Black Metal

As one of the most controversial (for non-listeners) sub-genres of Metal music, Black Metal is often addressed with shallowness and superficiality - also and, as of late more than everything, from those who claim a connection with it. When it comes to the average non-metal audience, Black Metal becomes the target of common and terribly ... wrong misconceptions.
Few so far have been able to understand it's probably the most spiritual metal music one is ever going to be met with, and one of the esoteric music genres par excellance. There have been many a group putting their spiritual efforts into music, often in divulgative ways I myself have benefited from. To me, this Music is definitely part of my spiritual Path.
Anyone else can relate?

[Seawolf]

I listen to all styles of music including black metal. Yes I think it can be very spiirtual. Spirituality or philosophy seems to be a big theme in metal these days. I'm remind of a blackmetal/'progressive?' band I recently found called 'liturgy'. Also, Gojira, which is not black metal but has spiritual lyrics.

I think the true essence of Black Metal music is spiritual (even though this standard is not always kept by bands that play the genre). Old Negură Bunget (prior to first line-up change) released a string of deep, transcendental albums with a high Spiritual bearing - they represented something important in my Spiritual development - especially their OM album. Celestia, Wolves in the Throne Room, just to name the first few that come into my mind, are other bands with an utterly spiritual message conveyed by the music. But, of course, as you pointed out, non-Black Metal music can present several examples as well. I also, of course, listen to a wide variety of genres - from 70's prog rock, to Ambient, Neofolk, Shoegaze, Britpop and so on, but rarely I've found something as predisposed to Esoteric subjects, hidden Knowledge and Spirit topics as BM.

[Rena]

I'm sorry Arcadia......but I totally disagree with black metal......
Now, keep in mind, I used to LOVE black metal a few years ago.....when I was still into the goth scene...... I even went to black metal concerts...... I used to love Behemoth......King Diamond.....Mercyful Fate.....etc....
But black metal is very evil......
I do agree that black metal is spiritual and everything......but it's on the wrong side of spiritual..... The dark side.....
NOONE has black metal as part of their spiritual path.....
one of the reasons why I loved black metal so much before.....because it was spiritual...... I was still mixed up at the time..... I was into ghosts, graveyards, dark music......
but God finally showed me the truth..... =)

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Arcadia

but rarely I've found something as predisposed to Esoteric subjects, hidden Knowledge and Spirit topics as BM.

Black metal seems to have started as a reaction to organized religion and incorporated pagan-type beliefs, so in a way it's inherently spiritual. It seemed to say 'we had to listen to your beliefs all our life, now here's ours'. From those roots, it's progressing past the anger and developing it's own spirituality without the need for hatred of religion as a catalyst.

Black Metal is not evil, and this comes from a person who plays this kind of music, used to run a web magazine that gave her the chance to have in-depth intellectual and spiritual talks with many bands playing this kind of music and thoroughly explored the genre itself as a listener for about ten years now. I don't know, Rena, to what extent you're knowledgeable about the topic, but I can assure you I have a VERY in-depth knowledge of anything Black Metal-related. Sure, there have been bands expressing their belief in the "dark side", as you call them, but that's the tip of the iceberg, and presumably the only element about Black Metal that can be known by someone who retains a superficial familiarity with the genre.

Originally Posted by Rena

I'm sorry Arcadia......but I totally disagree with black metal......
Now, keep in mind, I used to LOVE black metal a few years ago.....when I was still into the goth scene...... I even went to black metal concerts...... I used to love Behemoth......King Diamond.....Mercyful Fate.....etc....
But black metal is very evil......
I do agree that black metal is spiritual and everything......but it's on the wrong side of spiritual..... The dark side.....
NOONE has black metal as part of their spiritual path.....
one of the reasons why I loved black metal so much before.....because it was spiritual...... I was still mixed up at the time..... I was into ghosts, graveyards, dark music......
but God finally showed me the truth..... =)

Black Metal is not evil, and this comes from a person who plays this kind of music, used to run a web magazine that gave her the chance to have in-depth intellectual and spiritual talks with many bands playing this kind of music and thoroughly explored the genre itself as a listener for about ten years now. I don't know, Rena, to what extent you're knowledgeable about the topic, but I can assure you I have a VERY in-depth knowledge of anything Black Metal-related. Sure, there have been bands expressing their belief in the "dark side", as you call them, but that's the tip of the iceberg, and presumably the only element about Black Metal that can be known by someone who retains a superficial familiarity with the genre.

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Arcadia

Black Metal is not evil,

From hearing bands like Liturgy, I'd have to agree that it's deeper than that. It may have been all about evil in the past when it was young, but as it's matured it's becoming more intelligent and developing it's own identity instead of just being a reaction to religion.

It's still one of my favorite styles to play. It's more fun than most people realize to play 190 miles an hour while screaming like a demon, but I'm still working on how the black metal style can work together with the other styles I like to write in, such as punk, techno and rap. Techno and punk is easy to merge with BM, not so much rap.

(... Sorry, I didn't mean to post it twice!) You're right, Seawolf. Of course, if we look back at the years of the Inner Circle in Scandinavia, with the church arsons and everything, one can't deny that a certain anti-religious element, in which people definitely tends to read a bit too much as of nowadays, was no stranger to the movement in its early stages. But, as I said, that's a small fragment of a wider, broader movement, which lends itself to any kind of spiritual exploration aimed to make sense of the otherwordly and extramundane side of human experience. As for the contaminations, Black Metal already proved to be a versatile tool under this regard, starting from the Folksy and Ambient influences that are somehow more familiar to the genre, on to Jazzy, shoegaze-y and post-rock overtones that led to the genesis of new BM subgenres of their own (and also techno, punk, rock'n'roll and so on).

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Arcadia

(... Sorry, I didn't mean to post it twice!) You're right, Seawolf. Of course, if we look back at the years of the Inner Circle in Scandinavia, with the church arsons and everything, one can't deny that a certain anti-religious element, in which people definitely tends to read a bit too much as of nowadays, was no stranger to the movement in its early stages. But, as I said, that's a small fragment of a wider, broader movement, which lends itself to any kind of spiritual exploration aimed to make sense of the otherwordly and extramundane side of human experience. As for the contaminations, Black Metal already proved to be a versatile tool under this regard, starting from the Folksy and Ambient influences that are somehow more familiar to the genre, on to Jazzy, shoegaze-y and post-rock overtones that led to the genesis of new BM subgenres of their own (and also techno, punk, rock'n'roll and so on).

Yeah but what about BM and rap?

LOL I'm just crazy. No one thinks it's a good idea, but I love those two styles so much. I'm crazy enough to do it, I'm just working out how, without it sounding cheezy as hell (to me).

Basically you can do whatever you want with music if it works. Spiritual lyrics and black metal tones go together well. It depends on the person making the music. Good music is a result of freedom in the musician.