Black Metal

[WizardBeast]

Not sure if anyone has talked about this yet, but CRAFT from Sweden just came with a new album a few weeks ago. Only heard it a few times but it sounds 50X better than most black metal around:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9lbLKoQz1Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw317-PV ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzFR7Ct-HA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odwPTvRn ... re=related

http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Craft/1154

that shit is grim. thanks for the links!

[sideways]

well, for those of you who haven't seen it yet...

Nergal has been cleared of his 'blasphemy' charges:

http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=70923

i decided to post that in here... even though I don't consider Behemoth solely Black Metal, but didn't want to start a new thread.

[Egokrusher]

well, for those of you who haven't seen it yet...

Nergal has been cleared of his 'blasphemy' charges:

http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=70923

i decided to post that in here... even though I don't consider Behemoth solely Black Metal, but didn't want to start a new thread.

Well, they were black metal. Anyway, that's still good news. To endure leukemia and have to go right into court over a Christian law, has to suck. At least he won both times.

[mooyagi]

well, for those of you who haven't seen it yet...

Nergal has been cleared of his 'blasphemy' charges:

http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=70923

i decided to post that in here... even though I don't consider Behemoth solely Black Metal, but didn't want to start a new thread.

Well, they were black metal. Anyway, that's still good news. To endure leukemia and have to go right into court over a Christian law, has to suck. At least he won both times.

Nothing can stop that man!

That whole trial was horseshit. Stupid religious sensitivity laws. Glad he got let off.

[mooyagi]

This is good news. Hopefully the album never gets released. Re-recording a classic that has no need for re-recording was a dumb idea.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=162529

[soundcurve]

This is good news. Hopefully the album never gets released. Re-recording a classic that has no need for re-recording was a dumb idea.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=162529

Yea, re-records never really capture the "magic". The album is decent but from a mixing note the drums are mixed really loud (esp. the snare in Revelations of Doom) but you figure their fans (only ones who might re-buy this) are use to the original by now.

Though if I were to re-mix the album I'd fix the drums and redo some of the clean vocals (Profetens). Lastly do something else for Postludium as it doesn't add anything in its placement and just reversing a vocal track to sound "evil" is pretty weak. Though I really have no huge love of this album. Has some cool songs that come off well live but as I stated before, I enjoyed Ghaal-goroth over the current lineup (had more aggression and dissonance).

[Laura]

So...I swore I'd never join facebook, but then totally caved after the cruise and joined so I could see everyone's pix and stuff....and fyi, I'm keeping it just for music friends.

So, I noticed recently that one of my fb friends is friends with Kristoffer Rygg - aka "Garm" of Ulver!! So, I thought what the hell, I'll send him a friend request. I've sent requests to a few other musicians and got no response, so didn't expect anything. Well, he accepted my friend request today - woohoo! I don't know why this thrills me so much - he's got over 3,000 "friends" (guess it's kind of a quiet day for me ), but I am so crazy about this man and his music - so brilliant imo. I really need to squeeze Ulver into my top 10 bands I can't live without" list somewhere.

...also...still working on my HITS/Bergen write-up - big wall-o-text and pictures it will be!

[soundcurve]

The Konsortium

Nothing ground breaking but a damn good slab of metal imo. They sound like . . . Meh this dude summed it up well:

The Konsortium plays a jittery style of black metal that is slightly avant-garde without being overbearingly so. The production on the drums and guitars gives this compellingly off-kilter debut a strong Moonfog flavor, most closely resembling Dødheimsgard, but also throwing lurid glances in the direction of post-Nemesis Divina Satyricon or a non-electronic Thorns.

2 of my faves:
The Konsortium - Under The Black Flag http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN49M1odfgw
The Konsortium - Tesla http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNdtUsM2 ... re=related

[soundcurve]

So...I swore I'd never join facebook, but then totally caved after the cruise and joined so I could see everyone's pix and stuff....and fyi, I'm keeping it just for music friends.

So, I noticed recently that one of my fb friends is friends with Kristoffer Rygg - aka "Garm" of Ulver!! So, I thought what the hell, I'll send him a friend request. I've sent requests to a few other musicians and got no response, so didn't expect anything. Well, he accepted my friend request today - woohoo! I don't know why this thrills me so much - he's got over 3,000 "friends" (guess it's kind of a quiet day for me ), but I am so crazy about this man and his music - so brilliant imo. I really need to squeeze Ulver into my top 10 bands I can't live without" list somewhere.

...also...still working on my HITS/Bergen write-up - big wall-o-text and pictures it will be!

Hopefully it is the real him. I avoid FB though it is a great resource when I am doing a investigation. Oh how people cry for privacy but put so much out there. "But I made my FB private" . . . okay

If you are putting a lot of work into your HITS write up maybe a web zine / metal site would dig it too. Glad you had fun!

[shaneos]

I just found this track from a band called Botanist. You'd have to say it lands firmly in the avaunt-garde area of Black Metal seeing as it's one man performing on a hammered dulcimer.

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlaye ... =140123775

[Egokrusher]

I just found this track from a band called Botanist. You'd have to say it lands firmly in the avaunt-garde area of Black Metal seeing as it's one man performing on a hammered dulcimer.

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlaye ... =140123775

I love odd instruments in black metal. Den Saakaldte and Solefald's use of the saxophone is brilliant. I've heard of Botanist before, but never checked them out. I'll admit the first time I seen the band name, I immediately thought of this marijuana culture subgenre that's popping up in metal. (Weedeater, Cannabis Corpse, Bongzilla, etc).

[WizardBeast]

I just found this track from a band called Botanist. You'd have to say it lands firmly in the avaunt-garde area of Black Metal seeing as it's one man performing on a hammered dulcimer.

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlaye ... =140123775

I love odd instruments in black metal. Den Saakaldte and Solefald's use of the saxophone is brilliant. I've heard of Botanist before, but never checked them out. I'll admit the first time I seen the band name, I immediately thought of this marijuana culture subgenre that's popping up in metal. (Weedeater, Cannabis Corpse, Bongzilla, etc).

that's pretty awesome, i dig it. very haunting. could use some bass guitar though (i guess that wouldnt be very black metal but it would round out the music nicely)

[Laura]

So...I swore I'd never join facebook, but then totally caved after the cruise and joined so I could see everyone's pix and stuff....and fyi, I'm keeping it just for music friends.

So, I noticed recently that one of my fb friends is friends with Kristoffer Rygg - aka "Garm" of Ulver!! So, I thought what the hell, I'll send him a friend request. I've sent requests to a few other musicians and got no response, so didn't expect anything. Well, he accepted my friend request today - woohoo! I don't know why this thrills me so much - he's got over 3,000 "friends" (guess it's kind of a quiet day for me ), but I am so crazy about this man and his music - so brilliant imo. I really need to squeeze Ulver into my top 10 bands I can't live without" list somewhere.

...also...still working on my HITS/Bergen write-up - big wall-o-text and pictures it will be!

Hopefully it is the real him. I avoid FB though it is a great resource when I am doing a investigation. Oh how people cry for privacy but put so much out there. "But I made my FB private" . . . okay

If you are putting a lot of work into your HITS write up maybe a web zine / metal site would dig it too. Glad you had fun!

I know what you mean about questioning the "realness" of Garm's fb page - in this case, I do think it is the real him though, mainly because of some of the pictures and postings. Although, of course I could be wrong.

Regarding the write-up, it has actually turned into something more elaborate and complicated than I originally planned on doing and evolved into being about the whole trip, random thoughts, etc. I'm writing that just for me and won't be publishing or posting that anywhere - I'll probably end up culling parts of the HITS sections and put that on the HITS thread... but, lol - it's a work in progress. I will say this though - Bergen and the surrounding areas are...for lack of a better word....pretty damn magical. Considering Bergen is relatively small (population around 262,000), there are some really fantastic museums there as well and I went to several. So, the combination of doing a lot of sightseeing of "beautiful things" (art, buildings, historical artifacts, flowers, scenery) during the day and then seeing four nights of extreme metal bands was really cool; in other words, the juxtaposition was striking! Loved it. Here's a random selection of a few of my pictures (took about 450 in all) that hopefully give an idea what I'm talking about.

View of Bergen from atop Mount Fløyen (love the fact that both a metalhead and family group are in the picture!)


Near the university...(saw so many beautiful flowers in Bergen)


Finnish black metal band Archgoat at the Garage venue (only holds about 250 people) on August 24th (I did not take this pic - took it off someone's public flickr page - my picture is really blurry ) I think Archgoat is perhaps the most intense concert experience I've ever had - I was right in front of this guy for the whole set (I think this is Ritual Butcherer - one of the guys who apparently is a practicing Satanist ) - VERY over the top...and awesome!


Crucifix in the Bergen Museum (Cultural History Collections) http://bergenmuseum.uib.no/english/dks_e.php - they had a fantastic Christian art collection - I'm not religious, but I do love a lot of Christian art and architecture!


The rebuilt Fantoft Stave Church (the one that Varg burned down in 1992) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantoft_Stave_Church - I absolutely love these buildings - spent a lot of time there.


Swedish black metal band Nifelheim at the USF venue (holds about 2,000 I was told) on August 26th - omg - the expressions on these guys faces were priceless!!! Great perfornance! I only have one of their albums - Envoy of Lucifer - like it a lot and plan to buy more of their music.


The harbor area near the hotel where I stayed


Skulls at the Bryggen's Museum http://www.bymuseet.no/?vis=77&spr=ena


Primordial at the USF venue on August 26th - one of my top five favorite performances of the whole festival - Alan is incredible! (yet another of my famously bad indoor gig photos! )


Saw so much interesting vernacular architecture - love this street name - Strangebakken


Totally makes me think of the Led Zeppelin song "Misty Mountain Hop" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4jUy2FJW_w So I'm packing my bags for the Misty Mountains where the spirits go now, over the hills where the spirits fly.


Mayhem at the USF venue on August 27th - they totally kicked ass and I am DEFINITELY going to see them in Chicago in November! The huge upside Norwegian flags were so cool - hope they bring those for the US tour!


One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen - Gudvangen (took a 12 hour excursion on my last day, August 29th into the fjords and countryside around Bergen)

[Goddess of Metal]

One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen - Gudvangen (took a 12 hour excursion on my last day, August 29th into the fjords and countryside around Bergen)

So jealous! Your trip sounds and looks like it was amazing.

[MadameLePink]

Beautiful pictures, Laura! I can't believe that I've been living in Scandinavia for 17 years (anniversary today!) and I've never been to Norway

[EvilDan]

Regarding the write-up, it has actually turned into something more elaborate and complicated than I originally planned on doing and evolved into being about the whole trip, random thoughts, etc. I'm writing that just for me and won't be publishing or posting that anywhere - I'll probably end up culling parts of the HITS sections and put that on the HITS thread... but, lol - it's a work in progress. I will say this though - Bergen and the surrounding areas are...for lack of a better word....pretty damn magical. Considering Bergen is relatively small (population around 262,000), there are some really fantastic museums there as well and I went to several. So, the combination of doing a lot of sightseeing of "beautiful things" (art, buildings, historical artifacts, flowers, scenery) during the day and then seeing four nights of extreme metal bands was really cool; in other words, the juxtaposition was striking! Loved it. Here's a random selection of a few of my pictures (took about 450 in all) that hopefully give an idea what I'm talking about.

Sounds and looks amazing. So envious.

[shaneos]

So I've been going back and scanning through NPR's Blackened music series. I haven't checked this out for a while and there's a few gems I'd missed. The focus is primarily on US based bands but certainly not exclusive to. I'd posted a link to Botanist earlier in this thread.

Starting with my fav, Agalloch live in NYC: http://www.npr.org/2011/04/04/134822512 ... in-concert

Here's Minneapolis based FALSE. Operatic Black Metal: http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2011/ ... hen-scream

Wolves in the Throne Room: http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2011/ ... ocessional

Nader Sadek: http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2011/ ... decay#more

A preview of MDF, the Movie II which includes a live clip from Portal: http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2011/ ... -deathfest

[KevinP]

Nader Sadek: http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2011/ ... decay#more

FYI, Nader Sadek is death metal, pure and simple. Nothing black metal about it. Just saying

[shaneos]

Nader Sadek: http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2011/ ... decay#more

FYI, Nader Sadek is death metal, pure and simple. Nothing black metal about it. Just saying

Oh I agree. I probably could have started a new thread on the NPR series itself. I was just grabbing links and throwing them in the post.

[mooyagi]

Awesome pics Laura! I am incredibly jealous of your trip.

[KDibildeaux]

So...I swore I'd never join facebook, but then totally caved after the cruise and joined so I could see everyone's pix and stuff....and fyi, I'm keeping it just for music friends.

So, I noticed recently that one of my fb friends is friends with Kristoffer Rygg - aka "Garm" of Ulver!! So, I thought what the hell, I'll send him a friend request. I've sent requests to a few other musicians and got no response, so didn't expect anything. Well, he accepted my friend request today - woohoo! I don't know why this thrills me so much - he's got over 3,000 "friends" (guess it's kind of a quiet day for me ), but I am so crazy about this man and his music - so brilliant imo. I really need to squeeze Ulver into my top 10 bands I can't live without" list somewhere.

...also...still working on my HITS/Bergen write-up - big wall-o-text and pictures it will be!

Hopefully it is the real him. I avoid FB though it is a great resource when I am doing a investigation. Oh how people cry for privacy but put so much out there. "But I made my FB private" . . . okay

If you are putting a lot of work into your HITS write up maybe a web zine / metal site would dig it too. Glad you had fun!

I know what you mean about questioning the "realness" of Garm's fb page - in this case, I do think it is the real him though, mainly because of some of the pictures and postings. Although, of course I could be wrong.

Regarding the write-up, it has actually turned into something more elaborate and complicated than I originally planned on doing and evolved into being about the whole trip, random thoughts, etc. I'm writing that just for me and won't be publishing or posting that anywhere - I'll probably end up culling parts of the HITS sections and put that on the HITS thread... but, lol - it's a work in progress. I will say this though - Bergen and the surrounding areas are...for lack of a better word....pretty damn magical. Considering Bergen is relatively small (population around 262,000), there are some really fantastic museums there as well and I went to several. So, the combination of doing a lot of sightseeing of "beautiful things" (art, buildings, historical artifacts, flowers, scenery) during the day and then seeing four nights of extreme metal bands was really cool; in other words, the juxtaposition was striking! Loved it. Here's a random selection of a few of my pictures (took about 450 in all) that hopefully give an idea what I'm talking about.

View of Bergen from atop Mount Fløyen (love the fact that both a metalhead and family group are in the picture!)


Near the university...(saw so many beautiful flowers in Bergen)


Finnish black metal band Archgoat at the Garage venue (only holds about 250 people) on August 24th (I did not take this pic - took it off someone's public flickr page - my picture is really blurry ) I think Archgoat is perhaps the most intense concert experience I've ever had - I was right in front of this guy for the whole set (I think this is Ritual Butcherer - one of the guys who apparently is a practicing Satanist ) - VERY over the top...and awesome!


Crucifix in the Bergen Museum (Cultural History Collections) http://bergenmuseum.uib.no/english/dks_e.php - they had a fantastic Christian art collection - I'm not religious, but I do love a lot of Christian art and architecture!


The rebuilt Fantoft Stave Church (the one that Varg burned down in 1992) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantoft_Stave_Church - I absolutely love these buildings - spent a lot of time there.


Swedish black metal band Nifelheim at the USF venue (holds about 2,000 I was told) on August 26th - omg - the expressions on these guys faces were priceless!!! Great perfornance! I only have one of their albums - Envoy of Lucifer - like it a lot and plan to buy more of their music.


The harbor area near the hotel where I stayed


Skulls at the Bryggen's Museum http://www.bymuseet.no/?vis=77&spr=ena


Primordial at the USF venue on August 26th - one of my top five favorite performances of the whole festival - Alan is incredible! (yet another of my famously bad indoor gig photos! )


Saw so much interesting vernacular architecture - love this street name - Strangebakken


Totally makes me think of the Led Zeppelin song "Misty Mountain Hop" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4jUy2FJW_w So I'm packing my bags for the Misty Mountains where the spirits go now, over the hills where the spirits fly.


Mayhem at the USF venue on August 27th - they totally kicked ass and I am DEFINITELY going to see them in Chicago in November! The huge upside Norwegian flags were so cool - hope they bring those for the US tour!


One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen - Gudvangen (took a 12 hour excursion on my last day, August 29th into the fjords and countryside around Bergen)

Wow! loooooooooooooooove all of these!

[mooyagi]

Thanks for making me scroll down really far to see what you wrote, Kate

[KDibildeaux]

Thanks for making me scroll down really far to see what you wrote, Kate

You're welcome! anytime

[soundcurve]

Lifelover



Another BM death? http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... mID=163146

Never knew the band but I do think this song has some katatonia-early-goodness that I dig. Might scope the album as it seems like some decent depressive BM minus the vocals (early anathema).

Have a sample:
Cancertid - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPKd8GEfTPI
Narcotic Devotion - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_S7jlcAes4

A drink to "narcotic metal" (don't know wtf that is )

[Laura]

Beautiful pictures, Laura! I can't believe that I've been living in Scandinavia for 17 years (anniversary today!) and I've never been to Norway

Thanks Laura and to everyone who commented on the pictures. Yes, you should go to Norway! I've been to the two largest cities now - Oslo for nearly a week last summer and now Bergen for a week this summer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:L ... _of_Norway) It's amazing to me what a small population the whole country has - under 5 million - way smaller than the Chicago metro area! It is such an interesting country historically and of course very beautiful. I only spent one day on that excursion that went into the fjords and surrounding areas like gorgeous Gudvangen - if and when I go back to Norway, I would really like to do more of that, since I pretty much saw and did everything I wanted to in Oslo and Bergen.

Cancertid - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPKd8GEfTPI

I like this from Lifelover - that mask on that guy is creepy though - looks serial-killerish.

[Metalwrath]

ANybody recognise this black metal band?

[Stained Class]

ANybody recognise this black metal band?

Is it Kiss?

[soundcurve]

ANybody recognise this black metal band?

No, but I can tell you who they are by the image name.

http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Bloodbound/54764

[KevinP]

Archgoat, surprised anyone finds it even "listenable". I remember having the

and it was putrid even in 1993 (besides the goofy cover art). I can only imagine how bad it would sound now.

Never listened to anything after that. And they are playing MDF, so I might end up seeing them.

Strike that last comment. I just tried to listen to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0OQgduEkYE and I can't.

Maybe I'll check them out for shits and giggles if their live show is funny enough

And I throw Archgoat into the same boat as Beherit - the worst produced and played black metal around that people GAVE credit to, because they were somehow "cool" when they came out (ie - not being from Norway, it was like an exotic dish. It still sucked, but you eat it because it's different)

[soundcurve]

Strike that last comment. I just tried to listen to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0OQgduEkYE and I can't.

I don't know man, sounds a lot like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM7UGhF42tc

[KevinP]

Strike that last comment. I just tried to listen to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0OQgduEkYE and I can't.

I don't know man, sounds a lot like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM7UGhF42tc

Incantation while far from being a band I love, had like a zillion times better production and sound. BM for the most part just ain't my thing. It was trying to differentiate itself from death metal in the early 90's, and most of the bands sounded like utter shite with god awful production. So that tainted me for a long time and helped me ignore alot of the stuff that turned the scene around in the mid to later 90's. Still find most of it hard to listen to, except for the avante garde stuff like Negura and Sear Bliss.

[Laura]

Archgoat, surprised anyone finds it even "listenable"....blah, blah, blah...

Well, as we often say around these parts, Mr. P. - TEHO! I had listened to a bunch of Archgoat before seeing them in Bergen (my favorite song of what I've heard is Whore of Bethlehem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q45CP5qJfnI - love this), and read a fair bit about them as well - intriguing. I give their live gig I saw a 10 out of 10 - definitely on a total experience level. It was the first full day of my trip; I had a fantastic day at - not one - but three (!) art museums (actually three separate buildings that comprise the Bergen Kunstmuseum complex http://www.kunstmuseene.no/Default.asp? ... useum&sp=2 - it was a rainy day, so perfect for museum going)...but, when night time hit... I descended into the fairly divey basement of a bar/club in Bergen called The Garage for the first night of the Hole in the Sky festival. The basement only holds around 250 people - it was packed - it was hot as hell in there (ha - maybe I was in hell? ), drinks were flowing, lots of crazy headbanging fans (majority Scandinavian from what I could tell); paint, spikes and (what looked like real) blood of some sort on the Archgoat guys (and as I've said before, I really dig this kinda thing, and yes, I know most people probably consider that strange ), theatrical performance, and last and most important - super loud & heavy music (it is amazing to me I have zero hearing loss considering I've never worn earplugs of any kind all my years of concert going).

So, in short, I loved experiencing Archgoat in that setting - I was totally into it! I was right in front the whole time as well and the stage is only a foot or two off the floor so it made one really feel a part of it all. Total sensory overload on every level. Chalk up yet another freaky peak experience in my book.

More pix from that August 24th gig from a guy's public flickr page

[KevinP]

I had listened to a bunch of Archgoat before seeing them in Bergen (my favorite song of what I've heard is Whore of Bethlehem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q45CP5qJfnI - love this)

Still makes me stratch my head how you enjoy that. I would hardly even classify it as music, it's so poorly produced/played/constructed. For someone with such diverse tastes I would think you would laugh at the mere sound of this (which I do ). I can understand Marduk, Emperor, Enslaved, and those types.

Obviously TEHO, so whatever wets your willy

[EvilDan]

paint, spikes and (what looked like real) blood of some sort on the Archgoat guys (and as I've said before, I really dig this kinda thing, and yes, I know most people probably consider that strange )

If my Watain experience is anything to go by, you would easily be able to smell if it was real blood.

[Laura]

I had listened to a bunch of Archgoat before seeing them in Bergen (my favorite song of what I've heard is Whore of Bethlehem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q45CP5qJfnI - love this)

Still makes me stratch my head how you enjoy that. I would hardly even classify it as music, it's so poorly produced/played/constructed. For someone with such diverse tastes I would think you would laugh at the mere sound of this (which I do ). I can understand Marduk, Emperor, Enslaved, and those types.

Obviously TEHO, so whatever wets your willy

Whether it is or isn't "poorly produced/played/constructed" isn't really important to me in this case - maybe I like it because it has a raw, rough-hewn, primal sound? That's probably it...but what I know for sure is that I like it. The Ramones, for example, could barely play their instruments when they started out, but that didn't take away from the fact that their music appealed to a lot of people (including me) for a variety of reasons. On the extreme other end, some of my favorite music is super overwrought (in a good way ), complex, layered and highly produced (for example, the albums Tales of Topographical Oceans or Relayer by Yes - Gates of Delirium from Relayer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bokts36Snws ). That reminds me of a great conversation about music I had with a Norwegian guy the last night of HITS - everything from why black metal became so big in a seemingly (to me) idyllic place like Norway to highly produced vs. tribal type music to the future of music. He was the one who made me realize who Wardruna is (he's a big fan). I posted this on the "new bands" thread but it's probably appropriate here as well since Gaahl is part of the group.

WARDRUNA

Unfortunately, I "discovered" them too late! They played in a theater in Bergen during one afternoon of the Hole in the Sky week. Before I went, I had decided I wasn't going to go to the few daytime gigs since I was already going to 6-8 hours every night for four nights and there were many other things I wanted to do during the days. Well, if I had REALIZED who Wardruna is, I would have gone! It is an unusual musical project of Kvifrafn, Lindy Fay Hella, and GAAHL.

from the website...
Sowing New Seeds, Strengthening Old Roots
Wardruna is a Norwegian musical constellation set out to explore and evoke the depths of Norse wisdom and spirituality. Musically Wardruna has its main focus on the cultic musical language found in the near-forgotten arts of galder, seidr and the daily acts of the cultic life, mixed with impulses from Norwegian / Nordic folk music and music from other indigenous cultures.

Here they are performing at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo (where I've been - very )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKMDcTnezvU

and another....Kauna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOabYzPuErI

I love this kinda stuff - for many years I listened almost exclusively to the kind of music they play on: http://www.starstreams.com/ and Wardruna reminds me of some of what they play there.

paint, spikes and (what looked like real) blood of some sort on the Archgoat guys (and as I've said before, I really dig this kinda thing, and yes, I know most people probably consider that strange )

If my Watain experience is anything to go by, you would easily be able to smell if it was real blood.

From what I've heard of the Watain gigs, it sounds like the smell is more from the rotting animal carcasses (big yuck!), than just plain blood. If someone had a relatively small amount of real blood smeared on their body or face (like the Archgoat guys), I don't think that would necessarily smell bad or smell much at all. And regarding the Watain gigs, I passed on the one in Chicago because of what I had heard about the stench. I might enjoy sensory overload, but when it comes to smell, only of a good kind! (especially since my sense of smell is highly sensitive)

[mooyagi]

paint, spikes and (what looked like real) blood of some sort on the Archgoat guys (and as I've said before, I really dig this kinda thing, and yes, I know most people probably consider that strange )

If my Watain experience is anything to go by, you would easily be able to smell if it was real blood.

From what I've heard of the Watain gigs, it sounds like the smell is more from the rotting animal carcasses (big yuck!), than just plain blood. If someone had a relatively small amount of real blood smeared on their body or face (like the Archgoat guys), I don't think that would necessarily smell bad or smell much at all. And regarding the Watain gigs, I passed on the one in Chicago because of what I had heard about the stench. I might enjoy sensory overload, but when it comes to smell, only of a good kind! (especially since my sense of smell is highly sensitive)

The smell was pretty bad when I saw Watain but damn that was a good show. Can you imagine what their tour bus must smell like? I wouldn't be surprised if they set their clothes over the meat while traveling to make those stink too.

[Egokrusher]

From what I've heard of the Watain gigs, it sounds like the smell is more from the rotting animal carcasses (big yuck!), than just plain blood. If someone had a relatively small amount of real blood smeared on their body or face (like the Archgoat guys), I don't think that would necessarily smell bad or smell much at all. And regarding the Watain gigs, I passed on the one in Chicago because of what I had heard about the stench. I might enjoy sensory overload, but when it comes to smell, only of a good kind! (especially since my sense of smell is highly sensitive)

I've been to my fair share of crust/punk/d-beat shows in my day, and if I can smell rotting human (that's still alive) and tolerate it, I think I could handle a rotting carcass stench. Hell, in this rural area, you smell it quite often (both actually). I'd love to see Watain, but they, like so many bands, play dates close to me at the most inopportune times. Nothing major has come to Huntington, WV in a long, long time. This place used to get loads of shows. Dissection, Morbid Angel, Gwar, Immolation, Nile, Dying Fetus, The Faceless, Napalm Death, etc. Hell, I watched the Black Dahlia Murder and The Red Chord in the YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) before anyone, myself included, knew who they were. I think there were about 20 people there. Anyway, I'm rambling. I'd bear the stench to see Watain, just drink a lot of Jäger and stand in the back. I bet most Watain fans hope for shows that are open air.

The best live black metal act I've ever seen would have to be Wolves in the Throne Room. Dimmed all the lights, lit about 40 candles, and rocked a fog machine. Cheesy, yes, but in that atmosphere, it was bad ass. The $2.50 24 oz cans of PBR helped too.

[Laura]

From what I've heard of the Watain gigs, it sounds like the smell is more from the rotting animal carcasses (big yuck!), than just plain blood. If someone had a relatively small amount of real blood smeared on their body or face (like the Archgoat guys), I don't think that would necessarily smell bad or smell much at all. And regarding the Watain gigs, I passed on the one in Chicago because of what I had heard about the stench. I might enjoy sensory overload, but when it comes to smell, only of a good kind! (especially since my sense of smell is highly sensitive)

I've been to my fair share of crust/punk/d-beat shows in my day, and if I can smell rotting human (that's still alive) and tolerate it, I think I could handle a rotting carcass stench. Hell, in this rural area, you smell it quite often (both actually). I'd love to see Watain, but they, like so many bands, play dates close to me at the most inopportune times. Nothing major has come to Huntington, WV in a long, long time. This place used to get loads of shows. Dissection, Morbid Angel, Gwar, Immolation, Nile, Dying Fetus, The Faceless, Napalm Death, etc. Hell, I watched the Black Dahlia Murder and The Red Chord in the YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) before anyone, myself included, knew who they were. I think there were about 20 people there. Anyway, I'm rambling. I'd bear the stench to see Watain, just drink a lot of Jäger and stand in the back. I bet most Watain fans hope for shows that are open air.

The best live black metal act I've ever seen would have to be Wolves in the Throne Room. Dimmed all the lights, lit about 40 candles, and rocked a fog machine. Cheesy, yes, but in that atmosphere, it was bad ass. The $2.50 24 oz cans of PBR helped too.

rotting human....? huh? Re: rotting carcass stinky at a Watain gig or anywhere else for that matter? I still say no dice to that.

Cool you saw Wolves in the Throne Room - I only have the EP Malevolent Grain which I like and have listened to a bit more online. They were just here in Chicago at Reggie's a few weeks ago but I missed it. I have the opposite problem you have where you live - there are waaaay more music events of all kinds that I would like to go to but can't for this or that reason. I don't think your description sounds cheesy at all - sounds really cool. Agalloch at Reggie's last spring was similar - no candles, but major fog plus some kind of incense. That was an incredible show!!! I've said this several times before - but Agalloch on the ship's pool deck on an after midnight time slot with REAL fog rolling in would be be unbelievably great.

And cheers to cheap PBR. Ha - I think I surprised Bentz! that I actually paid $6.00 for a few Blue Moons at Reggie's on Sunday before I switched to PBR. Speaking of beer prices, the cheapest drink you could order at the two Hole in the Sky venues was a draft beer called Hansa - I can't remember what the Kroner amount was at the moment, but I've got my credit card account open in another window and I'm looking at one of the charges from the USF venue and this is what the USD conversion turned out to be for ONE BEER (argh):
08/27/2011 USF VERFTET $11.05

[Egokrusher]

rotting human....? huh? Re: rotting carcass stinky at a Watain gig or anywhere else for that matter? I still say no dice to that.

Cool you saw Wolves in the Throne Room - I only have the EP Malevolent Grain which I like and have listened to a bit more online. They were just here in Chicago at Reggie's a few weeks ago but I missed it. I have the opposite problem you have where you live - there are waaaay more music events of all kinds that I would like to go to but can't for this or that reason. I don't think your description sounds cheesy at all - sounds really cool. Agalloch at Reggie's last spring was similar - no candles, but major fog plus some kind of incense. That was an incredible show!!! I've said this several times before - but Agalloch on the ship's pool deck on an after midnight time slot with REAL fog rolling in would be be unbelievably great.

And cheers to cheap PBR. Ha - I think I surprised Bentz! that I actually paid $6.00 for a few Blue Moons at Reggie's on Sunday before I switched to PBR. Speaking of beer prices, the cheapest drink you could order at the two Hole in the Sky venues was a draft beer called Hansa - I can't remember what the Kroner amount was at the moment, but I've got my credit card account open in another window and I'm looking at one of the charges from the USF venue and this is what the USD conversion turned out to be for ONE BEER (argh):
08/27/2011 USF VERFTET $11.05

Agalloch and ocean fog would, hands down, be the best experience ever. EVER. And rotting human.. you know, the punks that think weeks and weeks of not cleaning themselves or their clothing is somehow revolutionary. Deviated Instinct didn't get the label "stenchcore" for nothing. It's the smell of wet bum, mixed with tobacco spit, alcohol, and body odor(s). Nauseating to say the least. We have four cats here and they're always leaving us gifts behind the doorstep. Sometimes you don't see them until you can smell them, and even that I would prefer to the odor these people emit.

That's a whole bunch of money for one beer. I think the most I've ever paid for a beer is $9. It was a pint of Stella at some pizza joint in Minneapolis. Though I have paid high dollar for specialty imports, but I don't think that qualifies. I've been eyeballing Chimay for quite some time but haven't been able to bring myself to pay $15 for a four pack. Might have to do it anyway. Every beer I've ever had from Belgium has been amazing, and considering it's brewed by Trappist monks, it should be great quality.

I want more black metal on the boat! Specifically, Carpathian Forest. Especially if they're as ridiculous as I expect them to be. Music is great, and in the end, that's all I really give a damn about. I still question whether they want to be taken serious or if it's tongue in cheek. This is definitely black metal to get drunk to.

Carpathian Forest - "Sadomasochistic" taken from the We're Going To Hollywood For This DVD.
http://youtu.be/QBgvQ360lnY

"He's Turning Blue"
http://youtu.be/eSrQPXCk7V4

"Ghoul" Mayhem cover.
http://youtu.be/s-r2e5v3jRc

[EvilDan]

From what I've heard of the Watain gigs, it sounds like the smell is more from the rotting animal carcasses (big yuck!), than just plain blood. If someone had a relatively small amount of real blood smeared on their body or face (like the Archgoat guys), I don't think that would necessarily smell bad or smell much at all. And regarding the Watain gigs, I passed on the one in Chicago because of what I had heard about the stench. I might enjoy sensory overload, but when it comes to smell, only of a good kind! (especially since my sense of smell is highly sensitive)

I also have a very weak gag reflex. The smell was atrocious, so i stayed at the door where I could get immediate fresh air. Some people brought stuff that they wiped under their noses (like coroners or medical examiners do in tv and movies). However, it was a pretty intense scene. I totally understand how some of the people equated it with a religious... strike that... spiritual experience.