Black metal

[saturnfan]

I just wanted to talk about black metal, I didn't realize this was some type of hot button issue. But as far as the criticisms go for the genera, I agree with most of them. I listen to black metal for the same reason I listen to any type of music... entertainment.

Are the lyrics in bm often uncreative and unnecessarily offensive? Sure

Are some bm bands more concerned with image (the paint, elaborate get ups, pseudo-scary attitudes) then the music? Probably

Are some bm attempting to be trendy by purposely making shitty lo-fi tapes and am I a trendy asshole for listing to it/buy it. Yea

But think about it... can't make those same criticisms for any genre of music? If you don't like it then don't listen.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Black metal.......

I've been known to listen to it.

[Retronomy]

A lot of people have a problem with black metal for obvious reasons. It's a format that's incredibly foreign to a lot of people, from the purposeful lack of audio fidelity to the use of necropaint, to the often anti-christian if not straight up Satanist or Pagan themes.

Black metal isn't pretty. It isn't easily digestible. And that's the point.

I've learned to be tolerant of people who refuse to understand it; It's simply how people are. To fault them is to fault humanity.

That said, I love black metal, I have a black metal project myself that is pure cassette release.

I also really like Depressive Suicidal Black Metal, a subgenre that even many black metal fans have a hard time with. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqQUIkVQNnc Here is a nice song by Make A Change... Kill Yourself.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I like DSBM when done right. It's a really trendy genre right now, full of imitators and hacks and downright crappy "bedroom" bands.

The originators of the genre are pretty decent though. In addition to Make a Change... I really dig Silencer, Xasthur, I Shalt Become, Gris, and Trist.

In fact, Trist is probably the best DSBM band in my opinion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxmMqEPZL40
Love those hazy hypnotic riffs.

[BurningDoom]

This genre is such an annoyance for me.

I LOVE the musical style of Black Metal. But as a Christian, I have to say no to a lot of Black Metal bands that are just straight-up Satanic. God Dethroned is a perfect example. Such a fantastic band, but so overtly anti-Christian.

I wish there were more bands that played the Black Metal style, but had lyrics that weren't all about church-burning, killing Christ, and staking Christians. They do exist, but they're far and few in-between.

Now just to be clear, I'm not such a Bible-thumper that I can't listen to anything offensive. It would be pretty hard to be a metal-head if I had that mentality. I just don't want to listen to stuff that's straight-Satanic.

[stickem]

The lyrics don't bother me, it's the not understanding a dam word that turned me off from the giddy up. My knowlege of the subgenre is laughable, just a few youtube videos and a couple interesting documentaries. I wouldn't want to stereotype the genre but dam some of them dudes are some twistd fuckers. The whole anti-christian political bs i can understand. Fuck me, i sound like my dad.lol

[MyNameIsVince]

This genre is such an annoyance for me.

I LOVE the musical style of Black Metal. But as a Christian, I have to say no to a lot of Black Metal bands that are just straight-up Satanic. God Dethroned is a perfect example. Such a fantastic band, but so overtly anti-Christian.

I wish there were more bands that played the Black Metal style, but had lyrics that weren't all about church-burning, killing Christ, and staking Christians. They do exist, but they're far and few in-between.

Now just to be clear, I'm not such a Bible-thumper that I can't listen to anything offensive. It would be pretty hard to be a metal-head if I had that mentality. I just don't want to listen to stuff that's straight-Satanic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unblack_metal

That might help.

[brunoafh]

I like the intensity, I like the atmospheric approach, but my main issue with black metal seems to always be a general lack of flair in the instrumentation. Just not enough going on musically to keep me engaged. I know I'm generalizing, but I always find myself underwhelmed if not bored when trying to give a black metal album a go. Ensiferum, Dissection, and Bathory always stand out as being very good though.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I wish there were more bands that played the Black Metal style, but had lyrics that weren't all about church-burning, killing Christ, and staking Christians. They do exist, but they're far and few in-between.

Honestly, the in-your-face Satanic/blasphemous nonsense was already cliché by the mid-90s. I'd wager that 90% of today's black metal bands couldn't give a hoot about Satanism.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I like the atmospheric approach, but my main issue with black metal seems to always be a general lack of flair in the instrumentation.

Well there ya go. "Atmosphere" and "flair in the instrumentation" could be viewed as a contradiction of sorts - and black metal bands typically go for atmosphere.

I've always maintained that a good portion of black metal is closer to dark ambient (or "black ambient" I suppose) than it is to traditional heavy metal.