Yeah, I was unaware of it as well before I checked their page today, I'll listen to it soon! The cover art is more post black than their previous albums.

Not sure if anyone's recommended this yet as I know this band gets thrown around a lot in this thread (and for good reason), but Sacrificium Carmen's demo seems to be pretty spot on to those Cultus tracks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qptmkg21WE

So Ancst is a pretty cool band. You should at least give the track "Entropie" a listen. Sort of a mix of a bit of hardcore, melodic black metal, and some of the post/shoegazey stuff. It's tight. https://wooaaargh.bandcamp.com/album/ancst-in-turmoil There's even a Batman quote in the album!

Thanks for the rec Metantoine, I already listened to their 2012 release and I'll be sure to listen their latest soon.

Anyway, I was wondering if anybody could recommend me some bands with focus on pagan lyrics, I think I've seen some mentioned here in the past but can't remember right now.

Edit: I know it's probably too vague but since I'm new to the music I don't have enough knowledge to ask for a particular sound. Thanks in advance for your help and sorry for the inconvenience.

I listened to a track from the new Furia and... eh. The riffs are nice, but the drums were way too slow and rolling. My black metal needs ENERGYYYYYYY

It's that time again. I'm looking for black metal bands with big, raw, fuzzy, reverb-laden guitar tones. Think Burzum, but heavier, louder and more encompassing. Like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pko_Dnm6Ok&t=40s

MutantClannfear:
Blut der Nacht


Vacuus

Also MutantClannfear:

Caverns

Today I bumped into a new Dutch black metal project, called 'Woudloper', which is a direct translation for woodwalker. I'm very impressed:

https://woudloper.bandcamp.com/releases

Not to be confused with Loudwhopper.

Please some occult, atmospheric, mystic BM in the vein of Mystifier's GOETIA. Excellent songwriting, originality... looking for underground gems.

The "new" Old Forest album is all of those things in spades. Samples of each track here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzaSRHJgeLs

I'm looking for some really 'hallucinatory' sounding black metal which is incredibly vague - anything from the technical, frenzied dissonance of Bestia Arcana or the ambient, chopped and screwed feel of Spektr - these are two of my favorite bands and I'm looking for "catchy" dissonance, hallucinatory layers of sounds, avant-grade tendencies. Abigor is close to the sound I'm looking for as well. Thank you.

Fuck. Yesterday I listened to Melechesh's Sphynx for the first time. It rips. Anything else in this vein? other than Absu..

I´m looking for some really scary/depressive bm (or ambient stuff) like Blasphemy´s Winds of the Black Godz or Diagnose Lebensgefahr´s Obducentens Drom .

This might not be the perfect place to ask this, but I think it's really better than any other.

Can somebody tell me which Sigh albums I should start with? Normally I would just listen chronologically, or just listen to whichever ones are considered 'classics' first, but Sigh seem to have had enough divisive stylistic shifts that that may not be the best course of action.

I would say don't start any earlier than around Gallow's Gallery, there's a pretty significant difference between later day Sigh and their early stuff. Their last few albums with the addition of the good Doctor are my favorites.

That's actually an easy, and mostly consensual, answer. Imaginary Sonicscape.

I was going to try Imaginary Soniscape anyway merely because I like the name, so I think I'll just listen to it and go from there.

Necrostalker: Try Torturium from Finland. A while ago, they were recommended to me by someone, and it was some of the most insane sounding shit, that could also fall under scary, and has vocals that are somewhat in the vein of dsbm, without being dsbm.

Also, I'm looking for some really great ambient shit. I want a lot of dark tones, eerie echoing black shrieks, maybe some ritualistic sounding drums...I guess just looking for something that could sound like a dark ritual set to record. I don't have any similar artists, because I'm not too familiar with dark/black ambient, except for some black metal bands that do ambient albums.

I hope you're not insulted if I say Lurker of Chalice. Hardly an obscure band, but definitely meets your request.

So after researching, I've found some artists I really enjoy:
Sacrificial Totem
Hexentanz
Funerary Call
Vishudha Kali
Flusso Delirante Persecutorio

This vibe. Needed.

No offence, but that was probably the most boring Nehëmah song I've heard.

It reminds me of an amalgamation of Vetter and Christicide, with maybe some Norns thrown in (that slowish blast).

...It's oddly compelling though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvIn32caQ9M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnuOIgr0Yko
Maybe a little bit of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sM5hdP17JM
And a bit of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6axoREDkGbk

I'm not offended. Also, I think it's amazing and hypnotic.

More like endless dismal moan and beketh nexehmu please.i also like black funeral and silencer. I just want that super bleak and scary atmosphere.

I recommend the really excellent new album from Exordium Mors. More of an Absu sound than Melechesh though. This also fits the relatively recent req for technical black metal. And given it's quality can be taken as a general recommendation.

A few requests:

1. Can anyone point me to some truly aggressive and brutal black metal bands? Like Marduk, Dark Funeral and the like?
2. Can anyone point me to some beautifully melodic/symphonic black metal that's bound to send shivers down my/your spine?
3. Any good raw black metal bands?

Got the first two taken care of here, not really raw by most standards though. Great riffs, sometimes bordering on death metal, tasteful use of symphonics, ambitious song length/structure. Limbonic Art is pretty much what you need. Go to the earlier stuff if you are looking for more orchestrations, or the latter if you want abrasive/caustic BM in a quasi-Marduk style but with better riffs.

Example:

1. Allegiance is very similar to Marduk in terms of intensity, although it does have a bit of a folk/viking flair and bits of melody here and there. You may like it though. Try the sophomore album, I seem to remember that one was the most violent of the bunch.
2. Sirius' first album. Kind of like early Emperor meets Limbonic Art meets Stargate aesthetic. Truly awesome!
3. Not really able to help here. If you like stripped down old Darkthrone you may want to try Tsorer though. Like a walking corpse version of Hellhammer.

You should probably be a bit more specific with the raw black metal request, since there are many kinds. The obvious starting point would be the notorious Les Légions Noires, if for no other reason that they're kind of black metal general knowledge. Vlad Tepes, Belketre, Mütiilation, Torgeist and such.

Maybe check out Finnish bands like Förgjord, Vordr and Venus Star.

1. Draconis Infernum, Pact, Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Lugubre, Besatt (new), Kult Ov Azazel, Massemord (Poland), Ragnarok (new) Setherial (new), Svarttjern, Tsjuder, Grabak, Divine Codex. Sure you already know a bunch of these probably.

2. not in the mood

3. There's a lot of "brutal" bands that also fit into the "raw" category.

LeMiserable: Tmärrdhë is an awesome raw bm band. Also check out bands from The Hermetic Brotherhood, The Black Plague Circle, and the Black Circle from Portugal. Some raw bm goes too far into the noise category, so you should be a bit more specific about how raw you'd like the sound to be.

Also, I'm still looking for some dark/ritual ambient shit that has obvious black metal elements. Something dark, evil, with echoing vocals, ritualistic drumming etc. Little to no guitar as well. I know it's an odd request, but in my opinion, black metal and ambient music definitely go hand in hand quite often. Flusso Delirante Persecutorio is pretty close to what I'd like. No NS. Thanks!

1. Mayhem; Gorgoroth; Emperor; Setherial; Thy Primordial; Astaroth; Isvind; Infernal; Enthroned (weird vocals tho); Isegrim; Abigail; Witchbane; Zorn; Throne of Ahaz; Tsjuder; Sargoth;

2. Sorhin; Ishtar; Lunar Aurora; Abigor; A Canorous Quintet; Thy Serpent; AEBA; Virvatulet; Asgaroth; Dark Fortress (Tales from Eternal Dusk); Daemonized; Azure; Necromicon; Blackmoon; Morker; Mystic Circle; Mundanus Imperium (Ode To The Nightsky); Epheles; Atanatos; Raventale; Graveworm; Seth (first 3 records);

3. Horna; Morte Incandescente; Dunkelkgrafen (Schatten der Ewigkeit); Black Circle; Leraje; Inquisition, Thou Shalt Suffer; Behemoth (their early mischiefs); Ødelegger; Zwenz; Orcrist (Fallen); Ewiges Fristen/ Memorial of Desolation(Split Ep); Mgla; Andras (Das Schwert unserer Ahnen + Die Rueckkehr der dunklen Krieger); Nargaroth; Dodheimsgard (Monumental Possession); Grotesque (80s Death Metal tho but raw as hell!); Licht Erlischt; Horn; Hordagaard; Wolfsmond; Belzec; Satanic Warmaster; YGG; Vargsang; Sargeist; Vargnatt; Belmez (with Doom elements); Nattefrost

(4.) Windir; Keep of Kalessin; Perished; Klabautamann; Immortal; Hades; Dantalion; Todtgelichter; North; Northern Frost; Hellsaw; Helrunar; Riger; Cor Scorpii;






Evol; Forest of Souls; Heidenreich; Nargathrond (Carnal Lust And Wolfen Hunger); Grabesmond; Heinrichreich; Bishop of Hexen; Astaarth; Aras; Wallachia;

^ This guy has my approval, that's a massive list, but I don't care. Lots of good bands, some that I have forgot about or never seen anyone else mention, and a few I've never heard. + points for Sorhin and Zorn, I haven't listened to Sorhin in years and now I really want to... I wish they would stop being "on hold" but it has been to long for them to return sounding anything like before I think.

The only band that could fit 1 and 3 that hasn't already been mentioned would be Fides Inversa, kinda in the same vein as Funeral Mist (who also might be worth checking out since they're sorta along the lines of some of Marduk's more memorable stuff).
I'm just posting their whole EP in the link since the entire thing is pretty Fvkking good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29XocBPXdKs

Hello everyone!

I'm new to the whole Ambient Black & Epic Black Metal scenes. I can appreciate all of Burzum's discography, and more recently fell in love with Evol and Summoning. I am looking for what you guys feel are other essentials to Ambient Black and Epic Black Metal.

I did some searching earlier, and it seemed like a sea of third rate, one album myspace bands on other sites. So I come to you for this knowledge.

Some criteria I'd like to add is that it can't be completely DSBM, so please don't say anything in the vein of Silencer. I also prefer not to listen to any NSBM bands. I don't care what they are as people, but like I don't want to listen to albums based around themes of Nazism or the Holocaust.

Anyway, for Epic Black, the more Tolkien it is the better. I also love keyboards, occassional choirs, sounds of nature. Medieval themed epic black is preferred, but I undertand that's hard to come by. Female clean vocals is also a plus.
Traditional instruments are also welcome.

For Ambient Black, I don't feel I know enough about to make any culturally literate criteria. I do still value the occassional female vocal part. Just give me what you feel are the most popular and essential of the genre. Rephrasing my remark of DSBM earlier; I appreciate DSBM, but I'm looking more for the ambient/atmospheric outlet of black metal. It's okay if it holds a depressive, doomy edge to it, like Xasthur for example, but I don't want any pure DSBM recs.

Thanks in advance

Blut Aus Nord's first album was the first thing to spring to my mind for ambient black metal. Hell, their Memoria Vetusta albums could be considered "epic" in atmosphere.

Besides that, Evilfeast may fit the bill for ambient black metal. The guy plays a Burzum-like series of guitar passages that's accompanied with a starry sounding keyboard track.

^ You will not go wrong with Evilfeast, one of my favourites in the genre. Without going into to much detail also try Alatyr and Igric though the latters work is almost impossible to find. Coldworld would also fit and give Elderwind a try, they have a warmer feel to them.

As for epic black like that you have mentioned try Caladan Brood, L'Ordre du Temple, Arathon, Emyn Muil, Kinstrife & Blood, Elffor & Appalachian Winter. Sorry for lack of description, did not have much time for detal. Should be enough to get you started.

I'm looking for black metal that radiates the same feeling that Burzum's 'Hvis Lyset Tar Oss' does and especially the 'Det Som Engang Var' track.

Ahh such a great song from a fantastic album and Burzum's best imo. That track is probably the pinnacle in the ambient black genre and you prob wont find anything on par but there is some good stuff out there worth checking. As Wilytank mentioned above did you every try Evilfeast especially the lost Horizons album? A grim and frosty record with some beautiful keyboard work. Same kind of atmosphere as HLTO, give it a try to begin with Ardbeg and we can see from there.

Ps if you are looking for a direct clone there is always TOBC's debut....