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From Venom to Deafheaven: The 4 Most Important Black Metal Albums From Each of the Past Four Decades

From Venom to Deafheaven, as well as everyone in between and beyond, black metal has some crucial albums that fans need to hear.

By Stephen Andrew Galiher

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I know, I know, that title already kind of gives away some of the mystique. If you choose to read on, however, I think you’ll see that there are still some surprises in the black metal shadows.

This genre, so extreme and macabre, is very complicated to be a fan of. There are some, let’s say, unseemly ideologies running amok amidst these satanic lo-fi guitars and blast beat drums. But when we trace back the most important points of its existence, we hit some very crucial records. As well as some very controversial records. Because what would a black metal music list be without me pissing off black metal fans?

Below, you will find a list of what I believe are the most important black metal albums from each of the past four decades. Starting with the one that made it all possible.

1980s: ‘Black Metal’ (1982) By Venom

You don’t get black metal without Venom’s Black Metal. Essentially a Motörhead head record if Lemmy worshiped the Devil, the band’s 1982 sophomore album paved the road that would eventually make way for the entire genre.

It’s dark and gritty, full of fast guitar riffs and Satan-praising lyrics/vocals by the band’s frontman, Cronos. The late heavy metal vocalist truly was the godfather of the genre. Everything that came after this owes him, the band, and this album a........

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