Black Metal Revolution - Genesis

Black Metal Revolution Blog #1 - Originally posted at Metal Maniacs Jan 21st, 2010

Black Metal Revolution is a book that I hope to have published toward the end of 2010. The book features articles written by black metal musicians about their most revered black
metal records.

The premise is as follows:

Spawned by Venom, channeled by Bathory and proselytized with equal degrees of worship, obsession and homage by Euronymous of Mayhem, there is an ordered evolution that Black Metal has undertaken since the opus that bears its namesake was vomited forth in 1982.

Black Metal is not simply a musical style; it is a cult, a religion, a malignant manifestation with one unifying theme - its exponents are all acolytes of those conjurations which preceded their own. Be that the chaotic rampage of Venom, the morbid primitivism of Hellhammer, the esoteria of Burzum, or the ritual of Von, Black Metal's present, just like its future, pays tribute to its past. And while the noise may diverge from one band to another, and the philosophy may bear factional witness, the past will always reflect on the present.

The purpose of this book is to invite artists to discuss the virtue of their most revered BM albums. The most engaging offerings will be featured in the book along with in-depth interviews with some of the instigators of the first wave of BM, where we will explore their points of view on those long influential records.

Admittedly that which constitutes a black metal record is reasonably loose in this case. My position is Venom and all the hybrid bands thereafter that drew influence from them count. The early German cults, Mercyful Fate and any of the proto bands of that era are all mandatory for inclusion. What is important here is to recognize that while the resonance of ‘In The Sign Of Evil’ may not be obviously or immediately apparent on a benchmark album such as ‘Transilvanian Hunger’, the lineage and influence of these proto records on second generation bands considered synonymous with the very essence of black metal is unquestionable.

The title of the book is something of a play on words. The (R)evolution part expressing the revolutionary nature of the music, the simple fact that records revolve on the glorious wheel of steel is another detail and then there’s the evolution of the style, sound and the message therein. People often criticize the elder bands as being ‘fakes’ or not entirely serious about what they were singing about. There may be elements of truth to that in select cases, but history has a habit of repeating itself and it’s not unreasonable to think that one day the hunters become the hunted. This book is not attempting to make some bold philosophical stance, though I can already see that currents exist within these submissions, even though, as you can see below, what is asked of the writers is for them to provide anecdotes. A recollection of what made their chosen record the sacred platter that it is.

Contributing:

If you are a member of a Black Metal band and would like to contribute to the book, we are seeking written commentary about the Black Metal record you hold in highest regard. We are looking for anecdotes rather than reviews, so the submissions can be as subjective as you wish.

Feel free to include discussion about cover art, production, lyrics, riffs, your thoughts on the band members themselves or whatever you wish to cover.

Consider the place your record holds in Black Metal history, and your opinion on that. How influential was this offering on your own music/band? Would you cite this record as revolutionary and why?

.: Submissions must be at least 500 words
.: Include the name of your band
.: Your name, what you do in the band
.: Band's official site address

For more, head over to Black Metal Revolution