Most Influential Black Metal Bands
There were two waves of Black Metal. First one was from Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Brazil, and the second one entirely from Norway.Here are the bands who proved to be the most influential acts for Black Metal.

To my mind, Bathory are worth of at least sharing the first place with Celtic Frost, as I love both bands. However, I would put Bathory above, as Quorthon had more diversity. Rest In Valhalla.
Nearly every Black metal musician has been touched by Bathory. I do not know what this genre would be without Quorthon. Would it even exist the way that it does? Very unlikely.
The musical style of Black Metal was defined by Bathory. The lowfi production, the thrashy low tuned guitar riffs by Quorthon... Everything proved to be highly influential on Black Metal genre.
Bathory came up with the black metal style and influenced thousands of other bands

The first ever pure Black Metal band which was both musically and lyrically a Black Metal band.
And they were the men who made the genre what it is today with suicides, church arsons and murders.
The highly distorted guitars and speed drumming makes it so unique compared to other black metal bands. Freezing moon is a must listen song
The invented black metal...

Yes they are a band that helped develop black metal, but stylistically they aren't black metal. They're more speed/heavy metal than anything. It's they're raw production quality on their first two albums and the lyrics/imagery that contributed to black metal, but they themselves aren't black metal. The same deal with Mercyful Fate. They're still a great band though.
Not a Black Metal band in any way, but the term Black Metal came out of their Album with the same title!
Invented black metal

A missing link between Death Metal and Black Metal... The two musicians Nocturno Culto and Fenriz started as a Death Metal band but later changed to a Black metal group and own the genre in their unique style.
Dimmu Borgir isn't Black Metal. Darkthrone, Burzum and Mayhem made black metal the way it is today.

The multi-instrumentalist genius Varg Vikernes showed a different pathway of Black Metal with albums like Det Som En Gang Var and Filosofem, sadly which was followed by only a few musicians.

Swiss Extreme Metal band Celtic Frost were Avant-garde and were an experimental metal act but their albums like 'To Mega Therion' and 'Morbid Tales' were genre defining releases!
Not only Celtic Frost were influential on Black Metal, they heavily influenced Death Metal bands like Death & Obituary and even labeled as a Death Metal band in their 1984-85 albums.

Danish Heavy Metal band Mercyful Fate led by King Diamond helped the Black Metal cultures (like Corpse Paint) to be popular.



Lyrics are non-satanic, their music is the heaviest Black Metal ever, what else do you want?
Abbath Doom Occulta, Demonaz Doom Occulta, Grim, Horgh... Need I say more?
For me this is the most talented Black Metal band only next to Bathory and Burzum.
Lyrically no other black metal bands can beat them, and musically they are the chosen ones!
Immortal nr.1. Old school of "Pure Holocaust" Black Metal. They are "The true" Sons of the Northern Darkness.

The band which literally started Symphonic Black Metal.

Yes, maybe they are not "pure" black metal but the first 3 albums were mostly black metal and for sure they influenced many teens who went on to form trve black metal bands. Trust me!
Possibly the best band ever in any genre.


Not only was "Storm of the Light's Bane" one of the best received albums in the black metal community during the second wave, Dissection helped define and pinnacle melodic black metal. I feel they should be much higher on the list. (especially above Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir! )


Dimmu Borgir and Emperor helped form symphonic black metal and helped create bands like Old Man's Child, Behemoth and Cradle of Filth (I don't see how they're influential, they are just another mall core band like with Slipknot). They also use lots of melodies and symphonic instruments and sometimes clean vocals which was unusual for black metal at the time. It was all about using a popular form of music that everyone enjoyed (thrash metal) and using it as a weapon for Satanist propaganda and making it heavier and more progressive than ever.
Dimming Borgir also taught all the black metal bands that it's not all about Satanist themes and blast beats. In For All Tid and Stormblast, they were purely melodic and featured less blasts beats and satanist themes than their later stuff.

I've seen them live, once you start listening to them, you can't stop


If this was a list over most influental second wave BM bands Darkthrone, Satyricon and Mayhem would be top 3. No words for how much they have ment for me. Both with Frost's creative drumming and Wongravens deep early norse lyrics!

This is the first black metal band to hail from Greece. They were the first black metal band to have influenced many metal bands with their melodic black metal and dark metal sound. I believe this is truly the best dark and melodic black metal band ever!
The 3 main reasons they are influential:
1) They have inspired so many bands during the early days and they were among the main bands which formed the whole scene.
2) The albums are all great.
3) They are true and humble if you meet them in person.
4) They have much respect for the fans.
5) They travel around the world unstoppably for over 30 years without a pause.
6) They have performed in over 150 countries.
7) Just having this name... is a difficult job.
8) They have been occasionally imprisoned in many countries due to lack of freedom of speech
9) They give to many young musicians the chance the perform with them (every 4-5 years the lineup changes for this reason)
10) I just love their message.
All bands mentioned in the list are very great and influential.
Non Serviam m/
Best od the best