The following albums fall into the category of [take your pick] Black/Death Metal. While I`m not a HUGE fan of this paricular genre, there ARE a few bands who have made some really good music and have applied some fresh & original ideas to a rather simple [and, some would say, one-dimensional] form of Metal. I`ve included what I believe to be the cream of the crop; those groups who not only helped create Black/Death Metal as we know it today, but through their originality and creativity have stayed at the forefront of the "movement". I know that there are more bands that I should`ve listed here; Don`t worry, I`ll get to `em! If you have any suggestions, let me know.
Venom-"Welcome to Hell"/Black Metal"
The grandaddies of all that is Evil, Unholy, etc. What distinguishes Venom from their all-too serious imitators is their sense of HUMOR; they do everything wth tongue firmly planted in cheek! These two discs pretty much set off the whole Black Metal movement and spawned a host of other bands mining the same dark territory. Some were good, most are forgettable. But Venom still stands out among the hordes. These albums show WHY!
Morbid Angel-"Altars of Madness"/Blessed are the Sick"
Florida demons Morbid Angel unleashed these two discs in the early `90s, spearheading the Florida Death Metal movement. M.A. had a lot more going for them than most of their brethren: superior songwriting, musicianship, and production helped the band stand well above the also-rans. After "Blessed" however, they released "Covenant" in `93 and it was all downhill from there!
Deicide-"Deicide"
At about the same time that Morbid Angel were terrorizing the Sunshine State, Deicide were raising their own brand of Hell. Their 1990 S/T debut displayed the bands pure destructive power, blinding speed, catchy riffs, and of course their incessant praise of SATAN! [yeah, right] Later albums, however,all tended to sound the same, a common pitfall of many Death Metal bands. This one is still their best.
Possessed
"Seven Churches"
"Beyond the Gates"
"The Eyes of Horror"
This San Francisco outfit was at the head of the early `80s Black Metal scene, and seemed to be destined for great things. They put out three excellent albums that became blue-prints for all the other bands that followed. Bassist/vocalistJeff Beccarras`gutteral vocal delivery, coupled w/ guitarist Larry Lalondes` [now of Primus, believe it or not!] over the top playing, helped give Possessed everything they needed to take them to the top. But it was not to be; After"The Eyes of Horror" EP [produced by Joe Satriani, Lalondes guitar teacher!!] in `87, the band was torn apart by internal conflict and creative differences and called it quits. "Eyes", in my opinion, is their best.
Mercyful Fate
"Nuns Have no Fun" EP
"Melissa"
"Don`t Break the Oath"
Ah, the Fate! Fronted by the LEGENDARY King Diamond, this Danish 5-piece prodced some of the BEST music to ever be put under the heading "Black Metal! But MF were able to carve out their own niche in the Metal scene due to their song-writing abilities, Kings` multi-octave voice [voices?] and Satanic posturing, and the twin-guitar assault of Hank Sherman & Michael Denner. All of these factors helped solidify Fates` position as a class act in the Metal Underground. Internal strife split the band in `85, and King went on to a highly sucessful solo career. They re-formed in `93,and have released several excellent discs, "In the Shadows", "Time", "Into the Unknown", and "Dead Again" [their later releases are kinda iffy, in my opinion].
