" @ThePhantomnaut:   Like me some Altar of Plagues. I love this Hvis... era Burzum inspired BM that cropped up with Winterfylleth, Wodensthrone, Wolves In The Throne Room, Liturgy etc. Totally love that minimal atmospheric style of playing. Speaking of Liturgy picked up their last LP (I won't attempt to name it cus I'll misspell it without fail) on vinyl this weekend :) joke or not they make good music. "

Excellent post. Finally someone who knows there are so much more to black metal than the (in)famous bands you always hear of.  
 
A lot of the black metal bands I find myself listening to the most are definitely of the more progressive and experimental side of black metal (Negative Plane, ...And Oceans, Code, Arcturus, Mirrorthrone, Oranssi Pazuzu, etc). Like you said, there's a band for pretty much every mood and feeling.  
 
Here are some other bands that fill a very specific sound or feeling: 
 
Post-punk: Lifelover  
Post-rock: Altar Of Plagues, Líam
Lord of the Rings-nerds: Summoning (Everyone needs to hear this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcZjVX9snHA )
Space is awesome: Darkspace, Limbonic Art
Clasically influenced: Mirrorthrone, Pensées Nocturnes  
Electronica influenced: (newer) ...And Oceans 
Nihilism: Forgotten Tomb 
Psychedelic: A Forest Of Stars, Oranssi Pazuzu 
Japanese crazyness: Sigh 
Avant-garde and orchestral: Le Grand Guignol, Unexpect 
 
I could go on all day!

" @ThePhantomnaut:  Could never get into the Hellhammer/CF/Tryptikon sound personally. It always seems to just plod to me. I'd say Celtic Frost is possibly the most overated band in metal... *cue backlash* "

Just reminded myself that Alex Navarro listens to some black metal (or extreme metal generally), he went to the 1349 and Tryptikon show in SF a while back. Fucking awesome.

never got into black metal. i have to say that to me all metal are the same. to me it's just heavy metal. i guess people tell me that i listen to a lot of nu-metal. i just call it heavy metal.

The ladder is. 
 
I enjoy some Wolves In The Throne Room. I can see the environmentalist view on Altar of Plagues. There is also Gallhammer which is both fucking dirty and Japanese.

Is Candlemass & Gorgoroth Black Metal?

Everytime I listen to black metal stuff I just find it kinda funny. I get why people like it, but I can never take it seriously.

Y'all can probably tell I like black metal by my picture to the left of this text. But honestly, mostly because it's a hilarious joke to me.
When I actually want to listen to something not for the purpose of laughing at it, I listen to viking metal and melodic death metal. Maybe even some symphonic metal?
Black metal usually comes across as amateurish and is often very very badly produced, with few exceptions such as Ragnarok to the left of this text here.

Here's the thing about this genre. ANYTHING is welcome!

Now I will namedrop Burzum and watch the morality issues pile on.
 
Great tunes, but he shot a guy and burnt a church. Also, tunes not that great except for some ambient tracks.

i really love emperor

" I like black metal on occasion.  I have Below the Lights and Maurdraum: Beyond the Within, both by Enslaved on my mp3 player.  I've also heard some people classify Melechesh as black metal, and that's another one I like.  But really, I'm more of a thrash metal kind of guy.  GWAR, Bolt Thrower, that kind of stuff.  To me, the genre of black metal takes itself too seriously.  The bands spend too much time trying to be "brutal", and too little time writing good music. "

I like black metal on occasion.  I have Below the Lights and Maurdraum: Beyond the Within, both by Enslaved on my mp3 player.  I've also heard some people classify Melechesh as black metal, and that's another one I like.  But really, I'm more of a thrash metal kind of guy.  GWAR, Bolt Thrower, that kind of stuff.  To me, the genre of black metal takes itself too seriously.  The bands spend too much time trying to be "brutal", and too little time writing good music.

Dude, you just name checked some seriously good bands. I like it.  You ever listen to Liturgy or Krallice? Great bands.  I am really liking alot of the US black metal like that these days. Less about being dark, more about being kind of transcendental, hypnotic. Real interesting stuff. 
 
Also you should check out Amesoeurs album (self-titled). It is the dude from Alcest in a band with a female singer. Not really black metal, but really unique sound that works well. Like Joy Division mixed with some sort of shoegaze black metal. 
 
Fuck. I hate myself for using so many genre names. Unfortunately I don't know how else to describe a bands sound. Anyway. Good post.

" black metal was cool when I was like 15. The only band I could probably listen to now would be Agolloch, but that's because they did a bunch of acoustic stuff which is far superior "

black metal was cool when I was like 15. The only band I could probably listen to now would be Agolloch, but that's because they did a bunch of acoustic stuff which is far superior

In my mind Ulver defined the sound and then transcended the genre. It's kind of a paradox that you praise this genre for not giving a fuck about the definitions of it's genre.

Black Metal. Arguably the most sub, sub-genre and the most sub of all "main" genres: Heavy Metal. Black Metal is quickly becoming my favourite genre of music. 
 
Right now 3 of my favourite bands reside within the confines of this genre (Wodensthrone, Drudkh and Wolves in The Throne Room) plus a litany of other bands that I personally class as some of the best I've ever heard. EVER! I'm serious here to me, to my ears, Drudkh's debut LP 'Forgotten Legends' stands up there with Led Zeppelin IV and Black Sabbath's Paranoid is terms of sheer musical brilliance. Black Metal band Enslaved are quickly becoming the heir's to Pink Floyd's throne and Darkthrone are one of the most punk bands currently producing music. 
 
How the fuck did this happen?! I always thought Black Metal was what Immortal did in their videos.... ya kno.... stupid! But today as I was in the gym listening to Diadem of 12 Stars by Wolves In The Throne Room it struck me that I wasn't doing a manly thing like kicking a heavy bag or lifting something heavy and stuff... I was lost in the music. There is something about this genre that scratches every itch I have. If I'm pissed off I have Anaal Nathrakh. You want to zone out? I have Alcest or Enslaved for that. Want to feel all patriotic and stuff I pop on Wodensthrone, or Winterfylleth or Forefather! Want to hear something full of sorrow and passion? Ireland's Primordial have you covered there. Wanna punk out? Venom! Darkthrone! (early) Bathory! Wanna have your mind blown by crazy mind blowing melodies and proggy licks? Taake!  Arckanum! Woe! 
 
It's crazy to me that so many attitudes, philosophies and sounds are all found within this extremely niche genre to the point where I feel I could do away with all music that does not fit here and still feel musically fulfilled. Hell even 'I' and channelling Motorhead and Black Sabbath! If you want to find a band that reflects your tastes or outlook on life, chances are they'll be one within Black Metal:
Misanthrope: Anaal Nathrakh.   
Optimist: Alcest.
Self Harmer: Shining.  
Satanist: Gorogoroth.  
Christian: Horde.  
Patriot: Wodensthrone/Primordial et al 
Drug Addict: Blut Aus Nord  
Nursery Rhymes: Ulver
Prog Head: Enslaved 
Nazi Scum Bag: Fuck right off but you can find plenty of nazi or NSBM bands too.... unfortunately.
Folk fan: Drudkh    
Drone fan: (new) Mayhem 
Rock Fan: I
Monty Python fan:  The Meads of Asphodel 
Shit music fan: Dimmu Borgir
 
Here's the thing about this genre. ANYTHING is welcome! It's all about rebellion at heart and the latest batch of bands over the last 10 years or so have spent their time REBELLING AGAINST WHAT BLACK METAL MEANS! Have you ever heard of this in any other genre? Band's intentionally going in a direction that the KNOW will alienate fans because they only care about their own opinion? Many bands have a attitude of "fuck the fans!" THIS IS A GOD SEND! True artists do not care about what anyone thinks of their art. Not the label, and certainly not the general public. True Black Metal* is True Art. You may hate it, but these bands could not care less, because they produce art and art by definition has to be self serving. Black Metal is the realm of true art. Music for music's sake and nothing more. It also happens to be the most diverse and rich genre in existence today.  
 
Black Metal is ugly, beautiful, good and evil. It's a sledgehammer and a rapier. It's an embrace and it's a kick in the teeth. 
 
I love Black Metal. You should too. 
 
* Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir do not fall into this category. Because they are fucking atrocious.