Black Metal

Reviews

The big review: Fortress Festival 2024

None more black! Scarborough falls under a dark spell as Triptykon, Wolves In The Throne Room, Blackbraid and more bring two days of black metal madness to Fortress Fest…

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Features

“It was more run by idealism rather than good business sense”: The story of notorious Norwegian record store Helvete

In this exclusive excerpt from black metal historian Dayal Patterson’s new expanded book, Black Metal: Evolution Of The Cult, members of Norway’s black metal community remember the inception and impact Helvete, and how “it was not just a record store but a society”…

News

The Heavy Trip movie sequel has been announced for 2024

Heavier Trip – the aptly-named sequel to 2018 cult favourite metal film Heavy Trip – is arriving next year…

Features

Matt Heafy’s guide to black metal

As Trivium frontman Matthew Kiichi Heafy unleashes one-man black metal project IBARAKI, he talks us through his love for metal’s darkest subgenre…

Reviews

The big review: IBARAKI – Rashomon

Trivium’s Matt Heafy recruits Gerard Way, Ihsahn and Nergal for his black metal project IBARAKI.

News

Cradle Of Filth announce UK/European tour with Alcest

Cradle Of Filth and Alcest will be touring across the UK and Europe this October

Features

5 reasons why you need to check out Underdark

Underdark are amongst the most ferocious faces of the new wave of British black metal. Here’s a roadmap into their shadowy realm…

The Cover Story

Zeal & Ardor: “I just want to take people by surprise”

Zeal & Ardor were only meant to be a one-time thing on the internet. Now, on the eve of their brilliant, self-titled third album, they’ve become celebrated as one of metal’s most forward-thinking bands. For mainman Manuel Gagneux, it’s a strange development to process. Here’s how he went from a teenage punk hanging out in Swiss squats, to the man lighting up heavy music…

Culture

“I’m under the influence of wood nymphs”: Meet Barry The Blackwood Baptist

We head into deepest, darkest Cumbria to meet a man who exists at one with nature, and channels its power into some of the heaviest, most immersive live events in the country. It’s quite a trip…

Reviews

Album review: Aquilus – Bellum I

Aussie atmospheric black metal maestro Aquilus roars back after a decade away with grandstanding second album Bellum I...

Features

7 of black metal's darkest moments

Just how grim can black metal get? Pretty damn grim...

Features

Per “Dead” Ohlin was black metal's most tragic loss

Mayhem vocalist Per “Dead” Ohlin was black metal’s crucial contributor, not just its victim.

Features

Remembering when an unknown metal band sent Britain into a Satanic panic

What caused four metal fans from Kent to go on a rampage in 1994?

Features

How Cradle Of Filth’s debut album changed black metal forever

On the 27th anniversary of its release, we look at Cradle Of Filth's The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh and how it altered the course of black metal as we know it.

Features

How extreme metal helps me fight seasonal depression

When the world is a cold, dark place, warm yourself on the fires of Hell.

Features

9 bands who wouldn’t be here without Cradle Of Filth

Extreme metal as we know it wouldn’t be the same without the influence of Cradle Of Filth. Here are just nine bands who supped from their fetid cup…

Features

The story of black metal in 14 songs

From deepest darkest Newcastle to the frostbitten north and beyond, this is your whistle-stop tour of black metal in 14 songs.

BackNext

The big review: Fortress Festival 2024

“It was more run by idealism rather than good business sense”: The story of notorious Norwegian record store Helvete

The Heavy Trip movie sequel has been announced for 2024

Matt Heafy’s guide to black metal

The big review: IBARAKI – Rashomon

Cradle Of Filth announce UK/European tour with Alcest

5 reasons why you need to check out Underdark

Zeal & Ardor: “I just want to take people by surprise”

“I’m under the influence of wood nymphs”: Meet Barry The Blackwood Baptist

Album review: Aquilus – Bellum I

7 of black metal's darkest moments

Per “Dead” Ohlin was black metal's most tragic loss

Remembering when an unknown metal band sent Britain into a Satanic panic

How Cradle Of Filth’s debut album changed black metal forever

How extreme metal helps me fight seasonal depression

9 bands who wouldn’t be here without Cradle Of Filth

The story of black metal in 14 songs

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