This was taken from another forum I post at, though I think the response would be more favorable here, given that there is a more diverse metal crowd.

I personally describe the "satanic essence" as a euphoric phenomenon that occurs when a piece of music evokes certain emotions. Not just aggression, malevolence, filth and empowerment, but near or full removal of the human element.

This removal happens when the combination of guitar riffage, vocal approach, general tonality, drums and production quality reduce the music to a blur of noise, and it is no longer possible to imagine a clear picture of a group of people playing music.

I have experienced this with AngelCorpse, Nun Slaughter, Revenge, early Beherit, Blasphemy, early Deicide, Blut Aus Nord, Necroholocaust, early Bathory, and Gnaw Their Tongues, among others. It seems that there has to be some element of either Anti-Christian or blasphemous sentiment, and if not that, at least a hint of black metal phrasing.

I feel a strong connection to death metal and grindcore that really pushes the envelope as well (Disgorge US, Autopsy, early Deicide, Impetigo, early Carcass), but the provocation is more of filth, disgust, morbidity or hate. Only the cognitive association with blasphemy seems to render the previously mentioned bands as gates to "satanic essence."

There is not a particular purpose for being enveloped by the essence. I don't think there's a change in the state of mind. It's simply a mood that can't really be achieved any other way.

I can't imagine anything that's not black metal producing that feeling.

Funny that, I seem to recall Satanism being around far longer than Black Metal has ever been.
From the Knights Templar Baphomet Image, to Middle-Age Cults that stalked all of Europe at the time. There wasnt any "Jesus Tod" or "I am Thy Labyrinth" songs back in them days.

i don't know about all of that psychobabble but I mean a lot of black metal if its not that homosexual "suicidal" black metal shit especially Mayhem De mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Blut Aus Nord, and Drudkh can produce various feelings.

You mean that animalistic feeling where you suddenly realize that humans aren't important in the slightest, and that you're just an insignificant fleck in a gigantic universe?

Any kind of black metal with pagan/folk influences will do that.

Kyuss and Hawkwind make me wanna smoke pot. Lords of Acid gets me horny. Immortal calms me down. Slayer makes me want to KILL. Nile gets my creative juices flowing,specifically woodworking. Blind Guardian gets me hungry for ice cream for some reason, while Loudness and Sigh gets me hungry for some good General tso's chicken.

I'm talking about the feeling I get while listening to music, not the historical context of Satanism. What kind of cro mag do you think wouldn't know that already?

you must be young

Chill..its 3am here and I misread what you was saying. As for what you origionally meant, Raw Black/Death Metal (Azrael, Fimbulwinter, Centinex, Demilich, Blad Tepes, Belketre etc) usually sets me in the mood for when im evoking the Satanic mood. Especially on those overcast winter days when walking the paths through the forests where I live, or across the Mountain Passes covered in often knee-deep snow.

I briefly mentioned this "essence" in my Gorgoroth Incipit Satan review, but yes pretty much most black metal can give you that kind of feeling if you look for it (and really like the song).

Comparatively, I guess. I'm 26.

Don't get my wrong I prefer thrash to black metal but it doesn't give me the feeling that it's evil, even if it's Possessed or some of the harsher thrash bands. It feels aggressive, but that's different. Actually not very much seems that way to me anymore but the last album I can remember doing it is De Mysteriis dom Sathanas before I became overly familiar with it.

Alternatively, I've never heard any black metal that gives me this feeling.

The first time I listened to Altars of Madness, it was by far the heaviest, craziest thing I'd ever heard. But I still didn't get that particular feeling.

Thanks for the feedback. As for non-black metal, I mentioned bands like Deicide and NunSlaughter, and I do agree that Altars of Madness is really wild. But all three of those bands also use heavy anti-Christian imagery and lyrics, which if it weren't for that may not have been included in my personal list. I discovered blasphemic imagery around age nine, through playing the computer game Doom, and my interest in such symbolism and atmosphere naturally led me to extreme metal, where depending on the band it may be rather prominent.



No, I think you may have misread. What I mean is removal of the human element that comprises the band playing. So instead of imagining a bunch of metal guys playing metal music, I end up picturing a blur of violent abstraction and ugliness. Thus, the idea that humans are performing the music, is removed from my interpretation of it.

Lustmord evokes a spookier, darker atmosphere then nearly all black metal IMO...

This is pretty much the best thing said about metal in a long while. I feel the same about genres, each serves its purpose, but "Nile gets my creative juices flowing,specifically woodworking. " is fucking mental. What do you imagine yourself as a pre-Jesus carpenter while you headbang?

For the OP, I get the 'black metal essence' whenever a band brings on the trancey tremolo riffs, and the music becomes a sort of ritual. You know the riffs!

Harsh noise (is much better at evoking such an atmosphere).

I don't have a hell of a lot of exposure to dark ambient and noise/harsh noise, but those styles of music can be much more extreme than anything metal can produce. The kind of atmosphere that kind of music can set is amazing.

An Elizabethan Devil Worshipper's Prayer Book usually does the trick for me. The small keyboard stabs that perfectly accentuate the main riff, the occult lyrics, it's all perfect.

I guess the feeling I get isn't necessarily an inhuman one. I think the satanic essence can, on the contrary, be quite human. Mystifier does that extraordinarily well on their first few albums. I think they convey satanism in metal better than almost anyone.

Edit: haha, Jonpo mentions them right in the post above mine. Incidentally, I think the "Wicca" version of that song is superior, though I like "Goetia" most of all their albums, I think.

Agreed.

He also has recorded the most evil album ever in my opinion.

Early Bathory more than anything. The sound is so fucking odd on the first two. Quorthon's voice is pretty weird in the mix. Those records are perfect.

The only song on my iPod that really does that for me is "Tyrant of Nightmares" by Xasthur. It's just so... dark, and .... wow.

Necros Christos - Black Mass Desecration from Trivne Impvrity Rites is probably the best I can think of that does it for me. It's as though I am taking part in some kvlt ritual sacrificing something to an unknown deity. I feel I shouldn't be at this place and I will regret it; TIR is an amazing album. This album is an evil morally wrong piece of work. Awesome : D

I used to listen to Lustmord's The Place Where the Black Stars Hang to fall asleep to. Definitely didn't give me spooky, Satanic vibes. If anything it reminds me of outer space.

This is definitely one aspect of this music - it seems inhuman. You get the feeling it was actually created by these sick and evil spirits.


There is actually a VERY important purpose: It freaks out the religious freaks. It scares Christians, pisses them off, or gets some kind of reaction out of them.

Even the most tolerant and open minded Christian might not criticize, but deep down in his guts, he really doesn't like it. You're still getting a reaction of some sort.

This music is the embodiment of everything Satan represents. You can force people to feel these evil emotions that they really don't WANT to feel. It can be used as a weapon.

This has been the whole Metal ideology ever since Black Sabbath invented it actually...


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Guys I'm listening to De Mysteriis dom Sathanas and Satan literally just peeked his head in the window.

Who do I think I am, talking about ideologies?
I forgot that ideas are very dangerous things.
Please lock this thread ASAP!!

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What are you talking about

I seem to remember Sabbath saying one time that "People make movies to scare people, so why not make music to scare people?"

The majority of people in Europe at the time were Christian, so what better way to scare them than saying that Satan is coming around the bend?

Three excellent pieces to evoke Satanic atmosphere/feeling, Manes - Under Ein Blodraud Maanes, Mysticum - In The Streams of the Inferno, and a relatively newer one, Miasma (Can) - Of The Blood.

Now here's a smart guy that understands what I'm talking about!

It's not only the lyrics that are scary, but the music FEELS scary. The kind of emotions being expressed are scary.

Black Sabbath found a form of expression that immediately communicates their 'evil' ideology.

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The only thing that fits the OP's description better than Sadistik Exekution is Kriss Hades' solo records.

For me, there is no other essence in metal, but the deep musical essence. That satanic bullshit goes too far

Well, of course you guys just mentioned the two best examples.

Black Sabbath invented metal and they were evil - Venom invented extreme metal and they were even more evil. You'd think even the dumbest newbie or poser would notice the pattern here, but they never do.

People are expressing their independence from the Christian ideology, or they're attacking the Christian value system.

This is Metal's social objective or ideology, and true metalhead lives the ideology. If you're not interested in this idea, or it's not your primary objective you are not a metalhead.

Now we've reached the point where all non-metalheads will just ADMIT they're not metalheads instead of pretending, right? As if that'll ever happen.

_

Does anyone else think this whole "satanic essence" thing is stupid?

Ditto

But music means different things to different people. For some it's just entertainment, to some it's a way of life and interpret it very seriously.

On a sidenote, how do you feel a " satanic eurphoria" with Nunslaughter. I think of them as being "fun" death metal, what with the catchy songs and lighthearted sound. But that's just me.

eh, psychology is bullshit

it takes to be very wimpy to get any emotions out of some primitve anit-christianity or any kind of religion

lulz at "satanic essence"