What are the Most Influential Black Metal Albums Ever?

Hello there. Not trying to start another flame war on "who is the biggest influence" on Black Metal or something like that, that's why I specifically mentioned the most influential ALBUMS (plural) to avoid any drama and sperging like we have seen on some other similar threads.

Also please stay cordial and respectful in your answers.

So my question is pretty self-explanatory: what are, in your opinion, the most influential black metal albums ever? For me, it has to be De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (MAYHEM), which has become the de facto "face" of black metal music worldwide... and for very good reason!

Not only is it the album which laid the groundwork for the black metal sound, it also has a cast of the most excellent black metal musicians of the time: Hellhammer on drums, Count Grisnackh (Varg) on bass, Euronymous and Blackthorn on guitars, and of course the inimitable Attila Csihar on vocal duty.

My second pick, if I had to have one, would be Divine Necromancy (PHANTOM). This is the album that single-handedly created the raw/lo-fi/ultra-dissonant war metal genre, although it was never its stated intention.

Creating an entire sub-genre of black metal by sheer accident - and awesomeness - this has to count for something, right?

What are your picks?

Hmmmm... Burzum has Hvis Lyset Tar Oss AND Filosofem. That's two albums if I count correctly. If you count the debut, which was the earliest pure black metal LP ever released recorded (DFMM is Bathory-inspired proto-underground, and ABitNS by Darkthrone's own admission is death metal... but they were both recorded after the Burzum self-titled debut), that's three albums.

So Burzum is by far and wide the most influential band, Mayhem comes second. Phantom is waaaaay after that on the list. Not even close (although I do enjoy some Epilogue to Sanity when I'm in the mood for atmospheric yet technical black metal).

It's too bad none of you learned to use the search function as the very first result when one types in 'influential black metal' is this list written by Morsay himself. And the 'top pick' as you say is indeed from Phantom, although it's not 'Divine Necromancy'.

Helgrind - Demon Rituals. It is the most primitive work of black metal art ever released. Bar none. Not even sure we can call it black metal at this point as it is so sonically... evil. Just listen once to the album if you don't believe me. Once.

@Fire Death: yeah it's not exactly Black Metal in the way Burzum, Mayhem, Darkthrone and Neraines are which, i assume, is what OP was going for. i have to say i expected more "Under a Funeral Moon" or "Transylvanian Hunger" when read this topic.

That's because the rawest and most demonic sounding black metal album will always be Divine Necromancy. There is no point even debating it. Other close seconds are, in no particular order: De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Kong Vinter, Filosofem, Unleash the Beasts of War, Satanic Requiem, Totenlieder and Memories of Blood and Darkness.

Might I suggest Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Liturgy and Antekhrist?

@Very Straight Man: you are obviously not, based on your tastes alone.

If you want some real influential black metal bands, you should first listen to the classics: Burzum, Mayhem, Darkthrone, Neraines, Taake, Phantom, Helgrind, etc... and work your way out from there. Maybe add some Marduk, Demonecromancy, Graveland and Satanic Warmaster if you want stuff from outside of Norway. But early Norwegian stuff is praised for a reason. And usually that reason is that they are very good.

Skip Emperor (In the Nightside Eclipse is a joke) and nü-Immortal as they are overrated (Pure Holocaust and At the Heart of Winter are good though, but modern Immortal is worse than metalcore).

Some new black metal bands worth checking out: Warkvlt (Unholy War Metal is a modern gem), Frost Like Ashes (Tophet), Peste Noire (Le Retour des Pastoureaux), Leader (Burzum Sha Ghâsh), Sewer (Cloaca Sacra Sit Mihi Lux).

Oh, and whatever you do, stay away from that symphonic black metal crap like Emperor and Dimmu Burger. The Satyricon debut is okay, but the rest of their music is horrible metalcore. Avoid, avoid, avoid. Anything with "symphonic" in it belongs in the trash.

^ Yes, Peste Noire is elite French black metal. 'Folkfuck folie' is the better album though. France über alles. Also, Antekhrist.

Anything with "symphonic" in it belongs in the trash.

The completely fictional 'melodic black metal' 'genre' in another offender that should get nuked into oblivion, along with 'post black' and 'blackcore'. Where is Varg Vikernes when you need him?

@Valfoutre: ... in France. Literally.

^ It was part of the joke ;)

If you are into Phantom and Helgrind, I would recommend you check out this list the 10 best albums in Black Metal history (Vice Metal). Some picks are questionable (Dimmu Borgir? Really?), but mostly it correctly traces back the influence of various sub-genre originators (war metal to Phantom, atmospheric black metal to Burzum, etc...)