Metal Reviews

I see and I'm guessing these other groups are trying to do it without black metal's...heart?

That is the heart of the argument, yes.

I see, do you know of any articles that might help me to better understand the conflict between this "new" black metal and "true" black metal.

Forget about reading articles. You just have to put in the time and sort it all out. Or go to places like NWN, Black metal UK, etc where that is the main subject of discussion.
Also youtube can be a handy tool when searching for new listening material.

Start with the basics. Darkthrone's first four albums, early Mayhem (DMDS and prior), Emperor's In the Nightside Eclipse, Ulver's Nattens Madrigal, first couple of Gorgoroth albums, early Graveland (the Celtic Winter demo is one of the better ones), early Burzum, first three Gehenna, early Sabbat, Tormentor, Maniac Butcher, etc.

these bands are pretty "mainstream" black metal, but they are a good place to start, and from there there are a lot more, too many to mention really.

One of the better bands out today are Cultes Des Ghoules, highly reccomended.

No mention of Bathory, Venom or Mercyful Fate? tsk tsk how can one have a black metal basics class without mentioning at least one of those bands?

Also unless my ears are retarded Soulside Journey is more death metal then black metal. Still an essential album though.

They're not really (with the exception of Bathory) black metal.
Venom spawned the genre, but they are really just a different, more extreme stripe of NWOBHM, and Mercyful Fate is just plain old traditional heavy metal (which is still the best of the genres).

Also, check out pre- Nemesis Divina Satyricon.
Also, nobody ever talks about Black funeral's early output, namely: Vampyr - Throne Of The Beast, Empire of Blood and the Spells Of darkness And death demo. Keep in mind that a lot of it is re-recorded and released material, but it is a good example of what I would call true black metal.

I never understood that logic to be honest. The progression of a genre should not preclude its early practitioners from being considered a part of that genre. Venom are straight up black metal. Mercyful Fate is a band I've had numerous debates about. I've never considered them to be black metal but everyone I talk to says they are.

Ummm influencing a genre doesn't result to being a part of that genre. Venom was NWOBHM. If Venom is black metal then wouldn't that make Emperor NWOBHM? There are gaps and disjunctures even if there are traces in everything. Black Sabbath has written every metal riff imaginable. That fact does not equate to Sabbath being labeled every genre. Just because Sabbath influences could be traced into deathcore does not make Sabbath deathcore. Did you not distinguish early Darkthrone as death metal? There is a difference in sound between the two moments.

Tell me how the sound of Venom or Mercyful Fate could translate into black metal a la blastbeats, tremolos, rasps, etc.

Venom's nasty vocals and raw sound make them first wave black metal a la Hellhammer. The genre progressed and now all of a sudden the bands who started the genre aren't black metal anymore? Sorry but I just can't cop that. I don't see how Venom could be considered NWOBHM to be perfectly honest.

Did I just open a can of bees?

Nah mate it's a healthy discussion. Just what the forum needs really wouldn't you agree.

I have the same issue with someone on another forum who insists there is no such thing as traditional doom metal and every band doing that (i.e. Candlemass) are just playing slow power metal.

I don't see how

Ah yeah, anyway, stupid question but what is NWOBHM?

Well, that sounds silly. I assume he thinks stuff like early MDB is just slow death metal then?

That said, I'm listening to Venom again right now, and I'm hearing Black Metal as a NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) album. They get credit for the album title, and some of the lyrics, sure, but otherwise, no, sorry RO.

It's ok. Isn't it interesting how different people hear the same band in completely different ways though. I hear Black Metal as an early offering in the genre it helped spawn whilst others hear NWOBHM.

And no that individual from the other forum considers MDB very much a doom/death band. He's a weird one (also insists the only good thing Celtic Frost ever did was Monotheist)

To be fair, Venom really don't sound much like their contemporaries of the NWOBHM era, i.e., Tygers, Saxon, raven, etc.

And there are instances of proto-blastbeats, for instance Lady Lust, Senile Decay, AARRRGGGHHH!!!, etc. even Witching Hour to a certain degree.

Whatever the label, early Venom (pre Calm Before The Storm, but especially Welcome To Hell and Black Metal) is aces.

at doom being power metal on 'ludes.

Does that make prog metal power metal on amphetamines?

I suppose it probably would.