This evening, Batty kindly recommended a few tracks as an introduction to black metal.
What follows are my initial impressions of each song.
Drudkh- Wind Of The Night Forest
From the very first seconds of the first selection’s introduction, it was instantly apparent that black metal has a strong focus on atmospheric elements. This hypothesis was confirmed by each of the tracks that followed. The vocals on “Wind of the Night Forest” are primarily guttural growling, but the low-fidelity mixing blends them awash into all of the instrumentation. I enjoyed it very much.
Agalloch - In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion
I’d anticipated a faster tempo to be the norm for the genre, but as UltimateGuitar.com contributor, Morgal notes in his Basics of Black Metal feature, there is quite a range of tempo in this genre. Morgal stated that it usually ranged between 140bpm (for bands such as Mayhem, Nargaroth, and Gorgoroth) up to 200+bpm (for Satyricon, Dark Funeral, and Dimmu Borgir). Coming from a position of preference as an ambient, modern classical, and downtempo electronic listener, I found the slower, instrumental selections Batlord shared to be perfectly enjoyable. Agalloch’s
“In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion” was one of my favorites from his offering. It's dark but surprisingly melodic instrumentation and extended track length served for wonderful atmospheric sonic wallpaper to my research and writing this evening.
Dødheimsgard - Ion Storm
The third track, from Dødheimsgard was noticeably faster-paced, with relentlessly hammering percussion and a few noise elements which I could not place concretely but which definitely added intrigue to the selection. Despite the noise and clamor, there are still melodic characteristics which make the track approachable and palatable even for the novice.
Deathspell Omega - Abscission
Deathspell Omega was characteristically similar to the previous track, but with more coherent growling vocals which rise above the instrumentation instead of being soaked deep inside them. There is a more dissonant element to the composition here during the verse structure, which certainly piqued my interest. It’s always refreshing to hear a melodic structure depart from the traditional fixed musical phrases so overused in the 20th century.
Blut Aus Nord - The Choir of the Dead
“The Choir of the Dead” by Blut Aus Nord was by far the most punk-inspired of Batlord’s set. The track is stripped down to an ultra dirty, low-fi mix of mud and noise. Progressions are foregone and instead replaced with a few single notes moaning up and down in pitch. The percussion is aggressive and minimalist, keeping the high-energy and speed of the track as its focused strengths. But unlike its punk brethren, Blut Aus Nord carries the track for nearly seven minutes until the listener transitions from active listening to a nearly-passive and more atmospheric perception. I can see how this might be a definitive characteristic of the genre.
Katharsis - So Nail the Hearts
Batlord saved the greatest challenge for last. There is still a punk-inspired spirit to this closing recording, particularly in the relationship between the percussion and the guitar. About a minute into the track the vocals decay into indecipherable demon-like speech, as if a mic with a heavy echo chamber was placed ten feet from the vocalist and his shouting was left to be consumed by all the instrumentation between himself and the mic. Without a focus on lyrical content, the track, however abrasive, once again takes on an atmospheric property which I found captivating. Melody is entirely forsaken. And it sounds as if the band is performing from deep within a pit and the listener is standing, gazing down into the blackness from where the reverberated howling comes forth. And clocking in at over thirteen minutes, the track certainly has an exhausting impact on the listener, most apparent when the silence of the room return as suddenly as it was broken.
Thanks, Batlord - this was a most enjoyable experience!