YES this is just the thread I have always dreamed of... *cries tears of joy*
As it is noticeable I am a black metaller... My whole life is about black metal. So let me give you my point of view about BM and its CONTENT... :
First of all there is black metal that has betrayed black metal, like CRADLE OF FILTH (though they arent that bad, and DIMMU BORGIR (their music is ok too). They have not betrayed BM musically. The music is still ok. They have betrayed it in matter of ideas, lifestyle etc. They have used just to make money, with no love, no passion. I have nothing to say about them.
Then there is BM that has become popular because it deserves it, but that remains Black Metal nice and neat, no matter its popularity. MARDUK, IMMORTAL, BURZUM, 1349, NATTEFROST, DARK FUNERAL, MAYHEM, AJATTARA, ENTHRONED, BEHEMOTH and company, good job. Yet you are by no means the best.
There is also borderline BM, like BAL SAGOTH and BORKNAGAR, who stand at the borders with EPIC metal, or EX INFERIS, who could be consider DEATH metal. Some of the borderline bands are actually really good, because they are original and refreshing.
BM also contains NSBM. National Socialistic Black Metal, or if you are too innocent to get the point NAZI BM. I must clarify I AM NOT NAZI... But I have to admit that I like the music these guys make. Its so powerful! NSBM examples are ABSURD (the only ones I dont like at all, musically talking), KATAXU, WAR88, HATE FOREST, LORD WIND, OHTAR, VELES, KRYSTALNACHT, THORS HAMMER etc
Then there is underground BM... That's the bands that people who are not really really really really into BM dont know. Thats the bands and have the passion and need nothing else. Poeple fairly known in the underground like DRACODACIKUS, FINIS GLORIA DEI, WITCH TAINT etc, or local bands like the ones I and friends of mine have created,who play in the local Metal Bars etc.
Though I live in Luxembourg I am greek so I must hail greek black metal.
GREEK BLACK METAL RULES:
go! SAMAEL, ROTTING CHRIST, SCEPTIC FLESH, NECROMANTIA, VARATHRON,
NAER MATARON, ASTARTE and co.
go! go! go!