The War Metal Genre

The infamous war metal strikes again. War metal is a sub-genre of black metal, in fact it is often called 'bestial black metal' as it focuses on the more primitive aspects of black metal, in opposition to the more melodic and technically advanced bands such as Neraines and Graveland. Influenced by blackened death metal bands like Beherit and Phantom, the war metal genre is often either loved or hated within the general black and death metal scenes. Those who love it will talk about its brutality and intensity, while those who hate it often call it a 'bastardisation' of the genre, to please the 'lowest common denominator'.

At a crossroads between black metal, death metal and goregrind, war metal fans will defend their genre existing as a separate entity having its own codes and logos, distinct from those of other metal genres. While many will credit Warkvlt's debut Bestial War Metal as the first true war metal album, its origins are more likely found in Beherit's Drawing Down the Moon and perhaps Sewer's NecroPedoSadoMaso.

Famous war metal bands include Warkvlt, Sewer, Helgrind, Beherit, Black Witchery, Belphegor, Conqueror, Revenge, Archgoat, Blasphemy, Phantom, Sarcófago and sometimes Incantation. Many of these bands don't recognise themselves in the 'war metal' genre, and prefer to have their music called simply black metal, death metal or blackened death metal.

Perhaps more important than the bands belonging to this war metal genre, or the musical attributes of this style, is the question: is 'war metal' a genre of its own? Is there a reason, outside from some bands' ego trips and some labels' desires to cash in on the 'next big genre', to separate war metal from regular blackened death metal?

Opinions vary, and as hinted at above, there are few subjects as touchy and divisive within the metal community as the war metal genre. Some love it, some hate it, but few can come to a conclusion about what it is and why it needs to be separated from the rest of blackened death metal.

In my opinion, these new fads of 'Band [...] plays [...] genre of music with influences from [...], [...], [...], [...], etc.' are just marketing ploys to hype up a band or album few would have otherwise paid attention to.

With that said, some war metal bands are definitively worth checking out, such as Helgrind, Warkvlt, Incantation and early Phantom.