for genres at musical indentifying markers, where there is a change in the way it's played. Some people like to term things viking metal, but those are just lyrical themes, etc.

Written by Yasmine on 19.05.2011 at 22:26


My line is drawn for genres at musical indentifying markers, where there is a change in the way it's played. Some people like to term things viking metal, but those are just lyrical themes, etc.

Any genre that is defined by lyrical subject matter should be burnt with fire, but like djent, which is essentially a reclassification of Meshuggah's sound - a particular guitar technique and sound (palm-muting in a low tuning I believe) is far too specific to warrant its own genre and people that do so should be shot in the tits.

Written by [user id=4365] on 19.05.2011 at 22:40

Written by Yasmine on 19.05.2011 at 22:26


My line is drawn for genres at musical indentifying markers, where there is a change in the way it's played. Some people like to term things viking metal, but those are just lyrical themes, etc.

Any genre that is defined by lyrical subject matter should be burnt with fire, but like djent, which is essentially a reclassification of Meshuggah's sound - a particular guitar technique and sound (palm-muting in a low tuning I believe) is far too specific to warrant its own genre and people that do so should be shot in the tits.

I don't believe in classifying as "djent" (by the way, whatever happened to simply calling it math metal) but Viking metal is a legitimate genre. It's basically "epic" black metal that incorporates fiddles and flutes and, usually, synths/keys.

What I don't agree with is when people tag Amon Amarth as viking metal, as image and lyrics do not make a genre. Just like Venom being called black metal.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 19.05.2011 at 23:59


I don't believe in classifying as "djent" (by the way, whatever happened to simply calling it math metal) but Viking metal is a legitimate genre. It's basically "epic" black metal that incorporates fiddles and flutes and, usually, synths/keys.

What I don't agree with is when people tag Amon Amarth as viking metal, as image and lyrics do not make a genre. Just like Venom being called black metal.

Well the archetypal viking metal album is surely Hammerheart, it's a bit choral, maybe synthy, but I don't recall any strings or woodwinds in it though. All seems a little too specific and selective. And then you have Enslaved and Windir, a lot of people chuck the viking metal tag at them which seems unnecessary in my eyes. Surely then Summoning should be viking metal, despite the obvious thematic issue there.

Written by [user id=4365] on 20.05.2011 at 00:13

Well the archetypal viking metal album is surely Hammerheart, it's a bit choral, maybe synthy, but I don't recall any strings or woodwinds in it though. All seems a little too specific and selective. And then you have Enslaved and Windir, a lot of people chuck the viking metal tag at them which seems unnecessary in my eyes. Surely then Summoning should be viking metal, despite the obvious thematic issue there.

Like I said, I think the tag itself works as a descriptor, but it rarely applies to actual black metal releases. Most Viking-themed bands fail to actually achieve what is required to be considered a viking metal release (although I doubt many are trying to fit into that restriction anyway), and even the albums regarded as classics or even pioneers of the genre don't necessarily cover all the necessary bases. So I see why people disregard it as a genre, but I think in the past 20 or so years at least a few "true" viking metal albums have been released.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 20.05.2011 at 00:18

Like I said, I think the tag itself works as a descriptor, but it rarely applies to actual black metal releases. Most Viking-themed bands fail to actually achieve what is required to be considered a viking metal release (although I doubt many are trying to fit into that restriction anyway), and even the albums regarded as classics or even pioneers of the genre don't necessarily cover all the necessary bases. So I see why people disregard it as a genre, but I think in the past 20 or so years at least a few "true" viking metal albums have been released.

I don't disregard it as a historical classifier, that would be pretty arrogant despite the fact I think those that were tagged as such could be easily reclassified (to the dismay of revisionism-criers no doubt) but I don't think it's a very valid term as we speak right now. If that were true there's be "viking metal awards" dolled out to stuff like Amon Amarth, Enslaved etc. as well as the more folk-oriented stuff like Thyrfing, Falkenbach or what have you.

And to be honest I wouldn't be so sure about what bands wanna be, the viking image is pretty prevalent in metal, despite how annoying and studenty it is. Sure loads of bands would love be called viking-something.

Good call, and I think nowadays viking metal is more or less a folk metal subgenre than it is a black metal subgenre.

Times they are a changin'.

Written by Dangerboner on 20.05.2011 at 00:30

...

"September" is one of my all-time favorite songs.

I mean, BLACK METAL FTW!

Written by Troy Killjoy on 20.05.2011 at 00:18

Written by [user id=4365] on 20.05.2011 at 00:13

Well the archetypal viking metal album is surely Hammerheart, it's a bit choral, maybe synthy, but I don't recall any strings or woodwinds in it though. All seems a little too specific and selective. And then you have Enslaved and Windir, a lot of people chuck the viking metal tag at them which seems unnecessary in my eyes. Surely then Summoning should be viking metal, despite the obvious thematic issue there.

Like I said, I think the tag itself works as a descriptor, but it rarely applies to actual black metal releases. Most Viking-themed bands fail to actually achieve what is required to be considered a viking metal release (although I doubt many are trying to fit into that restriction anyway), and even the albums regarded as classics or even pioneers of the genre don't necessarily cover all the necessary bases. So I see why people disregard it as a genre, but I think in the past 20 or so years at least a few "true" viking metal albums have been released.

So what about power, and thrash type bands that use folk different? I still think viking metal is just something that sounds nice.

Written by Yasmine on 20.05.2011 at 01:19

So what about power, and thrash type bands that use folk different?

I don't think I understand the question.