A Good Definition of True Black Metal Music

People often wonder what is and what is not true black metal music. A good definition of the genre goes beyond the external characteristics and focuses on what matters - atmosphere and composition.

What is true black metal?

When novice black metal fans seek to expand their understanding of the genre, far too many get caught up in what is often deemed “superficial aesthetics” - lyrics, vocals, distortion, blast beats, imagery - and use those cues as the default “measuring tape” of what constitutes true black metal.

Sadly, in doing so they miss the forest for the trees, as black metal music is much more than just how loud you can scream, how fast you can drum and how much distortion you can apply to your guitar.

This post is largely based on Morsay’s guide to true black metal (recommended reading) but I will do in to greater depths about what is “atmosphere” when it comes to black metal.

The first element of black metal, and its defining characteristic, is indeed composition. That is, how well riffs “flow” into one another. A great example of this is the track “Feeble Screams from Forests Unknown” from Burzum’s debut, or alternatively “Ascension of Erebos, Leader of the Gods” from Phantom’s album of the same name.

In this case, it doesn’t matter how “loud” it sounds or how “fast” the drumming is - these are superficial characteristics worshipped by posers alone - but what you should pay attention to are the subtle changes in atmosphere when one riff transitions into another.

This is what makes true black metal unique.