Top 10 Most Influential Black Metal Bands

There were two waves of Black Metal. The first came from Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and Brazil. The second wave came entirely from Norway.

Here are the bands who proved to be the most influential acts in Black Metal.

The Top Ten

Bathory

Bathory was a Swedish black and Viking metal band formed in 1983 by Quorthon and Jonas Åkerlund. Their first four albums are credited with laying the groundwork for Scandinavian black metal. Quorthon is often cited as a pioneer of the genre's signature shrieking vocal style.... read more

To my mind, Bathory is worthy 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 it does? Very unlikely.

The musical style of black metal was defined by Bathory. The lo-fi production and the thrashy, low-tuned guitar riffs by Quorthon proved to be highly influential on the black metal genre.
Mayhem

Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo. They're regarded as one of the pioneers of the Norwegian black metal scene. The band is notorious for the violent and tragic events associated with its early history, including the 1991 suicide of vocalist Per Dead Ohlin and the 1993 murder... read more

The first ever pure black metal band, both musically and lyrically. 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 make it unique compared to other black metal bands. Freezing Moon is a must-listen song.
Venom

Venom are an English extreme metal band formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. They rose to prominence during the late stages of the new wave of British heavy metal. Their first two albums, Welcome to Hell (1981) and Black Metal (1982), are considered foundational in the development of thrash metal and... read more
Darkthrone

Darkthrone is a Norwegian black metal band. It was formed in 1986 as a death metal band under the name Black Death. In 1991, the band adopted a black metal style influenced by Bathory and Celtic Frost, becoming one of the leading bands in the Norwegian black metal scene.... read more

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 owned the genre in their unique style.

Dimmu Borgir isn't black metal. Darkthrone, Burzum, and Mayhem made black metal the way it is today.
Burzum

Burzum is a Norwegian black metal and dark ambient music project founded by musician and author Varg Vikernes in 1991. The project became a staple of the early Norwegian black metal scene and is considered one of the genre's most influential acts.... read more

The multi-instrumentalist genius Varg Vikernes showed a different pathway of black metal with albums like Det Som Engang Var and Filosofem, which sadly were followed by only a few musicians.
Celtic Frost

Celtic Frost was a Swiss extreme metal band from Zürich, known for their influential role in shaping the genres of black, death, and doom metal. They were formed in 1981 under the name Hellhammer, then rebranded as Celtic Frost in 1984. The band was active until 1993, with a brief reformation from 2001... read more

Swiss extreme metal band Celtic Frost was avant-garde and an experimental metal act. Their albums To Mega Therion and Morbid Tales were genre-defining releases!

Not only did Celtic Frost influence black metal, but they also heavily influenced death metal bands like Death and Obituary. They were even labeled as a death metal band in their 1984-85 albums.
Mercyful Fate

Mercyful Fate was a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen, formed in 1981 by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann. The band was influential in the development of black metal and known for its occult-themed lyrics and theatrical stage presence. They released several acclaimed albums, including... read more

Danish heavy metal band Mercyful Fate, led by King Diamond, helped the black metal cultures (like corpse paint) to be popular.
Hellhammer

Hellhammer was a Swiss extreme metal band from Nurensdorf, active from 1981 to 1984. The band is considered a pioneering influence on the development of black metal and an early contributor to the death metal genre. After disbanding, several members went on to form the influential group Celtic Frost... read more
Immortal

Immortal is a black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1990 by frontman and bassist Abbath Doom Occulta and guitarist Demonaz Doom Occulta. The band became one of the most prominent in the Norwegian black metal scene of the 1990s. Despite several lineup changes and hiatuses, Immortal continues... read more

Their 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 No. 1. Old school "Pure Holocaust" black metal. They are the true sons of the northern darkness.
Sarcófago

Sarcófago was an influential Brazilian extreme metal band. The group was co-founded by Wagner Lamounier, Sepultura's original vocalist, and bassist Geraldo Minelli. Known for their raw sound and controversial imagery, Sarcófago played a major role in shaping the early black and death metal scenes.

The Newcomers

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Parabellum
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Marduk

Marduk is a black metal band from Norrköping, Sweden. The band was formed in 1990 and released their first album, Dark Endless, in 1992. Their name comes from the Babylonian god Marduk, a patron deity of Babylon.

The Contenders

Emperor

Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They're regarded as highly influential within the black metal genre, both by critics and emerging bands. Their early albums, including In the Nightside Eclipse (1994), helped shape the symphonic black metal subgenre.

The band that literally started symphonic black metal.
Cradle of Filth

Cradle of Filth are a British extreme metal band that formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style initially stemmed from black metal but later evolved into a more polished blend of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal subgenres. Over the years, they've become one of the... read more

Yes, maybe they are not "pure" black metal, but the first three albums were mostly black metal. For sure, they influenced many teens who went on to form true black metal bands. Trust me!

Possibly the best band ever in any genre.
Dark Funeral

Dark Funeral is a Swedish black metal band from Stockholm, Sweden, founded by guitarists Blackmoon and Lord Ahriman in 1993. They emerged during the second wave of black metal, establishing a reputation for their intense sound and theatrical stage presence. The band has released several acclaimed albums... read more
Dissection

Dissection was a Swedish extreme metal band formed in 1989 by Jon Nödtveidt. The band disbanded in 2006 following Nödtveidt's suicide. Their music is typically described as "melodic blackened death metal," blending elements of black metal and melodic death metal.

Not only was "Storm of the Light's Bane" one of the best-received albums in the black metal community during the second wave, but Dissection also 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

Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese, and Old Norse. The band is known for incorporating... read more

Dimmu Borgir and Emperor helped form symphonic black metal and inspired bands like Old Man's Child, Behemoth, and Cradle of Filth. I don't see how Cradle of Filth is influential. They are just another mall core band like Slipknot.
Dimmu Borgir also use many melodies, symphonic instruments, and sometimes clean vocals, which were unusual for black metal at the time. They used a popular form of music (thrash metal) and made it heavier and more progressive, using it as a weapon for Satanist propaganda.
Dimmu Borgir taught 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 fewer blast beats and Satanist themes than their later work.
Gorgoroth

Gorgoroth is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. It was formed in 1992 by guitarist Infernus and is named after a plateau of darkness in Mordor, a fictional land in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Gorgoroth is known for its raw sound and controversial live performances.

I've seen them live. Once you start listening to them, you can't stop.
Behemoth

Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They have been instrumental in establishing and popularizing the Polish extreme metal underground scene.
Satyricon

Satyricon is a Norwegian black metal band formed in Oslo in 1991 by vocalist Satyr and drummer Frost. The band's first three albums typify the Norwegian black metal style. Since their fourth album in 1999, they have incorporated a more traditional heavy metal style into their music.

If this was a list of the most influential second-wave BM bands, Darkthrone, Satyricon, and Mayhem would be the top 3. There are no words for how much they have meant to me, both with Frost's creative drumming and Wongraven's deep early Norse lyrics!
Rotting Christ

Rotting Christ is a Greek extreme metal band formed in 1987. They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands in the region and a leading act within the European underground metal scene. Over time, their sound has incorporated elements of gothic and symphonic metal.

This is the first black metal band to hail from Greece. They 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 three main reasons they are influential:
1. They have inspired many bands during the early days and were among the main bands that formed the whole scene.
2. Their albums are all great.
3. They are true and humble if you meet them in person.
Additionally, they have much respect for the fans. They have traveled around the world unstoppably for over 30 years without a pause and have performed in over 150 countries. Just having this name is a difficult job. They have been occasionally imprisoned in many countries due to a lack of freedom of speech.
They also give many young musicians the chance to perform with them, changing the lineup every 4-5 years for this reason. I just love their message. All bands mentioned in the list are very great and influential.
Non Serviam m/
Mgła
Nargaroth
Taake
Ulver
Beherit
Windir

Windir was a black metal band from Sogndal, Norway. The band combined black metal with folk music and Norse mythology. It was founded by Valfar (Terje Bakken) in 1994 and disbanded after his death in 2004.