Let's cut to the chase. Black Metal has always been seen as malevolent music with satanistic ideals, a culture shrouded in darkness and feared and misunderstood by anyone outside the scene. The music's extreme noise and menacing lyrics make it a particular taste for one might say, the 'outcasts' of society. However, when you have 40, 000 people at the Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany loving every minute of Nocturno Culto fronting Satyricon for a set of Darkthrone classics, it would appear Black Metal is stepping out of the shadows. Is this new found mass popularity good for the credibility of perhaps the most sinister, anti-social musical genre of all?
Black Metal originated back in the 80s, taking influences from punk and general distortion. The extremity of Newcastle three-piece Venom was undoubtedly the starting point of the Black Metal scene. Bands like Celtic Frost and Bathory paved the way for heavyweights like Darkthrone, Mayhem and Burzum to control the freshly-emerged Black Metal scene. The scene would be forever scarred when Euronymous of Mayhem and Burzum mastermind Varg's dispute ended in the latter brutally murdering scene legend Euronymous, resulting in a long stretch for Varg and a pioneer lost. This, along with Varg's church burning helped give Black Metal the satanic and evil image it maintains today.
"Yes, we have declared WAR... today 'death' metal is something normal, accepted and funny (argh) and we HATE it." Euronymous, 'Orcustus' fanzine, 1992
Euronymous' statement illustrates Black Metal's detestation of essentially all aggressive based musical art forms. This changed artists' ways of thinking in the way that they began to artistically restrict themselves to Black Metal, keeping away from Death Metal. This was because of the manner the scene was viewed. The atmosphere that the music created was the bands focus, not exhibiting long thrash-like guitar solos they despised. The popularity of Black Metal continued to grow with bands like Satyricon, Immortal and Emperor selling oodles of records to an obsessed fan base. The scene has continued to grow to the point where one half of Darkthrone, Nocturno Culto, is fronting Satyricon in front of a crowd of 40, 000. How has a scene so autonomous of any other musical art form become so commercialised? Black Metal's credibility has been thrown into question, due to some bands craving overground success.
An interview with Nocturno Culto and Fenriz of Darkthrone in Terrorizer magazine issue #134 revealed the reason behind Culto's appearance at Wacken 2004. Fenriz is quoted as saying 'It disgusts me to see 40, 000 people watching a black metal concert and enjoying themselves'. He also states that he agreed for Culto to play Wacken because he 'doesn't have many chances to perform'. They articulate they don't like to tour furthermore. In my opinion, it is a bands' own decision whether or not they go on tour or decide to play a festival. The bands themselves however sourly view the commercialisation of Black Metal. They want Black Metal to remain independent and amongst the shadows. With thousands of people involved in Black Metal culture, in terms of supply and demand bands need to play the occasional big show to provide for their fans. Certain bands decide against shows and tours because they want to remain underground and maintain their integrity. Underground bands avoid commercialism for this reason. I believe this maintains Black Metal's independent reputation by staying underground; bands are essentially remaining in the shadows through anti-commercial choice.
An integral part of the Norwergian Black Metal scene, Satyricon committed an unwritten sin by signing a major label record deal with Capitol Records. By exclaiming that Capitol chose to sign his band instead of others because Satyricon are more credible and established, frontman Satyr turned the situation around. They make controversial decisions reasonable, and maintain their status by still producing music that is very much Black Metal.
As with all art, Black Metal is an opinionated scene. Ultimately, who decides whether or not a band is still credible: the artists themselves or the fans? The scene and cultural seems to determine itself in this situation. The two sides of the equation can be contrasted, however if the audience thinks a band 'sold out', the band lose their credibility amongst the culture. The bands decision though could have been based on factors other than financial reward, like the opportunity to use better equipment for example. The popularity of the Black Metal scene from the fans perspective should not damage artists' credibility. It is a known fact that trends shift, and overtime Black Metal has become more appealing to a larger, yet not mass audience. The culture has evolved and achieved a higher level of popularity, and there is no damage in that. Artists may wish to remain in the shadows, but when so many people are looking for you, where can you hide?
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