Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult (Extreme Metal) Paperback – February 13, 2014

“It would not have mattered if people hated it, as long as the hate was real, strong, and had its reasons. Then, at least, that individual’s reasoning has partly been awoken because of your music.” (Readers of Black Metal will find this quote from one of the musicians late in the book.)Immediately prior to reading this tome, I read the Feral House book, Lords of Chaos (2nd edition). I wanted to read them in order they were published; Dayal Patterson’s book here can sometimes be understood as a supplement to the former title, so I wanted to read the two books in order of publication. (At the end of this review, I compare the two books. But in the early bulk of this review, I intend to tackle this book as its own entity.)Black Metal was published in 2013. Dayal Patterson knows his stuff; he cites several of his own interviews that appeared in Terrorizer and Metal Hammer with musicians in the scene whenever relevant & intersperses them with interviews conducted for the purpose of this book. The brief Introduction leads you to believe you’re about to read a memoir – a sort of “let me take you along on the ride that has been my journey with black metal these last some-odd years” – but this is quickly dispelled & the reader is quickly immersed in the underground through the lens of the vast multitude of key characters in the scene themselves. After this brief introduction, the reader is presented with an onslaught of one-band-after-another chapters telling the black metal story chronologically, spending one chapter on initial dabbling before diving into none other than Venom for chapter 2.You can look at the back of the book and get a sense right away who you are going to hear from; there are over 40 bands present there. A number of them are bands who picked up the torch and are carrying it today – and from all over the world, at that.One can imagine what you will find as the book proceeds almost entirely in this fashion, but things take a turn beginning in Chapter 29. (I’ll address chapters 29 & 30 later in this review, saving the “controversial” chapters for the end). Perhaps a more curious place to begin a deeper look into this book lies in chapter 31 – one of the only chapters that doesn’t focus on any one (or two – Necromantia is covered during Rotting Christ’s chapter, for example) bands. I had already drafted somewhat significant chunks of this review that featured, for discussion purposes, “complaints” of the lack of any mention to Judas Iscariot, Moonblood, or Abigor (the latter finally getting a surprise mention very late in the book). While a paragraph isn’t exactly the “justice” I was hoping for (Moonblood is the 6th-most-played black metal band in my whole iTunes), one can rest knowing that what needed to be said gets said.On the other hand, it is only two pages after the Moonblood, Judas Iscariot, and Nargaroth discussions that I see something not for the first time, but in a way that makes it the biggest red flag of its kind yet. It is with the writing that my concern – if you could call it that – lies. It’s a matter of personal preference, I suppose, but I simply found it quite odd that Peter Tagtgren is “introduced” as “ex-Marduk guitarist” on page 316 given that he had been featured heavily in the chapter immediately preceding this one as he handled mastering of Dimmu Borgir material at Abyss Studios. The writer didn’t include “ex-Marduk guitarist” in that chapter. Rather, he is introduced differently in the two chapters. Which leads me to believe the writer wrote the chapters out-of-order. (Which in-and-of itself is fine.) Which leads me to believe the chapters can be – if not are +intended+ to – read out of order. (Which also is in-and-of itself fine.) Which makes me wonder just to what degree this book could or couldn’t be read as a memoir. (Which makes my English-majoring head throb.) Like I said, a matter of preference. (I, for one, “preferred” seeing the Evilfeast image on page 315. That helps to quell the head-throbbing.)Don’t get me wrong – on the whole, I am generally satisfied with the quality of writing. The above is a rather nit-picky issue. My two biggest “non-nit-picky” items with the book would be these: 1) the complete lack of Summoning, and 2) the lack of referencing back to Mercyful Fate with the frequency of the other early bands. Since I was equally surprised that both Lords of Chaos & Black Metal are guilty of the latter, I’m saving that for the comparison. But let’s talk Summoning – and Austria – briefly. The other project Silenius is well-known for, Abigor, does get brief mentions with circa-2010 work during the Blacklodge chapter, but no mentions of the 90’s albums notorious for being recorded with no bass guitar – other notable Austrian black metal bands (Pervertum, Trifixion, Amestigon) do not get any mention. Was this by accident? Or were these truly largely non-influential bands? I remember Abigor’s cover art captivating me in my first days of metal shopping on amazon (circa 2002), but not having the $$ to spend on bands I couldn’t listen to samples of in the high-school days. I did, though, get Summoning’s “Stronghold” album way back then. So many nods are given in the book to the Viking era of Bathory during chapters that address Viking black metal, and the book goes as far as to discuss industrial black metal and post-black metal, so why not include the one band that virtually no one (Caladan Brood…?) has been able to imitate, let alone emulate? While on the topic of inimitable bands, couldn’t Profanum get a mention?You’re still not going to see much mention of the late 90’s Norwegian bands and onward; there’s a brief reference to Limbonic Art as being influenced by Emperor during its chapter, but not much else. Where is Obtained Enslavement? didn’t they pioneer an approach to symphonic black metal with its own – albeit small – array of bands attempting emulation (Mysteriarch for sure, and possibly a bit Evilfeast, Unearthly, Vargrav, and Sorcier des Glaces)? The band gets a mention as one of its members is being interviewed during the Gorgoroth chapter (pg 247). (Conversely, during the Polish chapters, I gave myself a pat on the back for being familiar with Mysteries. Fullmoon’s demo is actually a release I’ve also reviewed here on amazon.) Fortunately, my “why include this band but not this band?” goes little further than this. (Can you tell I much prefer symphonic black metal over industrial black metal?)Another thing that kept haunting me is the frequent use of the term “skinhead.” I’ve attended about 100 concerts in the New York City area (not including a few ProgPower USAs, a few shows in Australia, and a Masters of Rock in the Czech Republic) and don’t think I’ve heard this term once. Somewhere along the line, I obviously missed an important memo (much in the same way that I don’t know when there became an official video game language that included trolling, grinding, speedrun, and softlock). This seemed to mostly dominate the early chapters of the book, but it something that would have been nice to be defined for the reader nonetheless. (If you’re going to continue to refer to the Emperor figure as +Bard “Faust” Eithun+ throughout the whole book as if the reader might forget to whom you are referring to should you simply say “Faust,” then you can also clue us into what a “skinhead” is. Perhaps this is another indication of the book being written using a scattered approach rather than beginning-to-end.)Now to get to the dicey part. I found it peculiar that chapter 29 is the first – and last – chapter to have a paragraph (a blurb) +before+ the short array of quotes that is custom for how each chapter is launched. Chapters 29 & 30 are the “mainstream” chapters, namely Cradle of Filth (29) and Dimmu Borgir (30). I found this sort of “disclaimer” fascinating. It says basically what it needs to say. And challenges the reader. I did an experiment just now as I was typing this. I went into my iTunes, typed in “black metal” (to just get that genre) and sorted by “play count.” From most played to least played, I only have to go 11 songs in to find the first song by either of these “sell out” bands. Those who do serious homework on their reviewers would find that I preordered Death Cult Armageddon right here on amazon.com and would likely find no surprise in “Progenies of the Great Apocalypse” being the 11th most-played black metal song in my iTunes. (Of the 10 that precede it, 6 are by either Limbonic Art or Obsidian Gate; like I said, I like my symphonic black metal.) Back to what I was saying about this “challenging the reader” – Dimmu & Cradle certainly have a much bigger following than, say, Necromantia or Setherial; it comes with the territory. But even the purist (‘scuse me – “tr00”ist) reader is asked to stop and ask him-/herself, “Ok, is there truly +nothing+ of any value in anything these two bands have written??” In what ways have Dimmu & Cradle actually +helped+ the more underground bands? Ask yourself – what was your first black metal release? Was it “…from the Pagan Vastlands”? I remember perhaps 17 years ago reading reviews here on Agathodaimon describing them as “beginner black metal.” Does that mean that once a listener goes deep beneath the surface and finds a passion for Striborg, Forgotten Spell, Cryfemal, etc. that s/he will never look back? ‘s just food for thought.Another debatable topic surrounding black metal is whether or not there is – or can ever be – such a thing as a “third generation.” During the Marduk chapter, the author does use the term. Oddly, though, the term does not resurface during any of the industrial black metal or post-black metal chapters that close the book. It is really only in the brief Afterword that the author suggests that yes, there are a slew of new bands playing as if it’s 1993.“So what did you learn from this book?” One thing I learned? The link from Dissection to Deathstars. I saw Deathstars at the 2019 Masters of Rock festival and from when I first saw their “Synthetic Generation” music video when it opened Disc 2 of the first Monsters of Metal DVD to that show, I never would have guessed it.“Does the author let his own bias get in the way?” I’d say no. He seems to be pretty neutral and/or agreeable. I never found myself saying, “Wow, he +likes+ that band?!” My two biggest criticisms were noted above (Summoning & Mercyful Fate).But coming full circle, black metal divided after the 1991-1993 “heyday” of the so-called “second generation.” Such a volatile scene probably had no destiny other than to implode, whether it be by one means or another. Mayhem stands as perhaps the ultimate testament to perseverance when you consider what that band has endured. I remember seeing Mayhem live for my first time about a decade ago and thinking to myself that Necrobutcher – at least as an on-stage character – is a far cry from the fun-filled & wacky performances of the power metal bands I’m perhaps more accustomed to seeing live. If every black metal band went through what Mayhem did – suicide of one member & murder of another – or Emperor – at one point, ¾ of the lineup incarcerated – what type of proliferation would the listener have available to him/her today?If the above is a satisfactory ending to a review (lengthy review for a lengthy book!) only to the black metal fans and you’re looking for something else, I find myself compelled to alert you to the fact that the author of Black Metal ends his tome with a question. My perception of this is simple, if not previously apparent: Are black metal fans simple-minded people who are extreme versions of the “teen angst” nu-metal/metalcore/Marylin Manson fanbase, or is there something deeper lurking here which only those who dare to explore the depths will ever find?===========================Below, I compare Lords of Chaos & Black Metal===========================The objectives of the two books are, simply put, different. Whereas Black Metal succeeds in dedicating entire chapters to Samael, Rotting Christ, Tormentor, and Master’s Hammer, Lords of Chaos will feature interview after interview with characters outside of the music itself. Black Metal is more-or-less +only+ through the voice of the musicians. Lords of Chaos has plenty of Varg, sure. But the understanding comes from all of the +other+ voices that are featured.The question ultimately comes down to which approach you want. (Me personally? I choose both books.) If you’re going to scream at such little mention of the late 80’s black metal bands, then shy away from Lords of Chaos. (Then again, in Black Metal where is the Strid chapter? Death SS? Moonblood? Bulldozor? Striborg? Obtained Enslavement? But what do I know.) But, if you want to have hope at understanding how this extreme form of metal took shape, then you are looking at Lords of Chaos.One thing that would likely upset a reader of Lords of Chaos that would not upset readers of Black Metal is the infamous “where is my favorite band?” whine. Between the two individual reviews, I cover most of “my whine.” The rest? I’m surprised the Swedish chapters pass without any mention of Lord Belial, or how Blazebirth Hall’s only 2 mentioned bands are Forest and Nitberg. Shouldn’t that be Forest & Branikald, at least speaking from a productivity standpoint? Then again, Temnozor +is+ mentioned, so my “whine” is a small one.In trying to determine which is the “better” book, one might give the edge to Lords of Chaos with the reasoning that it has much less questionable parameters. It has a section that serves as an abstract at the beginning of the book & sticks to accomplishing that purpose throughout the book. Black Metal doesn’t really do that; if anything, the opening pages of the latter might lead you to believe you’re about to read a memoir (which is certainly not the case). If this book (Black Metal) was Lords of Chaos II, then the closing chapters of industrial black metal & post-black metal would be littered with interviews with experts who’ve studied Jim Morrison & his contemporaries on a sort of “drugs and music composition: is it worth the risk?” but there is no such analysis.One cannot forget, though, that a 15-year difference separates the two books – still a 10-year difference if going by the 2nd edition of Lords of Chaos. So one simply couldn’t expect pages upon pages of Watain, Funeral Mist, Ondskapt, Deathspell Omega, and other similar “orthodox” black metal bands. (I would be curious, though, if the Lords of Chaos authors would lean towards more discussion of later groups such as Gorgoroth & Watain as they have since “carried the torch” of controversy from the ‘90’s.)But on the other hand, Black Metal won’t have the appeal that Lords of Chaos has to readers or true crime. What, for example, would be in the Les Legions Noires chapter of Black Metal for the true crime readership? Those were obscure people; they can hardly be found today, let alone would they make headlines for one act of violence after another.I did, though, begin pondering (around the 2/3 mark of Black Metal) begin to ponder a similar question: “will Black Metal have as much appeal to non-black metal and/or non-metal fans as Lords of Chaos does?” Well, this is a tricky question. The characters, for one thing, are the same – Black Metal merely explores many more of the characters that exemplify why you would never let your pre-school daughter go anywhere near heavy metal. But some of the interviewees in this book (that aren’t featured in Lords of Chaos) will bring up some points that make you go “hm.” Niklas Kvarforth of Shining, for example, may appall 90% of readers with his negative outlook, but challenges many of his black metal contemporaries in a way that holds water with regard to “well, the Bible shuns homosexuality, and we shun the Bible; so to shun the Bible, don’t we have to +not+ shun homosexuality?” (reviewer’s paraphrase). Fascinating, isn’t it? So yes, even those who have viewpoints nowhere near as outlandish as – perhaps downright contradictory to – the protagonists in the black metal scene are going to have some “Hm” moments as they read this book. No wonder these guys can create music that draws people in, eh? They certainly seem to “think” more than the average non-metal fan gives them credit for.Somewhat returning to the aforementioned “parameters” of the two books – I have to disagree with the text on the back of Black Metal that states “Perhaps you know Black Metal through Feral House’s Lords of Chaos. Here’s the rest of the story” because Black Metal doesn’t seek to “pick up where Lords of Chaos left off” (so to speak); it doesn’t approach the music from the “the more controversy you had, the more you’ll be featured in these pages” angle that Lords of Chaos does. It basically does justice to the bands that people might describe as “left out” in Lords of Chaos – bands that may have been almost as significant in terms of quality of music, but didn’t turn heads in the controversy/violence department. One might imagine that the writers of Lords of Chaos could defend not having a full chapter on other bands because there is no sort of “what does Rotting Christ think of the church burnings?” (to use one band as an example). Dayal Patterson’s book paints on a much, much larger canvas (so to speak) than Lords of Chaos.Regardless of canvas size, there was one commonality between the books that left the same bad taste in my mouth. This seems impossible, but after reading both, I am still very surprised by the lack of interviewees citing Mercyful Fate as a direct influence. Sodom comes up seemingly 10-15 times, yet Mercyful Fate comes up maybe 2-3 times. You and I both know how important Mercyful Fate was in shaping what would come, but I was hoping these books would finally spell out just how +tangible+ that influence was to the 2nd generation. Another thing I’d hope for in a 3rd edition of Lords of Chaos: discuss Ghost. and connect it to Mercyful Fate. Heck – even some commentary from King Diamond on a half-dozen or so of the 2nd generation bands would be satisfying at this point. But it just feels like the connection is stated, but left to the reader/listener to actually connect the dots.A 3rd edition of Lords of Chaos may be a dream. But try this on for size: Dayal Patterson’s book scores points for its continued attention given to Mayhem’s production after the suicide & murder incidents. I’ve seen Mayhem live twice (in the 2010’s, thus with this incarnation of the band), so it’s nice to have a sort of follow-up understanding to what’s been going on with the band post-debut album. One can only imagine the hundred pages + that would likely be warranted should there be a 3rd edition of Lords of Chaos!

What I love about Dayal's book is the wide range he covers in this book. It seems like every book or documentary on black metal focuses on Burzum, Mayhem, and Varg Vikernes vs. Euronymous. Dayal touches on this briefly, but more as a side note. It's very refreshing to read a black metal book that starts with the guys who started it all: Mercyful Fate, Venom, Celtic Frost, etc. and how it progressed into what it is today. Dayal's look at modern bands of all subgenres of black metal really put this book over the top and make it the best black metal book out there. Lords of Chaos for years have set the standard, but that book was last revised in 2003, so there is a whole decade of black metal culture and goings on to report on, especially with the thousand different directions black metal has gone since then. Dayal really nailed it with this book and Feral House will continue to be my favorite publisher. Dayal puts every major (and minor) black metal and props for mentioning bands like Ulver, Samael, old Cradle of Filth, Beherit, Fleurety, Dodecahedron, Vlad Tepes, and especially Marduk. Marduk is my all time favorite band and get overlooked constantly, so it is nice to see some representation here. ANother great aspect of this book is the breakdown of scenes from various countries from around the world and the introduction to many of us such great bands like VON, which I had heard the name, but had to check out on Youtube, and am now depressed on missing out on those guys back in the day. This book is not just the best music book I have read this year (honorable mention: Al Jourgensen), but probably the best book of any kind period I have read in 2013. Props to Dayal Patterson and Feral House. This book is an encyclopedia and worth the money.

Great book that doesn't lack in detail to any degree, this is essentially the black metal encyclopedia!!!!

This is a pretty thorough retrospective of what has grown to be an enormous sub-culture/ genre. At 600 or so pages, it's well paced and and sewn together quite well, capturing the essence of multiple eras. As someone who fiended for information (generally pre-internet,) through 'zines, letter writing, tape trading and buying from small distros in the states during the early/ mid 90's, this book collects a lot of the information (in addition to some new insights) without overly relying on the same old hype stories. Though the retelling of some of the "shock stories" from Norway have grown tired, this text handles them without them having to be the central focus, while painting the scene with a broad enough brush to capture many of the splinter genres that have developed over the last 30 years.While it may be a matter of personal taste, my one criticism would be the overlooking of particular bands (Immortal, Ancient, Abigor, Summoning) in favor of some of others who have had less of an impact (DHG, Storm, etc.). Perhaps it was just the accessibility of the aforementioned bands' products in the States (getting imports in the US was a challenge at this time) that made them important to me, but it seems odd to have not spent time on them.If you are a long time fan of the genre, this book is a solid collection of stories and reflections, with enough new information to make it a worthwhile read. If you are newer to the scene, it is a large but digestible overview of one of he more intriguing sub-cultures of the last 30 years.

Genial artículo, definitivamente de colección a un muy buen precio.

Excellent book

Ótimo livro, dei de presente! Chegou antes do previsto.

Todavía sin traducción al español, pero un fiel reflejo de la historia del Black Metal Noruego de los años 90s. Se aleja del "amarillismo" de "Lords of Chaos" (aunque también hay que leerlo), para centrarse en las bandas, en los protagonistas, multitud de datos, de entrevistas, de referencias... Un acierto. Un libro escrito por y para los músicos y los amantes de la musica.

Do you love extreme metal? This book contains a wealth of information on the genre and key bands, many of which you'll look up and listen to, while reading. Enjoy.