BLACK METAL EDITION
The kings of norwegian metal
Table of Contents Stormblast and Dimmu Borgir The biography of Dimmu Borgir and the lyrics of Stormblåst
Black Metal History
The history of black metal from Venom to Euronymous
Burzum, Mayhem, Dead and Euronymous Small history of Burzum and Mayhem History of Dead and Euronymous
Burzum, Mayhem, Dead and Euronymous Continuation of Dead and Euronymous
Dead and Euronymous, Album Reviews Continuation of Euronymous Dimmu Borgir album reviews
Album Reviews
Album from different bands
Album Reviews
Album from different bands
2 4 6 8 10 12 14
2. Stormblåst
Full Stormblåst Lyrics
3. Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir Biography
4. Black Metal
Black Metal History Pt. 1
5. Black Metal Black Metal History Pt. 2 6. Black Metal
Burzum and Mayhem
7. Black Metal
Dead and Euronymous, Dead Pt.1
8. Black Metal
Dead and Euronymous, Dead Pt.2
9.
Black Metal Dead and Euronymous, Euronymous Pt.1
10. Black Metal
Dead and Euronymous, Euronymous Pt.2
11.
Album Reviews Reviews of two Dimmu Borgir Albums
12. Album Reviews
Reviews of different albums
13. Album Reviews
Reviews of different albums
14. Album Reviews
Reviews of different albums
15. Album Reviews
Reviews of different albums
Metal Subgenres
Description of the different genres
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16. The Subgenres
About the different metal genres
17. The Subgenres
About the different metal genres
Introduction to Black Metal Black Metal is one of the so-called ‘extreme heavy metal‘ genres along with doom and death metal. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, highly or heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw recording, unconventional song structures and an emphasis on atmosphere. Artists often appear in corpse paint and adopt pseudonyms. Although contemporary black metal refers to the extreme Norwegian style with shrieking vocals and raw production, the term has also been applied to bands with widely differing sounds. Instrumentation Norwegian-inspired black metal guitarists usually favor high-pitched or trebly guitar tones and heavy distortion. The guitar is usually played with fast, un-muted tremolo picking. Guitarists often use dissonance- along with specific scales, intervals and chord progressions-to create a sense of dread. Guitar solos and low guitar tunings are rare in black metal, though some of them appear at the end of a song. (Example: War by Burzum) Vocals and lyrics Traditonal black metal bands use raspy, highpitched vocals which included shrieking, screaming and snarling. The vocal style was influenced by Quorthon of Bathory, and is one of the traits that distinguishes the vocals of many traditional black metal artists from those of death metal, which usually uses low-pitched growls. Black metal lyrics often attack Christianity or other large religions, often using apocalyptic language and Satanic lyrics. For Satanist black metal artists, “Black metal songs are meant to be like Calvanist sermons; deadly serious attempts to unite the true believers“. Misanthropy, global catastrophe, war, death, destruction and rebirth are also very common themes. Another topic often found in black metal lyrics is that of the wild or harsher aspects of nature - particularly the wilderness, forests, mountains, winter, storms or blizzards. Black metal also has a fascination with the distant past. There are quite a lot of bands who write about the mythology and folklore of their homerlands and promote a revival of pre-Christian, pagan traditions.
A common trait is the use of corpse paint Many bands choose not to play live. Many of those who do play live maintain that their performances “are not for entertainment or spectacle. Sincerity, authenticity and extremity are valued above all else.” Some bands consider their concerts to be rituals and often make use of stage props and theatrics. Bands such as Mayhem and Gorgoroth are noted for their controversial shows, which have featured impaled animal heads, mock crucifixions, medieval weaponry and band members doused in animal blood. Artists often appear dressed in black with combat boots, bullets belts, spiked wristbands and inverted crosses or pentagram to reinforce their anti-Christian or anti-religious stance. However, the most stand-out trait is the corpse paint. Black and white corpse paint is often mixed with real or fake blood, which is used to create a corpse-like or demonic appearance.
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O
STORMBLAST
DIMMU BORGIR
Dimmu Borgir
G
jennom tideløse morkne drømmer I en fuktig høstvind over langstrakte vidder Mot Sorias fjellheim Kommer jeg, en Fandens ridder Glatt er runen på det høye fjell Gnidd vekk av regn og vind Dragende kraft av ondskap lurer Her ved trollheimens muldne grind Fortumlet av dette mørke byggverk Med røvet gull fra lysets pakt Brukt som spott til å senke Deres murer Vi grunder over dette riket Så vakkert fylt med tideløs skumring Som en stjerne i tomsindighetens juv Det bringer frem en nattlig mimring Over tanker fra en vissen tid Drott til himmels er det reist Av tidens endeløse svarte minner Stormblåst ut av det sorte indre Har bergflint rullet fra mo til kneist Undring og angst samles i natten I mørket som ruver om spiret For ingen dag kan veien hit Intet lys kan luske frem Der sorg har besieret alle gleder Og bygd et land på menneskets jord Fylt med iskald prakt og heder
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Shagrath (Front), Galder (Left), Silenoz (Right) Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, formed in 1993 The name Dimmu Borgir comes from the volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir, which means dark castles/fortresses in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. Since their formation they have been through numerous lineup changes over the years; guitarist Silenoz and vocalist Shagrath are the only founding members remaining. Formed in 1993 by Shagrath, Silenoz and Tjodalv; the band released an EP called Inn i evighetens mørke (Into the Darkness of Eternity). Within weeks this album was sold out. Following the release of their EP they released, in 1994, the full-length album For All Tid (For All Time). In 1996 they released the album which many consider to be their finest, Stormblåst (Stormblown). This was also the last album to be sung entirely in Norwegian. After Stormblåst, keyboardist Stian Aarstad had to leave the band due to his obligation to serve in the
Norwegian army. This period was also marked by the departure of bassist Brynjard Tristan and the arrival of Nagash. Stian Aarstad returned for the recording of the 1997 album Enthrone Darkness Triumphant. However due to having trouble attending rehearsals, he was subsequently fired. This album was a huge success for the band, and was their first release signed to Nuclear Blast.
Hellhammer from controversial black metal band Mayhem, as the session drummer.
After Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, the band hired keyboardist Mustis and lead guitarist Astennu. Their following albums Spiritual Black Dimensions in 1999 and 2001’s Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia were both met with critical acclaim. There were however lineup changes in between; Nagash quit and was replaced by ICS Vortex, Astennu was fired and replaced with Galder, who is still there, and Tjodalv left due to his family. In 2005, the band did a complete re-recording of their successful Stormblåst album, featuring
In 2009, ICS Vortex and Mustis announced their departure from Dimmu Borgir. Soon after, the band confirmed the departure. It was met with mixed response from fans.
In 2007, Dimmu Borgir released their eighth studio album, In Sorte Diaboli. This album features once more Hellhammer as the drummer. With the release of this album, Dimmu Borgir was the first black metal band with a number one album on the charts in their native country.
In 2010 they released their ninth album, Abrahadabra. Silenoz described it as having an “eerie and haunting feel to it”. It features an entire orchestra, Kringkastingsorkesteret and Schola Cantorum choir, totaling over 100 people.
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Black Metal History
Black Metal History
The history of black metal starting with the first wave to the murder of Euronymous
THE FIRST WAVE
The first wave of black metal refers to those bands during the 1980s who influenced the black metal sound and formed a prototype for the genre. They were often speed metal or trash metal bands. The term “black metal” was first used by english trash metal band Venom with their second album Black Metal. Although it is deemed a trash metal album rather than black metal by today’s standards, the album’s lyrics and imagery focused more on anti-Christian and Satanic themes than any before it. The music was fast, unpolished in production and with raspy or grunted vocals. The members of Venom also adopted pseudonyms, something that would become widespread among black metal musicians. Another major influence on black metal was the Swedish band Bathory. The band, led by Thomas Forsberg (Quorthon), created the “blueprint for scandinavian black metal”. Not only was Bathory’s music dark, fast, heavily distorted and with anti-Christian themes, Quorthon was also the very first vocalist to use the shrieked vocals that came to define black metal.
The END OF THE FIRST WAVE In 1987, in the very first issue of his Slayer fanzine, Metallion wrote that “the latest fad of black/Satanic bands seems to be over”. In the years before the Norwegian black metal scene arose, important recordings were released by Root, and Master’s Hammer from Czechoslovakia, Von from USA,
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Rotting Christ from Greece, Samael from Switzerland and Blasphemy from Canada, whose debut album Fallen Angel of Doom is considered one of the most influential records for the war metal style, also known as war black metal or bestial black metal.
THE SECOND WAVE
The second wave of black metal began in the early 1990s and was spearheaded by the Norwegian black metal scene. During 1990-1993 a number of Norwegian artists began performing and releasing a new kind of black metal music; this included Darkthrone, Burzum, Immortal, Satyricon, Mayhem, Enslaved, Thorns, Gorgoroth and Emperor. They developed the style of their 1980s forebears into a distinct genre. This was partly thanks to a new kind of guitar playing developed by Snorre ‘Blackthorn’ Ruch of Stigma Diabolicum, Thorns and Øystein ‘Euronymous‘ Aarseth of Mayhem.
The history of black metal starting with the first wave to the murder of Euronymous
With the rising popularity of this band and others like it, the underground success of Euronymous’ label is often credited for encouraging other record labels to consider and release the black metal material, which they had previously shunned.
Venom
During May-June 1991, Euronymous of Mayhem opened an independent record shop named Helvete in Oslo. It quickly became the focal point of Norway’s emerging black metal scene and a meeting place for many of it’s musicians; especially the members of Mayhem, Burzum, Emperor and Thorns. Metallion, writer of the fanzine Slayer, said that the opening of the record shop was the “creation of the whole Norwegian black metal scene”. In its basement, Euronymous founded and independent record label named Deathlike Silence Productions.
Dead Suicide
On 8 April 1991, Mayhem vocalist Per Yngve Ohlin (who called himself Dead) committed suicide while alone in a house shared by the band. Fellow musicians described Dead as odd, introverted and depressed. Before going onstage he would go to great lengths to make himself look like a corpse and would cut his arms while singing. Mayhem’s drummer, Hellhammer, said that Dead was the first to wear the distinctive corpse paint that became widespread in the scene. He was found with slit wrists and a shotgun wound to the head. Dead’s suicide note apologized for firing the weapon indoors and ended: “Excuse all the blood”. Before calling the police, Euronymous bought a disposable camera and photographed the body, after re-arranging some items. One of these photographs was later used as the cover of a bootleg live album, Dawn of the Black Hearts. The photo is not included in the magazine due to being quite a graphic picture. In time, rumors spread that Euronymous had made a stew out of bits of Dead’s brain and had made necklaces with bits of his skull. Euronymous gave some of these necklaces to musicians he deemed worthy. He used Dead’s suicide to forster Mayhem’s evil image and claimed Dead had killed himself because extreme metal had become trendy and commercialized. Mayhem bassist Jørn ‘Necrobutcher‘ Stubberud noted that “people became more aware of the black metal scene after Dead has shot himself.”
The basement of Helvete
Church Burnings
In 1992, members of the Norwegian black metal scene began a wave of arson attacks on Christian churches. By 1996, there had been 50 attacks on churches in Norway. Some of the buildings were hundred of years old and seen as important landmarks. The first to be burnt down was Fantoft stave church. Police believe Varg Vikernes of Burzum was responsible. The cover of Burzum’s EP Aske is a photograph of the destroyed church. In May 1994 he was found guilty for burning down Holmenkollen Chapel, Skjold Church and Åsane Church. To coincide with the release of Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Vikernes and Euronymous had also allegedly plotted to bomb Nidaros Cathedral, which appears on the album cover. The musicians Faust, Samoth (Emperor) and Jørn Inge Tunsberg (Hades Almighty) were also convicted for church burnings.
Vikernes denies all of these, claiming that he attacked Euronymous in self-defence. He says that Euronymous had plotted to stun him with an electroshock weapon, tie him up and torture him to death while videotaping the event. He said Euronymous planned to use a meeting about an unsigned contract to ambush him. Vikernes claims he intended to hand Euronymous the signed contract and “tell him to f*** off ”, but that he (Euro) panicked and attacked him first. He also claims most of the cuts were from broken glasses Euronymous had fallen on during the struggle. The self-defence story is doubted by Faust and other members of the scene.
Murder of Euronymous
In early 1993, rivalry arose between Euronymous and Vikernes. On the night of 10 August 1993, Varg Vikernes and Snorre ‘Blackthorn‘ Ruch drove from Bergen to Euronymous’ apartment in Oslo. When they arrived, a confrontation began and Vikernes stabbed Euronymous to death. His body was found outside the apartment with 23 cut wounds - two to the head, five to the neck and sixteen to the back. It has been speculated that the murder was the result of either a power struggle, a financial dispute over Burzum records or an attemt at outdoing a stabbing in Lillehammer the year before by Faust.
Dead (Left) and Euronymous (Right)
Varg Vikernes after being convicted
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Mayhem and Burzum
Burzum is the musical project started by Norwegian musician and writer Varg Vikernes. He began making music in 1988, but it was not until 1991 that he recorded his first demos as Burzum. He got the name “burzum” from The Lord of the Rings. It means “darkness”.
Mayhem was formed in 1984 in Oslo, and is regarded as one of the pioneers of the Norwegian black metal scene. Mayhem’s careers has been highly controversial. The controversies includes Dead’s suicide, the murder of Euronymous and the many church burnings.
Vikernes was sentenced to 21 years in prison in 1994 for the murder of Mayhem guitarist Euronymous and the arson of three churches. While imprisoned, he recorded two dark ambient albums using only synthesizers, as he did not have access to drums, guitar or bass.
Mayhem released a demo and an EP that were highly influential, and amassed a loyal following through sporadic and notorious live performances, attracting further attention trough their ties to the strin of Norwegian church burnings and the prominent incidents of violence surrounding them.
Although Vikernes is known for his political views, he does The bands music strongly influenced the black metal genre not use Burzum to promote his views. He has never played live and was instrumental in moving to the heavy metal scene and has no intention of doing so. away from the prevailing trend for speed metal. Their post-Aaseth material is characterised by increased Burzum’s music features characteristics common in black experimentation. The 2007 album, Ordo Ad Chao, recieved the metal, including distorted, tremolo-picked guitar riffs, harsh Spellemannprisen award for best metal Album. vocals and the use of double bass blast beat techniques in the drumming. Earlier Burzum albums feature very low proWhen Per Yngve Ohlin (“Dead”) joined as the new vocalist duction quality, which has improved in albums created after along with the new drummer Jan Axel Blomberg Vikernes’ release from prison. (“Hellhammer”), their concerts became notorious. Dead went to great lengths to achieve the image and atmosphere he Burzum’s early music shows heavy Tolkien influence; for wished. From the beginning of his career, he was known to example, the name he used for a time, Count Grishnackh, is wear “corpse paint”, which many would use later. Necrobutchtaken from an orc character called Grishnackh in Tolkien’s er said: “it wasn’t anything to do with the way Kiss and Alice works. The choice of the name for the project reflects both this Cooper used makeup. Dead actually wanted to to look like influence and the desire for anonymity. As previously said, a corpse. He didn’t do it to look cool”. More on Dead can be Burzum is a word in the Black Speech of Mordor which means found on the next page. “darkness”. One of those is found on the Ring-inscription of The current lineup of Mayhem consists of bassist the One Ring: agh burzum-ishi krimpatul which means “and in the darkness bind them“. Necrobutcher, drummer Hellhammer, vocalist Attila Csihar and guitarists Teloch and Ghul.
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Dead and Euronymous DEAD
Per Yngve Ohlin, better known by his stage name Dead, was a swedish black/death metal vocalist and lyricist best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. He also performed as a vocalist of the Swedish death metal band Morbid on their demo December Moon. Per Ohlin (sometimes called Pelle) was born in 1969 in Stockholm. At a young age, he suddered from sleep apnea. At the age of ten, he suffered internal bleeding when his spleen ruptured, after what he alleged was an ice skating accident. His brother, in an exclusive interview, said that Dead was bullied in school and one day the beatings got out of hand causing the ruptured spleen. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was for a time clinically dead, causing him to believe, in the later years, that he was actually dead.
Personality
In interviews, fellow musicians often described Dead as odd and introverted. Drummer of Mayhem, Hellhamer, described Dead as “a very strange personality, depressed, melancholic and dark”. Likewise, guitarist Euronymous once said: “I honestly think Dead is mentally insane. Which other way can you describe a guy who does not eat, in order to get starving wounds? Or who has a t-shirt with funeral announcements on it?“ According to Emperor drummer Faust: “He wasn’t a guy you could know very well. I think even the other guys in Mayhem didn’t know him very
well. He was hard to get close to. I met him two weeks before he died. I’d met him maybe six to eight times, in all. He had lots of weird ideas. I remember Aarseth was talking about him and said he did not have any humor. He did, but it was very obscure. Honestly, I don’t think he was enjoying living in this world, which of course resulted in the suicide. The cover of Mayhem’s Live in Leipzig contains part of Dead’s suicide note: I am not a human being. This is just a dream, and soon I will awake. It was too cold and the blood kept clotting all the time. In an article, journalist Chris Campion wrote that Dead may have suffered from Cotard delusion, meaning that he believed himself to be dead as a result of childhood trauma. According to Hellhammer: “Before the shows, Dead used to bury his clothes into the ground so that they would start to rot and get that grave scent. He was a corpse on the stage. Once he even asked us to bury him in the ground - he wanted his skin to become pale. During one of the tours with Mayhem, he found a dead crow and kept it in a plastic bag. He would carry them around and smell it before going on stage, to sing “with the stench of death in his nostrils“. Dead would also cut himself while singing onstage. During a gig in 1990, he slashed his arm with a broken bottle. Faust claims that Dead had to be taken to the hospital after the gig, but arrived to late and so “it was no use to give him stitches“.
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Self harm and Suicide
In time, Dead’s social situation and his fascination with death caused his mental state to worsen greatly. He would try to cut himself while with himself, who would have to subdue him and patch him up. Although this upset many of his friends, Euronymous became fascinated with Dead’s suicidal tendencies - seemingly because it fit Mayhem’s image - and according to them, he encouraged Dead to kill himself. Manheim said: ”I don’t know if Øystein did it out of pure evil or if he was just fooling around”. By 1991, Dead, Euronymous and Hellhammer were living in a house in the woods near Kråkstad, which was used as a place for the band to rehearse. According to Hellhammer, Dead spent much of his time writing letters and drawing. He “just sat in his room and became more and more depressed“. Necrobutcher said that, after living together for a while, Dead and Euronymous “got on each other’s nerves a lot“. Hellhammer recalls that Dead once went outside to sleep in the woods because Euronymous was playing synth music that Dead hated. Euronymous then went outside and began shooting into the air with a shotgun. Varg Vikernes of Burzum claims that Dead once stabbed Euronymous with a knife. He also claims to have sent Mayhem ammunition, including shotgun shells, as a Christmas gift, including the shells Dead used for his suicide. One 8 April 1991, while left alone in the house, Dead slit his wrists and throat with a knife and then shot himself in the forehead with a shotgun. He left a brief suicide note, which appologized for firing a gun indoors and began: “Excuse the blood”.
Dead Suicide Note
Excuse the blood, but I have slit my wrists and neck. It was the intention that I would die in the woods so that it would take a few days before I was possibly found. I belong in the woods and have always done so. No one will understand the reason for this anyway. To give som semblance of an explanation I’m not a human, this is just a dream and soon I will awake. It was too cold and the blood was coagulating all the time, plus my new knife is too dull. If I don’t succeed dying to the knife I will blow the sh*t out of my skull. Yet I do not know. I left all the lyrics by “Let the good times roll” - plus the rest of the money. Whoever finds it gets the fu**ing thing. As a last salutation may I present “Life Eternal”. Do whatever you want with the fu**ing thing. /Pelle
Euronymous
I didn’t come up with this now, but seventeen years ago.
Øystein Aarseth, who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. He was also the founder of the extreme metal record label Deathlike Silence Production and record shop Helvete. Euronymous was the founder of and central figure in the early Norwegian black metal scene until his murder by fellow musician Varg Vikernes in August 1993.
Before
Euronymous found the body, and before calling the police he went to a shop and bought a disposable camera which he photographed the body with. Necrobutcher speculated that taking the pictures and forcing others to see them was a way for Euronymous to cope with the shock of seeing his friend’s body.
Before and After Dead
Aarseth formed Mayhem in 1984 along with bassist Necrobutcher and drummer Kjetil Manheim. At the time he was going by the stage name ‘Destructor‘ but later changed his name to Euronymous, derived from the demon Eurynomos. In 1988, Per “Dead“ Ohlin became Mayhem’s vocalist and Hellhammer became its drummer. On the 9th of April 1991, Dead commited suicide while alone in the house. Necrobutcher recalls how Euronymous told him about the suicide: “Øystein called me up the next day...and says, ‘Dead has done something really cool! He killed himself!’. I thought, have you lost it? What do you mean cool? He says ‘Relax, I have photos of everything’. I was in shock and grief. He was just thinking how to exploit it. So I told him, ‘OK. Don’t even fu**ing call me before you destroy those pictures’.”
One of the photos would later be used as the cover of the bootleg album, Dawn of the Black Hearts.
After
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Dead and Euronymous
Euronymous used Dead’s suicide as a way to foster Mayhem’s evil image and claimed he killed himself because Death Metal had become trendy and commercialized. In time, rumours spread that Euronymous had made a stew
with bits of Dead’s brain and had made necklaces with bits of his skull. The band denied the former rumor, but confirmed the latter was true. Euronymous claimed to have given these necklaces to musicians he deemed worthy, which was confirmed by other members of the scene, like Faust and Metalion. During May-June 1991, Euronymous opened the record shop Helvete in Oslo. Norwegian black metal musicians often met in the shop’s basement, including the two members of Mayhem (Necrobutcher left after Dead killed himself), members of Emperor, Varg Vikernes and Blackthorn of Thorns. Euronymous stated that he started an independent record label called Deathlike Silence Productions, which was based at Helvete. It released several albums by Mayhem, Burzum, Merciless and Abruptum. Euronymous, Varg and Emperor guitarist Samoth all lived at Helvete at various times. Emperor drummer Faust also lived and worked there. The shops walls were painted black and bedecked with medieval weapons, posters of bands and picture discs, while its window featured a polystyrene tombstone. In January 1993, an article in one of Norway’s biggest newspapers, Bergens Tidende, brought the black metal scene into media spotlight. Varg Vikernes gave an anonymous interview to a journalist from the newspaper, in which he claimed to have burnt the churches and killed a man in Lillehammer. According to Vikernes, the interview was planned by himself and Euronymous. The goal was to scare people and promote black metal.
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Murder and Aftermath
In early 1993, a rivalry rose between Euronymous and Vikernes, and between Euronymous and the Swedish black metal scene. On the night of 10th of August 1993, Vikernes and Blackthorn drove from Bergen to Euronymous’ apartment in Oslo. Upon their arrival a confrontation began and Vikernes fatally stabbed Euronymous. His body was found on the stairs outside the apartment with twenty three stab wounds. According to Vikernes, Blackthorn only came along to show Euronymous some guitar riffs and was “in the wrong place at the wrong time“. Blackthorn claims that, in the summer of 1993, he was almost commited to a mental hospital but fled to Bergen and stayed with Vikernes. He said Vikernes planned to murder Euronymous and pressured him into coming along. Blackthorn said of the murder, “I was neither for nor against it. I didn’t give a sh*t about Øystein”. Vikernes called Blackthorn’s claims a “defense to make sure I couldn’t blame him for the murder”.
Personality and Beliefs
The book Lords of Chaos says of Euronymous: “He was always dressed in black from head to foot, his hair dyed black for added effect. He sported long, aristocratic mustaches and wore knee-high boots. His black leather biker jacket was decorated with badges. When talking, he seemed stern and serious, sometimes with pomposity vergin on the theatrical”. In interviews, Euronymous claimed to be against individualism, compassion, peace, happiness and fun. He claimed he wanted to spread hatred, sorrow and evil. In a 1993 interview he said “There is NOTHING which is too sick, evil or perverted”. Metalion said that Euronymous “was always telling what he thought, following his own instincts, worshipping death and being extreme. Ihsahn, who frequented Helvete, said that “if you were trusted, if they knew you were serious in your views, you were accepted” there, which was important to be a part of the Helvete scene. In interviews, Euronymous said he was a Theistic Satanist: “I believe in a horned devil, a personified Satan. In my opinion all the other forms of Satanism are bullsh*t. Satanism comes from religious Christianity, and there it shall stay. I’m a religious person and I will fight those who misuse His name. People are not supposed to believe in themselves and be individualists. They are supposed to OBEY, to be SLAVES of religion.“
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The Theistic Satanism espoused by Euronymous was an inversion of Roman Catholic dogma and he claimed “We praise the evil and we believe blindly in a godly creature just like a Christian”. On the relationship between religion and science he said: “Scientists can’t disprove religion. No matter how hard you try, you can’t explain the universe. You can’t leave out a religious belief ”. He opposed the Satanic and occultist teachings of Anton LaVey and Aleister Crowley, for unlike Euronymous they promoted what he saw as “peace“ and commercial frivolity, as well as individualism in contrast to precedence of dogma. He said he would “Never accept any band that preaches Church of Satan ideas, as they are just a bunch of freedom and life-loving atheists, and they stand exactly the opposite of me”. When asked what he thought of Crowley’s code of “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law”, he answered “People shall do what WE want them to do. We’re against freedom, and forced a band from Rogaland, Belsebub, to split up“. A number of those who knew Euronymous claim that his “extreme Satanic image” was an act. While Mortiis said that Euronymous “was such a devil worshipper you wouldn’t believe”, the black metal documentary Until the Light Takes Us, Varg Vikernes claimed that Euronymous was not a Satanist. He said: “To Aarseth everything was about image and he wanted to appear extreme. He wanted people to think of him as being extreme; the most extreme of them all. But he didn’t want to be extreme and he wasn’t really extreme“. Over time, some members of the Norwegian black metal scene began to follow Paganism. Vikernes later claimed that Euronymous, “obsessed with this ‘Satanist‘ thing”, disapproved to Vikernes promoting Paganism. Euronymous showed no explicit disapproval of Paganism though and released the Pagan band Enslaved’s first album, Vikingligr Veldi, on Deathlike Silence Productions.
It has apparently been established that it’s not cool to like any Dimmu Borgir album past Death Cult Armageddon. What is this? Junior high? Get a clue, people. Truthfully the abscene of drummer Hellhammer and bassist ICS Vortex is noticeable, though not crippling by any means. Abrahadabra still stands on it’s own feet as an intelligently composed, highly melodic, and often epic work of extreme metal, even though the band doesn’t emit the Luciferian waves of fear and confusion like in the earlier albums. Holistically speaking, the lush orchestration of Abrahadabra that both bolsters the melody lines and floods the room with light enhances the listening experiences and at least sounds fantastic. The lead guitar work on the songs “Renewal“ and “Dimmu Borgir“ isn’t exactly sinister, but it is effective in reinterpreting the melodies. After the instrumental “Xibir”, you are treated to five dark beauties in a row, three of which are gems. “Born Treacherous“ is the biggest attention-trapper with it’s aggressive movements working in unison with a classy choral sweep. Agnete Kjølstrud’s soaring guest vocals are one of the main reasons “Gateways“ is impossible to forget. “Ritualist“ benefits from its furiousness, a punctuating refrain, and a raptoriously epic mid-range vocal part with Snowy Shaw. -Blabbermouth.net
Stormblåst is definetly one of the greatest black metal releases to date. Dimmu Borgir have never released anything else like this. It is the end of the old cold true Norwegian black metal style this band still claims to play. The record might be poorly produced, but if there is anything positive about it, it is the atmosphere. The production can also be seen as well fitting to the raw and frostbitten music. In nearly 50 minutes we have ten songs that clock through the head like a cold Norwegian wind. The opener “Alt Lys Er Svunnet Hen” is one of the best songs ever written by this band. Today we know that the piano intro is not written by the band, but the whole song is pure perfection. When Shagrath screams, it is a black metal feeling at it’s best. During the whole album he sounds like a demon just risen up from hell. To summarize, we have with Stormblåst the last black metal album by Dimmu Borgir and for sure their best album ever made. -Metalstorm.net
Euronymous at a young age
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Album Reviews Albums from bands around the world
ECLIPSE VAIN GLORY OPERA
DAMNED IN BLACK
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4.5/5 Allmusic.com
4.5/5 About.com
4.5/5 Metal-rules.com
BLOOD OF THE SAINTS
RECKONING NIGHT
4.5/5 About.com
DAWN OF VICTORY
CAROLUS REX
INHUMAN RAMPAGE 4.5/5 About.com
4/5 Sputnikmusic.com
4/5 Allmusic.com
4/5 Allmusic.com
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4.5/5 About.com
PARADISE LOST
3.5/5 Sputnikmusic.com
3.5/5 Allmusic.com
TWILIGHT OF THE THUNDER GOD
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4.5/5 Allmusic.com
WARRIORS OF THE WORLD
NO SACRIFICE NO VICTORy
4.5/5 Dangerdog.com
THE UNSEEN EMPIRE
3/5 Allmusic.com
Masterplan
ELEMENTS Pt.1
DYSTOPIA
5/5 Metal-army.com
4.5/5 Allmusic.com
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The Subgenres There is more than just black metal in the metal world
DEATH METAL
Progressive METAL
Doom METAL
Trash METAL
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes.
Progressive metal is a fusion between prog. rock and heavy metal. It is one of heavy metal’s more complex genres, due to its use of unusual dynamic time signatures, long compositions, complex compositional structures and skilled instrumental playing.
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much “thicker“ or ”heavier” sound than other metal genres. Both the music and the lyrics intend to evoke a sense of despair, dread and impending doom.
Trash metal is often regarded as the first form of extreme metal. It is generally characterized by its fast tempos, complexity and aggression. Trash metal guitar is most notable for the “chugging“ sound it creates through low-pitched palm muted riffs.
Examples of death metal bands: Amon Amarth Cannibal Corpse In Flames Scar Symmetry Deicide Death
Examples of prog. metal bands: Symphony X Dream Teather Opeth Tool Queensryche Periphery
Examples of doom metal bands: Black Sabbath Candlemass Pagan Altar Paradise Lost Funeral Pentagram
Examples of trash metal bands: Slayer Metallica Megadeth Anthrax Sodom Kreator
Symhponic METAL
Folk METAL
Industrial METAL
Power METAL
Symphonic metal most commonly refers to metal bands that use orchestral elements in their music, either by having an actual orchestra, or keyboards to simulate the sounds of classical instruments.
Folk metal is a fusion of heavy metal and traditional folk music. The music of folk metal is characterized by its diversity, with bands known to perform different styles of both heavy and folk metal music. Lyrics commonly deal with mythology, history and nature. Examples of folk metal bands: Tyr Kampfar Alestorm In Extremo Schandmaul In the Woods...
Industrial metal combines elements of industrail music and heavy metal. It is usually centered around repetitive guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals.
Power metal takes influence from heavy and speed metal, and often emphasizes clean, melodic, high-pitched vocals, and fast pacing that is mostly driven by double bass drumming and melodic lead guitar. The songs have a theatrical, epic and emotionally “powerful” sound. Examples of power metal bands: Sonata Arctica Dragonforce Sabaton Blind Guardian Kamelot HammerFall
Examples of symhonic metal bands: Rhapsody of Fire (power/symph.) Nightwish (power/symph.) Dimmu Borgir (black/symph.) Emperor (black/symph.)
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Examples of industrial metal bands: Rammstein Fear Factory Marilyn Manson Godflesh KMFDM Ministry
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Upcoming Concerts
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North America: 10-23 May: Canada 10-12 May USA 14-23 May Summer: Great Britain: 12 June (Donington) Belgium: 21 June (Dessel) Germany: 26 June and 7 Aug (Dischingen and Loreley) Czech Rep.: 27 June (Spalene Porici) France: 8 Aug (Saint Maurice de Gourdans)