Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Probably the darkest and heaviest of all subgenres. Common traits include fasr tempos, shrieked and growl vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw (lo-fi) recording and unconventional song structure
During the 1980s, several thrash metal and death metal bands formed a prototype for black metal. This so-called the "first wave" of black metal included bands such as Venom, Merciful Fate, Bathory,Hellhammer and Celtic Frost. "second wave" arose in the early 1990s, spearheaded by Norwegian bands such as Mayhem, Burzum, Dark throne,Immortal and Emperor. The early Norwegian Black Metal scene developed the style of their forebears into a distinct genre. Norwegian-inspired black metal scenes emerged throughout Europe and North America, although some other scenes developed their own styles independently.
Initially a synonym for "Satanic metal" black metal is often met with hostility from mainstream culture. As basically Black metal is known as Anti-religion music. Many artists express extreme anti-Christian and misanthropic views, and several of the genre's "second wave" pioneers have been convicted for church burnings and murder. There is also a small neo-Nazimovement within black metal, although it has been shunned by most prominent artists but that was from the culture side, the actual history of early black metal scene yet there were many so many cases involved about in early 1990s. Since Mayhem's Per Yngve Ohlin Dead suicided and Euronymous murdered by former member of Mayhem black metal became known all around the world.
First wave
The first wave of black metal refers to those bands during the 1980s who influenced the black metal sound and formed a prototype for the genre. They were often speed metal or thrash metal bands.
The term "black metal" was invented by the English band Venom with their second album Black Metal (1982). Although deemed thrash metal rather than black metal by today's standards, the album's lyrics and imagery focused more on anti-Christian and Satanic themes than any before it. They were focused on "satanic" theme on the album. Their music was fast, unpolished in production and with raspy or grunted vocals. Venom's members also adopted pseudonyms, a practice that would become widespread among black metal musicians.
Another major influence on black metal was the band from Sweden, Bathory, led by Thomas Forsberg (aka 'Quorthon'), created "the blueprint for Scandinavian black metal". Not only was Bathory's music dark, fast, heavily distorted, lo-fi and with anti-Christian themes, Quorthon was also the first to use the "shrieked" vocals that came to define black metal.[16] The band played in this style on their first four albums: Bathory (1984), The Return of the Darkness and Evil (1985), Under the Sign of the Black Mark (1987) and Blood Fire Death (1988). With Blood Fire Death, and the two following albums, Bathory pioneered the style that would become known as Viking Metal.
Hellhammer from Switzerland "made truly raw and brutal music" with Satanic lyrics, and became an important influence on later black metal, Their simple yet effective riffs and fast guitar sound were groundbreaking, anticipating the later trademark sound of early Swedish death metal". In 1984, members of Hellhammer formed Celtic Frost, whose music "explored more orchestral and experimental territories. The lyrics also became more personal, with topics about inner feelings and majestic stories. But for a couple of years, Celtic Frost was one of the world's most extreme and original metal bands, with a huge impact on the mid-90's black metal scene". Tom G. Warrior of Hellhammer and Celtic Frost credited English hardcore punk band Discharge as "a revolution, much like Venom", saying, "When I heard the first two Discharge records, I was blown away. I was just starting to play an instrument and I had no idea you could go so far."
The Danish band Mercyful Fate influenced the Norwegian scene with their imagery and lyrics. Frontman King Diamond, who wore ghoulish black-and-white facepaint on stage, inspired what became known as "Corpse Paint".
Other artists usually considered part of this movement include Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction (from Germany), Bulldozer and Death SS (from Italy),whose vocalist Steve Sylvester was a member of the Ordo Templi Orientis.
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