Feature: Raw Unblack Metal – The Essentials

By Jason McLaren

To most metal fans, I think black metal comes off as pretty raw in general. But ever since Darkthrone released A Blaze in the Northern Sky, a foundation was laid for black metal that was extra thin, extra raw, and intentionally-focused on being as inaccessible as follows. The secular black metal scene saw an entire horde of bands adopt an ultra-raw approach to an already harsh genre of music, ranging from the more conventional sounds of Ulver’s Nattens Madrigal and early Burzum to the heinous noise of Abruptum and Ildjarn and on to more atmospheric bands like Switzerland’s Paysage d’Hiver. Ironically, Christian black metal started with a very raw sound in the form of Vomoth’s cult classic track “Beyond the Gates” and Horde’s classic Hellig Usvart.  Just to be difficult, I’m approaching this list thinking of “raw unblack metal” as a style all its own, whose progenitors are more in the vein of Darkthrone, early Burzum, early Mayhem, and very early Emperor. You won’t find any bestial/war metal or anti-depressive unblack acts on here, as to include them would virtually dominate the list (good grief, EVERY Goatscorge album could fit on here), given each style’s penchant for nasty production values.

Raw black metal has always been one of my favourite styles, so it’s been pretty hard to narrow everything down to just what I think are the essentials of the style, and naturally, some bands simply didn’t quite make it – if its not on here, it doesn’t mean a band isn’t good. It’s my hope that it gives a good overview of how bands approach a raw black metal sound from a variety of different angles. Alright, let’s dive in to the deep end of the black metal pool.

Horde – Hellig Usvart

This one goes without saying. Horde’s one and only album was crafted in the same vein as the leading acts of the early 90’s black metal scene, echoing the icy buzzsaw tones and hypnotic drumming of Darkthrone melded with the blastbeat-obsessed sounds of Immortal and the visceral approach of Burzum. Like hundreds of other secular black metal bands, Horde too was to be influenced by the sounds and scene of the time, but this has always been part and parcel of a genre that is very concerned with maintaining a certain sense of sonic orthodoxy. But Horde are no mere copy. In fact, a close listen reveals that Horde’s approach to the scathing sounds of Norwegian black metal also injected a sense of groove and heaviness that is almost entirely lacking the sounds of the leading acts of the time, vacillating between the punishing rhythms of “Invert the Inverted Cross” and “Crush the Bloodied Horns of the Goat” to the searing blasts of “Release and Clothe the Virgin Sacrifice.” “Silence the Blasphemous Chanting” is a highlight as well, managing to concoct a Burzum-esque assault that drifts into a haunting acoustic passage reminiscent of early Satyricon. As was the case with Darkthrone in the secular black metal scene, Horde would also spawn a legion of artists influenced by their raw and confrontational sound, for better or for worse. Thankfully, this iconic work is finally getting the recognition it is due from the secular scene, distanced as it is from the initial blast crater it caused way back in 1994. If you haven’t heard this record, somehow, it’s time to get to know it. A masterpiece. 

Reverorum ib Malacht – Kyrie Eleison

Get this – around the time that so-called “orthodox/religious black metal” was picking up steam (I’m not talking Christian religion, I’m talking seriously satanic bands like Watain, Glorior Belli and Deathspell Omega back in the 2000’s), one of the movement’s acts, Reverorum ib Malacht, would soon change spiritual sides. Converting to Catholicism in an ironic twist (as, from what I understand, the band members study of it in order to produce more blasphemous music actually resulted in their conversion!), Reverorum ib Malacht would become one of the black metal world’s most esoteric, high brow, and frankly frightening sounding acts. Their 2023 release Kyrie Eleison is an astounding wall of hyper-speed black metal for the elitists who shun anything approaching the mainstream on even the most remote level. Imagine old Mayhem, But Aus Nord, 1349, Armageddon Holocaust and Anaal Nathrakh all wrapped into an all-enveloping storm of total darkness. This is as extreme as it gets.

Abdijah – Satanic Rebellion Crushed

A little known Polish solo project of Unblasphemer from Fire Throne, Abdijah’s sole release is classic lo-fi black metal played with the aggression and blastbeat-driven style more commonly associated with the Swedish style, just ultra tinny and thin. Like early Darkthrone on speed, Abdijah riffs are repetitive, dismal and distant; what the music lacks in scathing tone, it makes up for in outright murkiness. Elite stuff.

Bealiah – Weeping at the Crimson Moon

Indonesia is about the last place I would think of for producing black metal bands, but back in the late 90’s, it produced no less than three black metal bands – Kekal, Armageddon Holocaust, and this one, Bealiah. Masterminded by sole member, Doctor D of Kekal (here known as “Dozhaiatlach D”), Weeping at the Crimson Moon is a highly-abrasive mix of black ‘n roll, symphonic black, and minimalistic black metal madness. What makes it stand out is its combination of the very earliest symphonic sounds of Emperor with the black ’n roll emphases of Carpathian Forest and Frosthardr. Blazingly fierce black metal for those who still crave a little keyboard work from time to time.

Antivenom – Sacred Funeral

An interesting project begun by members of White Funeral and Armath Sargon, Antivenom is also one of the few unblack metal acts out there fronted by a female vocalist (alongside a handful of others like Deborah, Devotam, and Arch of Thorns)! Decked out in classic black metal art courtesy of Drawnsword, Antivenom’s sole release launches into a mid-paced yet ferocious attack of blood-curdling snarls and organic, garage-like guitars. If you dig the more raw side of bands like Horna, you’re going to love this one. I wish they’d reprint a few of these, as I never was able to get my hands on a copy. 

Verdelger – In Het Holst van de Zwarte Nacht

Verdelger, composed of members of Duister Maanlicht and other various acts under the infamous Sneeuwstorm Produkties label, was initially a ludicrously raw slab of black metal centred around various soundbites from the movie Braveheart, of all things. It was later re-released by the label Unblack Metal Scene with the over-long soundbites taken out (a good thing, to my mind, as they lessened the impact). It’s juvenile, it’s primal, and it takes absolutely no prisoners. It’s so utterly raw that you might even find yourself laughing in disbelief at it all, but for what it is, it could very well be the most nasty of the bunch on here. Hostile black metal noise for only the most discerning fans of the style. 

Katumus – At the Ruins of this World

One of the many, many side-projects of the infamous Fire (Jarek Pozarycki) of Fire Throne and Elgibbor, Katumus saw him join forces with Armath Sargon to create a new spin on the sound of his earlier Fire Throne band. Where Fire Throne was about speed and intensity, Katumus emphasizes a more restrained approach, yet one that emphasizes a more searing tone. Buzzsaw guitars driven by hypnotic drum work are all overlaid by Fire’s frostbitten shrieks, ending up sounding like a perfect mix of Elgibbor and Darkthrone at their most organic-sounding. Sadly out of print, this one, but you can find a remastered version at Elgibbor’s official Bandcamp HERE. A crucial release.

Nattesorg – Born Again

Nattesorg is just one of literally dozens and dozens of musical projects of one Kenneth Holsen, possibly the most prolific Christian extreme metal personality going. Mining through all of his work is a lengthy exercise in itself, but out of the mound of material he’s produced, his earliest Nattesorg release has always stood out. I remember coming across Born Again when I first started to seriously explore unblack metal as a genre, and I have to say, it sounded terrifying. It still does. Nothing about this album is friendly to the listener, with every track drifting into individual storms of blackened noise that are almost all-consuming. Everything here is a constant – the croaked vocals, the incessant blasting snares, the frigid and flowing riffs – and it all works as a seamless whole, the musical equivalent of an ever-flowing black river of heinous noise. Not for everybody, obviously, but a key album when it comes raw unblack, 

Fathomage – Necrohermitage of the Emotionally Starved

I fell in love with the music of Fathomage through this album. Arguably Australia’s finest black metal band, and inspired by the sole member’s Orthodox Christian faith, Fathomage took the ethereal and misanthropic noise of secular bands like Leviathan and transformed it, concocting a masterpiece of primally-raw black metal but with a sense of drama, timelessness and atmosphere. The musicianship, the vision, and the sweeping scope of this album are, I would say, unmatched; indeed, to be able to combine such haunting, vivid beauty with such scathing black metal savagery like Akul did on here is no mean feat. Mandatory on every level.

Duister Maanlicht – Over Ketters, Heksen en Ander Gespuis

If you like your black metal like you like your steak – rare – this one will be right up your alley. One of the many super raw releases from Dutch unblack metal band Duister Maanlicht, Over Ketters, Heksen en Ander Gespuis manages to take the absurdly feral approach of their earlier albums and make it just barely approachable. Laced with menacing feedback, shrieked vocals and an obvious disdain for anything remotely resembling “production,” it remains the best of their albums from their pre-hiatus period.

Emperador – Emperador

If you’ve ever wondered what a rabid wolverine might sound like in a vacuum cleaner going at full blast, this might be your one chance to know. Bolivia’s obscure unblack metal band Emperador released very little material, but what’s gathered here on this self-titled compilation is about as insanely raw as it gets. Cavernous, scalding, and chaotic, the maelstrom of shrieking and anarchic black metal noise on hill will probably have most metal fans running for the hills or scratching their heads in bewilderment, but for those craving their black metal as visceral and unfiltered as possible, it’s a real ride. 

Armageddon Holocaust – Into Total Destruction

A side-project of members of Kekal and the above-mentioned Bealiah, Armageddon Holocaust (pretty obviously inspired by a certain Horde track) released this total assault. Intense is the operative word here, with the band predating the black metal machine-gun fire of secular albums like 1349’s Liberation. It’s kind of like an entire album’s worth of Horde’s “The Day of Total Armageddon Holocaust” or “Blasphemous Abomination of the Satanic Pentagram,” which I’m pretty sure was the idea from the get-go. A sonic onslaught if there ever was one. 

Frozen Burial – Frozen Burial (Demo 2020)

A side-project of Aaron Kirby from Ascending King and Elgibbor, Frozen Burial’s intense, noisy and yet emotive approach on here is astounding. High-speed, scathing blasts drive the three songs over the proverbial icy cliff on here, almost reaching war metal intensity but without that style’s death metal and grind overtones. Super promising.

Hazeroth – Arsenal

I’ve always had a soft spot for Brazil’s Hazeroth. Despite a billion line-up changes and a definite evolution in style, they’ve somehow managed to survive. Their first album, like Sorrowstorm’s Onward, is actually a compilation of material from several demos. And believe me, this is demo level material – occasionally awkward and a bit janky, with an obvious garage-level of production. Yet, in spite of this, Hazeroth’s sound here is still particularly ferocious and unfiltered.

Preces Infandus – Secretior Ritualia Cultis

Following in the footsteps of Catholic black metallers Reverorum ib Malacht, Preces Infandus from North Carolina keep the mystical approach intact but approach it in a slightly less obscure way. The album, somewhat based off of 2nd-century liturgical texts (and I’m really, really wondering which ones), is, according to the fantastic site Unblack Archives, “intended to be a Christian answer to Chaos-Gnostic / Luciferian / Anti-Cosmic beliefs.” The music here is less distant and esoteric than some of Reverorum ib Malacht’s, focusing in on more conventional black metal atmospherics and riffing while opting for a wall of sound approach, cavernous and haunting. 

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