Black Noise
Black noise is a sub-genre born out of both noise and black metal. For the benefit of those unacquainted with both before this site a short history of black metal seems to be in order. Black metal is a form of metal music that originated primarily in Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After a short first wave found in England, Switzerland, Sweden, and various South American countries the second wave of black metal was born and thrived in Norway, Sweden, and parts of the U.S. primarily with smaller outcroppings all over the world. The Norwegian scene was plagued with controversy from church burnings to murder and suicide and such black metal gained popularity and worldwide notoriety. In the most basic of terms that is the essence of black metal, a genre characterized by meditative riffing, screeched vocals, blast beats, and often a very strict aesthetic.
Black noise as a genre has existed in various forms really since the second wave of black metal with Abruptum, a band comprised of various members of the Swedish black metal scene in the 1990s creating hellish black noise. Their sound was firmly rooted in dark ambient and black metal but also showed an interest in power electronics and other areas of extremity in sound. Abruptum is a very unique project not only because their brand of black noise inspired so many others but because at a time of strict genre boundaries they pushed the envelope of sound and mixed genres with seemingly endless creativity. MZ.412 is another early example of black noise, especially with their album Burning the Temple of God. The album in question featured a mixture of industrial noise and black metal, often blurring the lines between the two. Released in 1996, the album was one of the earliest pieces of black noise recorded.
Black noise, like many of the genres outlined here, has a sound that is hard to pin down. At this point in history the two genres have at times become synonymous with one another in many circles due to the two sounds lending themselves to each other so well. We see a split however in black metal bands using noise elements or noise projects using black metal elements, this division will be highlighted in the coming paragraphs.
Many black metal bands utilize noise elements in order to create a more archaic and inhuman sound that was first outlined by Abruptum. In the 1990s a group of French teenagers deemed themselves the Les Légions Noires (The Black Legions), a collective of individuals devoted to creating some of the most warped and lo-fi black metal possible. The sound of the Les Légions Noires bands often straddled the line between black metal and noise due to murky production and unconventional instrumentation. Projects like Brenoritvrezorkre, Vagézaryavtre, and Dvnaèbkre took the Légions to further points of extremity. This tradition of combining black metal with noise has been carried on into a new era through a similar and Les Légions Noires influenced collective called the Black Circle that is based out of Portugal. Projects like Vetala, Black Cilice, Mons Veneris, and Decrepitude among others are currently creating noise influenced raw black metal in a very similar vein to what was being created in France in the 1990s.
On the flip side of this small yet significant stylistic division is noise artists who are influenced by black metal music. MZ.412 is a prime example of noise with black metal influences and have carried that torch into the new millennium with numerous acts following suit. Unlike the noisier side of black metal there are relatively few collectives of black noise with the genre focusing far more heavily on isolation and individuality than the black metal collectives and scenes that crop up. Currently three of the most prominent and noteworthy groups making black metal influenced noise are Sutekh Hexen (pictured in the heading for this section), Wold, and Gnaw Their Tongues. The stylistic emphasis of each of the three previously mentioned projects is on noise, without a doubt this is true, but black metal elements are ever present in their music through characteristics like screeched vocals, quick tempos, blast beats (both analog and digital), and aesthetic. Below is what I believe to be a prime example of black noise, a song taken from Sutekh Hexen's album Luciform.
Thematically black noise no matter if it's roots are in black metal or noise sits in a fairly similar position. The occult and satanism provide the backbone for most of the projects outlined above. Literature also plays an important role in many of the black noise projects mentioned as well.
Black noise as a genre has existed in various forms really since the second wave of black metal with Abruptum, a band comprised of various members of the Swedish black metal scene in the 1990s creating hellish black noise. Their sound was firmly rooted in dark ambient and black metal but also showed an interest in power electronics and other areas of extremity in sound. Abruptum is a very unique project not only because their brand of black noise inspired so many others but because at a time of strict genre boundaries they pushed the envelope of sound and mixed genres with seemingly endless creativity. MZ.412 is another early example of black noise, especially with their album Burning the Temple of God. The album in question featured a mixture of industrial noise and black metal, often blurring the lines between the two. Released in 1996, the album was one of the earliest pieces of black noise recorded.
Black noise, like many of the genres outlined here, has a sound that is hard to pin down. At this point in history the two genres have at times become synonymous with one another in many circles due to the two sounds lending themselves to each other so well. We see a split however in black metal bands using noise elements or noise projects using black metal elements, this division will be highlighted in the coming paragraphs.
Many black metal bands utilize noise elements in order to create a more archaic and inhuman sound that was first outlined by Abruptum. In the 1990s a group of French teenagers deemed themselves the Les Légions Noires (The Black Legions), a collective of individuals devoted to creating some of the most warped and lo-fi black metal possible. The sound of the Les Légions Noires bands often straddled the line between black metal and noise due to murky production and unconventional instrumentation. Projects like Brenoritvrezorkre, Vagézaryavtre, and Dvnaèbkre took the Légions to further points of extremity. This tradition of combining black metal with noise has been carried on into a new era through a similar and Les Légions Noires influenced collective called the Black Circle that is based out of Portugal. Projects like Vetala, Black Cilice, Mons Veneris, and Decrepitude among others are currently creating noise influenced raw black metal in a very similar vein to what was being created in France in the 1990s.
On the flip side of this small yet significant stylistic division is noise artists who are influenced by black metal music. MZ.412 is a prime example of noise with black metal influences and have carried that torch into the new millennium with numerous acts following suit. Unlike the noisier side of black metal there are relatively few collectives of black noise with the genre focusing far more heavily on isolation and individuality than the black metal collectives and scenes that crop up. Currently three of the most prominent and noteworthy groups making black metal influenced noise are Sutekh Hexen (pictured in the heading for this section), Wold, and Gnaw Their Tongues. The stylistic emphasis of each of the three previously mentioned projects is on noise, without a doubt this is true, but black metal elements are ever present in their music through characteristics like screeched vocals, quick tempos, blast beats (both analog and digital), and aesthetic. Below is what I believe to be a prime example of black noise, a song taken from Sutekh Hexen's album Luciform.
Thematically black noise no matter if it's roots are in black metal or noise sits in a fairly similar position. The occult and satanism provide the backbone for most of the projects outlined above. Literature also plays an important role in many of the black noise projects mentioned as well.
Image courtesy of VIRALOPTIC
