I'm looking for something similar to Dimmu Borgirs first album For All Tid. Something heavy on keyboard but still retaining a good guitar sound, very atmospheric, not too polished and not depressing. A light folk touch is welcome too.

Is anyone aware of any other groups/ circles of black metal artists, for example the so called "inner circle" or LLN, Blaze Birth Halls Circle, The Southern Elite Circle. A strange request i know, but these kind of things do really interest me.

cheers

oooo P.S: Also does anyone know of any bands similar to "Enshadowed"

try the albums "First Spell" & "Seen Through the Veils of Darkness (The Second Spell)" by norw. GEHENNA. Ok, they may lack the "folk" touch but have a try:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22YNt6U7GAQ

also the early stuff of THYRFINg may partly be of interest. It's less BM but combines the keyboard and folk (or better viking in this case and making use more of a folky feel than actual playing folk) aspect.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWZ2OtUZjLY

Thyrfing is great but Gehenna was more like what I was looking for. Thanks!

I do like this, particularly the driving rhythm, but it's not quite what I was looking for. Perhaps I should be clearer; the things I like about 'Resplendent Grotesque' are the prominent melodies, that aren't really melodic black metal, and the variation between more extreme and catchy/haunting parts. The song 'A Sutra Of Wounds' pretty much exemplifies this. Anything with pop song structure would be awesome.

Whirling - Faceless Phenomena
Decrepit Spectre - Coal Black Hearses
Potentiam - Balsyn
Lunaris - Cyclic
Apocryphal voice - Stilltrapped

Thanks; these all really hit the mark, except I can't find anything whatsoever about Apocryphal Voice - on last.fm, the samples are all just white noise.

hey, looking for multiple songs similar to Trist's "Hin"

*at least* 30 mins long, much longer prefered... like an hour or more.

songs that seem to put you in a trance, and are very atmospheric, and very dark.

I just got into black metal. I've been listening to Mayhem and Beherit for a while now but after discovering Blut Aus Nord, it seems black metal finally hit the right spot for me. Now I want more. I have very atheistic view on things, so I'm looking for lyrical subjects covering philosophy, myths, tales and mysticism. I already know death metal thoroughly, better than my own pockets and I want to expand my taste. What bands could you recommend to me? I already know Absu. Thanks!

There's quite a few bands along those lines:

Behemoth (Poland)- Black/Death metal (more death metal). Songs about Thelema, Occult, Antichristian, Neitzche etc. I'd try Zos Kia Cultus, Satanica and The Apostasy. Thematically similar to Absu.

Deathspell Omega- Theistic black metal. Well, not really, but these guys (or guy or whatever they are) write truly brilliant lyrics trampling the notion of good and evil as seperate ie. non-dualism. Listen to any alkbum from Si Monumetum, Requires Circumspice...

Abigor- Fractal Possesion/ Time is The Sulphur. Industrial/electronic black metal, very odd music, lots of semi-industrial elements....May not be your thing, but an excellent band.

Ondskapt- Any album. Ferocious black metal, associated with the Norma Evangelion Diaboli 'movement'. I think Daudens Evangelium is better, but a lot of people like Arisen From The Ashes. Satanism as theme.

Funeral Mist- Salvation or Maranantha. More theistc styled BM, but with excellent samples, vocals and music. Arioch (the bands only member) is possibly better know as Mortiis from Marduk.

Arckanaum- Great norweigan band, simple yet pretty melodic music, great disgusted vocals, and themes of dark gnosticism and chaos magick.

Darkspace/paysage d'Hiver- ambient black metal. Darkspace "sing" exclusively about (believe it or not) space; all three albums are excellent, if a tad unvaried. Payasage d'Hiver is the "demo" project of a member of Darkspace, with themes of night and winter. But its sonically that these 'bands' stand out....

Um....well, that'll do for now, but I have a million other reccomendations.....

Hmm, well a lot of these 'circ;es' are notorious for producing shocking music, but look up The Black Twilight Circle....maybe American??

anyone?

Check out Behexen from Finland, especially the By The Blessing Of Satan album. It has some filthy, fucked up distorted bass, which compliments the guitars very well.





I'm going to assume you have heard Shining? If not, then you need their first three albums.

I know and listen to both bands, but thank you for the response.

Since you enjoy BAN (as do I), I think you would like these bands as well:

Verdunkeln:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mGOWvT_QWo

Drudkh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6vO9F2Lmvg

Negură Bunget:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWP53sDeJSE

The Ruins of Beverast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7TZdWD97sg

Mgla (maybe not what you were looking for lyrically, but the music is amazing, and that's what really matters, right?:))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va0Lq3CIs4U


Sorry if any of those are too obvious.

Looking for something similar to Demoncy's Joined In Darkness or Sperm Of Antichrist's Blight And Darkness. But nothing like your typical war metal acts, which don't have that sinister feeling of the two aforementioned albums.

Looking for something like Absurd's "Facta Loquuntur", with its dirty punkish feel. I'm not looking for Ildjarn/Bone Awl type stuff nor blackened crust even though I thoroughly enjoy both.

Closest thing I've come across is the accoustic/electric tracks from Xenophobia on "Vomit on the Rabbi", which is actually an incredible demo despite the ridiculous low scoring review (Berzerko, go figure).

Sorry I'm being very lazy and not reading through to see if I can find what I am looking for so I apologize now for the repetitiveness.

Not long ago I found the album Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue with the Stars by Blut Aus Nord. And now I'm wondering about more bands that have a similar sound to that album (unfortunately I have yet to really listen to more of Blut Aus Nord but I do intend to do so). To be a little more specific, I'm looking for more interesting ambient black metal, so if it is far off from traditional Norwegian black metal that wouldn't bother me, however keeping that unity would be awesome haha. Something which brings the beauty out of the bleak and foreboding emotions painted over the vast brooding night sky. In other words the blending of the beautiful and the sublime. Hopefully that explains what I'm looking for and I apologize again for the possible monotonousness. I'll appreciate any help, thank you.

I've been on a bit of a black metal binge lately and everything from the "ambient" side of the genre has worn out its welcome, so I've decided to venture into the opposite end of the BM spectrum. Could you guys give me some nasty, ugly, fast-like-a-motherfucker black metal without any post-rock or symphonic bullshit in it?
Dark Funeral would probably be the most popular band that plays the style I'm looking for, so anything that sounds similar to them would be welcome.

That was my first black metal album and I love it a lot. Not much is like it... but here is some recs:

Malignant Eternal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx1bCzsl7oE

Impending Doom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nbaFZkSrBQ
this one especially so. mind you it has a lot of thrash thrown in... but the atmosphere is EXACTLY like For All Tid in my oppinion. I find this a brilliant album.

and finally.....

Nox Intempesta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsEbm10U5po
This totally sounds like For All Tid! And the other tracks have even more powerful atmosphere's.

Looking for ULTRA symphonic black metal on the likes of Diabolical Breed, Limbonic Art and Obsidian Gate.

And I mean ...

OBSCENELY.. GRATUITOUS... OVERSATURATION OF THE KEYBOARDS.


Just think of the most offensive symphonic shit you know of. Big plus also for groups that jizz cheap blastbeats all over their whole album, or have HUGE songs and synth solos! Less fast stuff it acceptable so long as it is has that evil black metal aura.

I already know of the groups Obtained Enslavement (fucking awesome), Tartaros, Anorexia Nervosa, Odium, Bishop of Hexen, Nazgul, Abigor, Mirrorthrone, Bal-Sagoth, and Hellveto.

Any recs are appreciated (save for dicks spewing out Dimmu and CoF, they're not synthie enough!). But anything sounding like the first 3 bands I named is especially desired!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6S-zxbaJuo
I'm a lover of folk and synth black... but I can apprecaite your sentiment... this for me was always to fucking good to ignore for lacking any atmospheric effects.

Already know of Absu, in fact I own Tara. Still, that was a good song.

Dark Funeral is a mixture of speed and melody, so try out these:
Thy Primordial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H-s7Ng5aEE
The Abyss: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9hRv6iLqMM
Nagelfar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgblUHrQUrE
Crystalium: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpVEcT0Qk7I

Vesperian Sorrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVUTSAKEab4

i cant wait for astriaal's new album

These are fantastic! Thy Primordial and Crystalium were my favorites, but they're all great. Thank you very much.

Love Vesperian Sorrow!

I mentioned Morgart earlier... very good choice here.

Sieghetnar - Erhabenheit
Darkestrah - Epos
Darkspace - all albums
Fauna - Rain
Fauna - The Hunt
Trist - Posledni Cesta (Zrcadlení Melancholie album)
Vinterriket - Zeit-Los: Laut-Los
Deatspell Omega - Diabolus Absconditus (Crushing the Holy Trinity album)
Paysage d'Hiver - Des schwarze Metall-Eisen (Schattengang album)
Paysage d'Hiver - Winter... (Winterkälte album)
Njiqahdda - Ijn/Death (Divisionals album)

And also Njiqahdda's Zuun Infer Maktasalubara... not necessary a long track, but still very dark and trancy!

'...' - Somebody Save Me (their band name is ...)
Fear of Eternity - Spirit Of Sorrow
Thy Light - Suici.De.pression
Selbstmord - De Miseria Conditionis Humane
Exiled From Light - There Is No Beauty Left Here
Life is Pain - Life is Pain
Self-Inflicted Violence - A Perception Of Matter And Energy

You're very welcome!

Yes. Yes I can.

Setherial - This track Hell Eternal is from the album of the same name, and this track Satan's Realm is from the album before it, Lords Of The Nightrealm, both in my opinion are excellent.

Infernal - This is Blackmoon's band after he left Dark Funeral, and is extremely similar in style, but I believe it to be a little better. Have a listen to Wrath Of The Infernal One.

Funeral Mist - This is awesome stuff. Blindingly fast and nasty, with some great demented vocals. This is Holy Poison from the brilliant Salvation album.

Funeral Winds - Great, nasty, fast Black metal with some epic and somewhat thrashy parts on occasion. Great band IMO. Here is Koude Haat, title track from the same album.

Darkened Nocturn Slaughtecult - Brilliant, blistering German Black Metal with a female vocalist/guitarist, who is fucking awesome. Song-craft by this group is stellar. This track Hora Ruid is from Follow The Calls For battle.

Katharsis - Another astonishing German Blakk Metal band, with some truly head-fucking atmosphere, nastiness and sonic violence. Wonderfully demented music. The track here Kross Fyre is taken from the World Without End album. A masterpiece.

Hope this has put you in the right direction. Enjoy.

darkspace, fauna, trist, and njqahdda i already listen to, and love. thank for the other stuff though, ill look into it.

Holy hell, I'm drowning in a sea of gold here! These and gravlagtieljudne's recs have almost given me more than I can handle. Excellent stuff, Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult was my personal favorite. Thank you.

I'm looking for black metal bands that use organs/synths but are hideously depressive, no lame poppy shit..

Graveland, Bal-Sagoth, Summoning are examples..

Looking for cold, evil funeral synth shit, but no ambient (i have enough of that)

Maybe some old Lux Occulta?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtcdFqT6P1M

How are Summoning hideously depressive? That's not an even remotely apt description of any amount of their body of work. Graveland isn't hideously depressive either. Graveland is warlike, with the occasional melencholy or funerary bit (though it is often mixed with reverence and eventual triumph, as in "Immortal Pride"). Summoning is majestic and nostalgic more than hideous and depressive, and even more whistful and dreamlike than melancholic, even in their most obviously "sad"(ish) songs. I don't listen to Bal Saggoth, so that might be right.

Anyway, if you want something like you've described, then I recommend Endless Dismal Moan, and I recommened you check out the recomendations people give in the thread in this subforum someone made about that band. If you want something like the bands you cited, I recommend Nazgul and I Shalt Become (particularly the most recent album).

I'm looking for stuff like Make a Change... Kill Yourself. The track "Fooling the Weak" is a great example of what I want; fast and repititive(but still with some diversity) black metal. Long songs is a must, but not any longer than 30 minutes and not shorter than 10 minutes.. it also needs to have an at least alright production. The music doesn't have to be "depressive" and mustn't be depressive in the Hypothermia or Trist kind of way. Sorry if my request is kind of vague.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I already know of Wolves in the Throne Room.

No, no and no

Sorry, Winterkald, but not every greek BM band can be labeled as "Hellenic BM".

And I'll explain:

Hellenic BM is much more than the actual origins of the band members. Hellenic BM has a certain musical structure. It is highly melodic and often uses solos.

The bands you mentioned have nothing to do with Hellenic BM because simply their style is much more cold and Norwegian. Hellenic BM has a certain warmth in it.

Shores of Sheol, on the other hand, while not Greek in origin can be classified as Hellenic BM because their influences lie in that era (90-96) and the bands that created the genre (Varathron, Rotting Christ and to a lesser effect Necromantia).

They are good bands but not what the poster is looking for (albeit Nocternity have a certain similarity with Vinterland but also Vinterland are not close to the Hellenic BM part of the request).

On topic now.

vince, I would recommend the following bands to you:

Deviser: The EP "Thy Blackest Love" and the ensuing album "Unspeakable Cults" are legendary. "Threnody" is a true masterpiece. A very worthy band albeit their last album "Running Sore" is quite different from their previous work. Anyway, you can listen to Threnody in the following link -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nv4BTCcAzg

Zemial: Zemial are a strange band. Vorskaath has played in a lot of bands, some of them played Hellenic BM (Agatus, Varathron), some of them didn't (Nocternity). Their split with Kawir "Daimon" is a very nice Black/Thrash song in the style of Thou Art Lord but their full-length "In Monumentum" is quite unique. Actually, I'm not sure if "In Monumentum" can be called a Hellenic BM album as a major part of the album's influence lies in Bathory. "March of the Giants" and "In Monumentum-Stone of the Ages" are amongst the most epic songs I've heard in my life. definitely worth it. March of the Giants -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFG1JTnCw1A
In Monumentum -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QoUdEWysn0

Tatir / Fiendish Nymph / Kawir: Those three bands tried to took the characteristical melodies that Hellenic BM bands of the time used (RC, Varathron, Thou Art Lord) and entwine them with flutes, harps in order to create a whole new style of Hellenic BM. Tatir never made it to release a full-length while Fiendish Nymph made a very good Single "The Sibyl of Elikona" but the ensuing full-length "Aenaon" was released in a time that the Hellenic BM scene was dying and wasn't recognized as much as it should. Fiendish Nymph lost their interest in metal afterwards and nowadays they continue to play Pagan greek music but without any metal elements on it. Kawir is the only of those three bands that survives till now with their sound relatively untouched. Personally, I quite like their debut album "To Cavirs" and as I've been unable to track down their widely-praised EP "Eumenides" I can only suggest you to try out the album. Fiendish Nymph - The Sibyl of Elikona -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iepWl-uk2wc
Kawir - To Cavirs -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qe5-AWwZvE

Order of the Ebon Hand: Another great Hellenic BM band as well. Despite being a Black Metal band they have been greatly influenced by Septic Flesh probably because their drummer Lethe has been a part of Septic Flesh in the past. That's their song, Tears in Red -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLbWD8KwwKo

Macabre Omen: One of the most epic Hellenic BM bands to date. Their full-length "The Ancient Returns" is a must have if you like your atmospheric BM a bit more epic (it may remind you of Vinterland as well).

Jackal's Truth: A relatively small band that only got to release two demos. "Dominus Silvae" is a great demo though if you can get your hands on it. Dominus Silvae -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAPIB_YJwgU
Jackal's Truth -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ayn54pTuVc

Disharmony: Another small band that never managed to release a full-length album. Their EP "The Gate of Deeper Sleep" is a testimony of how Hellenic BM was played back in '93. The Gate of Deeper Sleep -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBp7l5tbkyQ

Darkest Oath: Same story with Disharmony pretty much. The only difference is that they reunited 4 years ago but still nothing new from them has been heard. Their EP "Paradise of the Infernal Torment" is worthy though and exhibits some great guitar work. Visions Through My Infernal Dreams -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB2To4KEISM

Zephyrous: Well, Zephyrous is quite a weird band. Hellenic BM is the backbone of their music but they often tend to mix a lot of other elements in it (especially in their full-lengh "Towards.."). Apparition of a Haunted Dance -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCvlpSPZkAo

Nergal: Nergal is among those quite old Hellenic BM bands that decided to reunite to much the enjoyment of us. At 2006 they released their second full-length album called Absinthos and they are currently working in a split with Kawir. Scream In the Forest -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nDpDu7KT4Q

Thou Art Lord: Last but not least, Thou Art Lord. This band has given us some pretty great Black/Thrash songs and they're still the best greek Black/Thrash band in my opinion. Their masterpiece, Societas Satanas, out of "Apollyon" -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMOomh3iIbI

PS I: Snowgrave, thanks a lot for rescuing the thread.

PS II: Back when I was posting a lot more frequently I remember that we used a form in order to embed youtube videos and not litter the thread with links. Do any of you remember this way? Sorry for all those messy links by the way.