The difference, in figures
Black metal is slightly more melodic (+2), slightly heavier (+1) and slightly faster (+1) than Raw black metal. It emerged in 1982, 11 years before Raw black metal in 1993. Black metal is what Raw black metal descends from, 1 level up.
Raw black metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Black metal › Raw black metal
In short
Lo-fi production taken to the extreme, often recorded straight to tape. The noise is part of the composition.
How it sounds
- Recorded to cassette or with minimal equipment, saturation and hiss included.
- Guitars with almost no midrange, sometimes indistinguishable from the background.
- Simple, repetitive compositions with total emphasis on atmosphere.
Key acts
- Ildjarn
- Mütiilation
- Bone Awl
Start here
The pickIldjarn - Forest Poetry. Minimalism taken all the way.
Full page →Black metal
Where it sits
In short
Tremolo picking, blast beats, shrieked vocals and deliberately cold production. More an aesthetic than a technique - atmosphere matters more than clean sound.
How it sounds
- Tremolo picking on open fifth voicings, with vocals in the high register.
- Deliberately thin, cold production - the missing bass is an aesthetic choice, not an accident.
- Fast blast beats, drums often mixed back, atmosphere placed above technique.
Key acts
- Bathory
- Mayhem
- Darkthrone
- Emperor
Start here
The pickDarkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky. The production is intentional, not a flaw.
Full page →