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.
Bathory was a Swedish Black/Viking Metal band formed in 1983 by Quorthon and Jonas Åkerlund. Bathory's first 4 albums layed the blueprint for Scandinavian Black Metal. Quorthon is often credited with creating the "shrieking" vocal style of Black Metal. Their 5th album, Hammerheart (1990) displayed... 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 is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo, regarded as one of the pioneers of the Norwegian black metal scene. The band is also known for the infamous events surrounding them including the 1991 suicide of vocalist Dead (in which former guitarist Euronymous took pictures of Dead's... 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 are an English extreme metal band formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the new wave of British heavy metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal—are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general.
Darkthrone is a Norwegian black metal band. It formed in 1986 as a death metal band under the name Black Death. In 1991, the band embraced a black metal style influenced by Bathory and Celtic Frost and became one of the leading bands in the Norwegian black metal scene. Their first three black metal... 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 is an influential black metal solo project of Norwegian musician and writer Varg Vikernes. Burzum came to prominence at the beginning of the Norwegian Black Metal scene in the early 1990s. Vikernes was imprisoned for 21 years for the murder of Mayhem guitarist Euronymous, and charges of church... 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 was a Swiss extreme metal band from Zürich. They are known for their strong influence on the development of extreme metal. Formed in 1981 as Hellhammer, the band became Celtic Frost in 1984 and was active until 1993. 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 was a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen, formed in 1981 by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann. Danish heavy metal band Mercyful Fate, led by King Diamond, helped the black metal cultures (like corpse paint) to be popular.
Hellhammer was a Swiss extreme metal band from Nurensdorf, active during 1981–1984. They are regarded as a key influence on black metal, and one of the founders of death metal.
Immortal is a black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1990 by frontman and guitarist Abbath Doom Occulta and former guitarist Demonaz Doom Occulta. 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 was an influential Brazilian extreme metal band. They were fronted by Sepultura's original singer, Wagner Lamounier, and Geraldo Minelli.
The Newcomers
Sodom is a German thrash metal band from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981. They have gone through many line-up changes, leaving bassist vocalist Tom Angelripper as the only constant member.
Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991, regarded as highly influential by critics and emerging black metal bands. The band that literally started symphonic black metal.
Cradle of Filth are a British extreme metal band that formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal and other extreme metal styles. 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 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.
Dissection was a Swedish extreme metal band. They formed in 1989 by Jon Nödtveidt and later disbanded in 2006, followed by Nödtveidt's suicide. Their sound is usually described as "melodic blackened 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!
Marduk is a black metal band from Norrköping, Sweden. The band formed in 1990 and released their first album in 1992. Their name is derived from the Babylonian god Marduk, patron deity of Babylon.
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. 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 is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. Formed in 1992 by Infernus, the band is named after the dead plateau of evil and darkness in the land of Mordor (a fictional location in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings). I've seen them live. Once you start listening to them, you can't stop.
Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground.
Satyricon is a Norwegian black metal band formed in Oslo, Norway 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, the band has moved towards a more traditional heavy metal style. 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 is a Greek extreme metal band formed in 1987. They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands within this region, as well as a premier act within the European underground metal scene. 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/