Over the past decades, black metal has worn many shades. There have been the more primitive ones, there have been some intelligent ones, and some portraying doom. The new millennium saw its tentacles spread in every creative direction you can imagine. Of course, the genre has also led to some darker areas as well. Here, we’ve presented some of the best black metal albums spanning the past couple of decades.
Whether they’ve been commercial hits or underground gems, they’ve certainly made an impact, especially on the black metal fans. Sometimes a grand celebration, challenging at times, there’s certainly something magical about these albums:
1. Casus Luciferi
Released in 2003, this is the second studio album by the Swedish black metal band, Watain. The album was also released by Norma Evangelium Diaboli on a limited edition vinyl record. A Romanian label known as Mirgilus Siculorum released this album on tape in 2004. In October 2008, the album was remastered and reissued while also including a bonus track.
The release of Casus Luciferi is considered a significant event in the career of Watain. The band was also infamous for its weird concert rituals. During their live performance in Brooklyn, they doused the members of the audience with animal blood. This caused some of them to vomit, generating much controversy.
2. Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice
Formed in 1998, Deathspell Omega is a French black metal band based in the French city of Poitiers. In 2004, they released their third full-length album titled Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice. The title is a Latin epitaph’s misquoted version. The epitaph is found in St Paul’s Cathedral on the tomb of Christopher Wren. It literally translates as ‘If you seek his monument, look around you.
The album is the first part of a trilogy released by Deathspell Omega. The other two are Faslte, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum released in 2007 and Paracletus released in 2010. Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice deals with themes of putrefaction, antinatalism, and decomposition.
3. Instinct: Decay
After Instinct: Decay was released, Decibel Magazine declared it the 4th best album of the year. This is the third full-length album from the American psychedelic black metal band, Nachtmystium. The name of the band is derived from the German ‘Nacht’, which means ‘night’. The made-up term ‘mystium’ is quite similar to the Latin adjective ‘mysticism.
According to the band’s founding members Blake Judd and Pat McCormick, the band’s name mean ‘encompassing darkness’. Instinct: Decay was released in 2006 and its cover was designed by Rebecca Clegg. The band’s success was marred by the arrest of Judd in 2013 under the charges of theft. Later the band went on a hiatus until 2017 when it reformed and performed at four concerts.
4. The Work Which Transforms God
This is the fourth studio album from the French black metal band, Blut Aus Nord. It was released on the 17th of March 2003 by Appease Me Records. The album was reissued with new artwork the following year on Candlelight Records. Considered to be among the best releases of Blut Aus Nord, it received several positive reviews.
The album was a breakthrough release for the band as well as for the overall black metal genre. The Work Which Transforms God was again reissued in 2005. This version included the EP Thematic Emanation of Archetypal Multiplicity in the form of a second disc.