Norway offers seasonal stretches of little to no sunlight; stark, rocky landscapes; and a religious bent that until a few years ago immediately delivered its newly born citizens into the church. Little wonder, then, that it was the anti-Christian cultural misfits of that country that fully realized the potential of black metal—the most sinister subculture of an already grim genre. In the early '90s, the group nabbed its fair share of headlines with grisly tales of violence, church burnings, suicide, and murder. And while the current crop of musicians has thankfully toned it down, many still engage in Satanism, self-mutilation, and the examination of incredibly dark subject matter. They take themselves so seriously that my nature prevents me... More >>>