Darkthrone is a Norwegian extreme metal band from Kolbotn, Akershus. Formed in 1986 as a death metal band named Black Death, in 1991 Darkthrone embraced a black metal style influenced by Bathory and Celtic Frost and became one of the leading bands in the Norwegian black metal scene.
Averse Sefira was a black metal band from Austin, Texas.
Beherit is a black metal band from Finland. The band was formed in 1989 by Nuclear Holocausto, Black Jesus and Sodomatic Slaughter, with the purpose of performing "the most primitive, savage, hell-obsessed black metal imaginable". "Beherit" is the Syriac word for Satan. Through the uncommercial nature of their music, visuals, and live performances, the band quickly attracted a cult following. Besides the "raw" sound, the band's music is noted for its avant-garde side and emphasis on atmosphere. Beherit are now regarded as a pioneer in their genre.
Primordial are an Irish extreme metal band from Skerries, County Dublin. The band was formed in 1987 by bassist Pól MacAmhlaigh and guitarist Ciarán MacUiliam. Their sound blends black metal and doom metal with Celtic music.
Celestia was a French black metal band from Avignon, formed in 1995 by Noktu. Noktu was the only consistent member of the band. Celestia disbanded in 2015.
Absurd is a German National Socialist black metal band, and has been classified as a "right-wing extremist" group by the Thuringian Landesbehörde für Verfassungsschutz.
Yob is an American doom metal band from Eugene, Oregon, composed of singer/guitarist Mike Scheidt, bassist Aaron Rieseberg, and drummer Travis Foster. Their most recent album Our Raw Heart was released in June 2018.
ZP De Villiers Theart is a South African singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist for the American glam metal band Skid Row. Theart first garnered attention as the original singer of British power metal band DragonForce. Theart was also hired by Riot Games for the voice of Karthus in the songs "Deathfire Grasp" and "Last Whisper" by the metal band Pentakill.
Abruptum is a Swedish black metal and dark ambient solo side-project band. It is run by Evil of Marduk, but the band was formed in 1989 by IT. All, Ext and Evil joined the band later. IT was one of the leaders of the True Satanist Horde, part of the Swedish Black metal scene. Euronymous, co-founder of Mayhem and founder of Deathlike Silence Productions, described Abruptum as "the audial essence of pure black evil".
Sonic Syndicate is a Swedish metalcore band from Falkenberg. They were formerly influenced by Swedish melodic death metal bands such as In Flames and Soilwork and American metalcore bands like Killswitch Engage and All That Remains.
Von is an American black metal band formed in 1987 in O'ahu, Hawaii; although they later relocated to San Francisco, California. They are thought to be the first American black metal band, and strongly influenced the second wave of black metal.
Hate Forest is a Ukrainian black metal band formed by Roman Saenko, the leading member of Drudkh, Dark Ages, and Blood of Kingu. Thurios joined the band in 1998 after the recording of Scythia. The music is mostly very fast, but occasionally slow, with low, distorted vocals, raw low fidelity quality production, programmed drums, and dark ambient elements. Musical influences are mostly from Scandinavian black metal to traditional death metal, especially Bolt Thrower. According to the band, its lyrics are about mythology, mainly Slavic, and inspired by H. P. Lovecraft's stories and Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy. The band never gave interviews, never released photos, and held its distance from the black metal scene. After Hate Forest disbanded, Saenko focused on Blood of Kingu, a band similar in style, but of different inspiration. This project officially came to an end in 2016, but in 2020 released a new album.
Dolorian is a doom metal band from Oulu, Finland. Their early recordings are viewed as prime examples of blackened doom metal. Later recordings mixed dark ambient music with the traditional doom metal style.
Bloodthorn is a Norwegian black metal band from Trondheim.
Harald Nævdal, known by his stage names Demonaz Doom Occulta and Demonaz, is a Norwegian musician best known as the founding guitarist and chief lyricist for the black metal band Immortal.
Soulpreacher is an American progressive doom metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Influenced by Pink Floyd, My Dying Bride, and Anathema, their music focuses on similar themes of isolation and desperation.
Aeternus is a Norwegian blackened death metal band from Bergen, Norway. It was formed in 1993 as an idea of Ronny Hovland, calling himself Ares, and Erik Heggernes, a.k.a. Vrolok. Later in 1996 Nicola Trier, a.k.a. Morrigan, joined the duo as a bass player, forming the core trio that created the band's first two albums. Morrigan also created the logo picture of ravens and axes that still exists as one of the band's trademarks.
Desaster are a German black/thrash metal band formed in Koblenz, Germany in 1988. Their lyrical themes involve war, hate and Satanism.
Azaghal is a Finnish black metal band, currently signed to Moribund Records. They were established in 1995.
Impaler is a Minnesota horror rock band from the Twin Cities. Impaler formed in the spring of 1983 with founding members Bill Lindsey (vocals), Michael James Torok (guitar), "Commander" Court Hawley (bass), Robert "Meaty Bob" Johnson (drums), and Mike Senn (guitar). The band played original songs sprinkled with a few covers by favorite influential bands such as Kiss, Alice Cooper, and Motörhead. Bill Lindsey is the sole continuing member of Impaler, keeping the band alive for over 30 years.
