For today's column, we are taking a look at the first recordings by three groups that were absolutely crucial (whether because of sound, lyrics, visual aesthetic or any and all combinations of those) to the creation of the genre known as Black Metal.

To start off, we are going back in time to what might be the single most important album in the history of the sound. In 1984, when thrash was in its younger phase, and death metal was a thing of the future... across the world, in the country of Sweden, a certain man by the name of Tomas Forsberg (forever known as Quorthon by millions of metal fans the world over) released an eponymous album from his new group, Bathory. (I use the word "group" loosely, as it was pretty much a one-man project until Quorthon's untimely death in 2004). To put it simply: Black metal was born on this album. From the goat head on the cover to the overpowering blasphemy n Satanism in the lyrics to the cold n shrieking voices to the buzzing guitar lacerations to the raw, underground-as-fuck sounding production... the genre started here.

SIDENOTE: Quorthon has the distinction of more-or-less single-handedly creating TWO different metallic genres, the other being Viking metal (which would start to surface on Bathory's fourth album).

Another hugely important band was, of course, Switzerland's Celtic Frost. However, it is impossible to discuss their role in black metal genesis without mentioning Hellhammer.

Before Celtic Frost, Tom G. Warrior and his crew were pounding away in this legendary, albeit very short lived (2 years) collective. Hellhammer only ever put out one "official" release, which was the Apocalyptic Raids EP. We are enjoying what came before that, which was their demos, all of which were recorded in 1983, and remastered and re-released on two CDs under the name of Demon Entrails in 2007.

The first disc is comprised of the Satanic Rites demo which is VERY Frost-like. Fans of the first CF album (which I'm sure everyone reading this is) will really dig this.

The second disc contains both the Death Fiend and Triumph of Death demos which, although only recorded a few months prior, were about 1000 times more noisy and primitive, with a sloppy, heavy punk vibe. But it's all good. They were just teenagers doing what they loved, pushing the boundaries, having no clue just how important they would be in the development of heavy music...

And then came the milestonic, 1984 debut album from Celtic Frost, titled Morbid Tales.

Forming mere months after the demise of Hellhammer, the Frost sound exists somewhere between traditional heavy metal groove and the "chunkier" tendencies of death metal. However, it was the lyrical subject matter, visual aesthetic and the fearless disregard of criticism that made the band so important to the development of black metal. And while some of their later releases embraced more unconventional, even avant gardish, musical elements... Morbid Tales is viewed by diehard fans as the most "pure" Frost record. Have a listen and judge for yourself. The fact that the band's songs have been covered by thrash (like Anthrax), death (like Obituary) AND black (like Marduk and Black Anvil) metal acts is indicative of their importance and power. So, sit back, crank it up, prepare your best Tom G. Warrior trademark grunt (UGH!) or yell (HEEEYYYY!) and enjoy...

Thanks for reading,

Jeffrey

Previous BMR can be found here.

Today, in cooperation with Dying Victims Productions, we are thrilled to present the new track 'Gates Of The Eternal Night'' from Germany's LUCIFUGE sixth album, Hexensabbat.

Since 2016, Germany's LUCIFUGE have been steadily perfect an addicting style of blackened speed metalpunk, all guided by the iron fist of mainman Equinox. Come 2021's fourth full-length Infernal Power, Equinox expanded LUCIFUGE to a full lineup, and it paid off in spades: the band's first album under the banner of Dying Victims capped this signature sound with power and aplomb, exuding a new professionalism that somehow sounded dirtier than ever.

However, it was 2023's Monoliths of Wrath where LUCIFUGE further spit-shined their sound and took it in a newer but no-less-parallel direction: classic, ripping-fast thrash of '80s gods Sodom, Kreator, Exodus, and of course Slayer. Thankfully, LUCIFUGE keep that sonic shift going with their sixth full-length, Hexensabbat. Ditching more its predecessor's complex song structures, Hexensabbat heaves toward the gates of Hell with a greasy gallop that brings back a bit of the black while honoring the nether-realms of still-stuck-in-the-'80s thrash and speed metal. True, those aforementioned gods still hold a place in LUCIFUGE current sound, but more so can one detect the likes of Exciter, Razor, Iron Angel, and even later '80s Gang Green, the Exploited, and Crumbsuckers. Put another way, if Monoliths Of Wrath was spiritually akin to a Combat Records release, then Hexensabbat would definitely come out on Combat Core, so straightforward and rancorous is its all-pistons-pumping surge. Plus, more than a bit of Lucifuge's old-school grit is back in full force, which makes the album's slightly melodic-yet-malevolent riffing sound majestic – and, most importantly, not render Hexensabbat a total retro retread.

Leaner, meaner, and keeping the 1987 faith alive, LUCIFUGE command you to honor the Hexansabbat!

LUCIFUGE is:

Matorralix - Bass
Dominatrix - Drums
Berenjenix - Guitars
Equinox - Vocals, Guitars

MORE INFO AND PRE-ORDERS:

https://www.facebook.com/lucifugeblackmetal/
https://lucifuge666.bandcamp.com/
http://www.dyingvictims.com/
https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/dyingvictimsproductions/