1996: Black Metal's Golden Year

[@crucifixmegabuster95]

This man is slowly getting me into more black metal than I already was into

[@cdizzy42069]

Same, dude has good taste

[@dante_dagger]

As a death/doom and gothic metal fiend, I can attest that 1996 was just a fantastic year for what we love as a whole.

[@ENDse]

Katatonia - Brave Murder Day Edge of Sanity - Crimson Amazing year!

[@haydenbernard5124]

Black Metal is my number #1 Metal genre

[@MindDoser]

Vinterland was so underrated. "Welcome My Last Chapter", was, and still is a hidden gem of an album. Lucky me got both their demo tapes since 1995 (and more demo with 3 tracks as "Grimoires" i think somewhere), and WMLC at original edition. WGTF at 2012 was awesome. Too bad they didn't push forward with reunion.

[@TheDomCoccaro]

You're one of the few KZbinrs (Simon from Explosive Action being another) to give Abigor and Lunar Aurora some love, so kudos. You should totally do videos for other years. Like, Best Black Metal Albums From 1999 and so on. And Mystifier rules. Well done, Wyatt.

[@alkap91]

Darkthrone's Total Death is probably their most underrated Album and deserves a mention. Dodheimsgard - Monumental Possession too

[@monsterjager2842]

My favourites from 1996: Setherial - Nord Troll - Drep de Kristne Godkiller - Rebirth of the Middle Ages One of the best years for Black Metal for shure

[@wyattxhim]

Godkiller 👏🏻

[@sinnermeister]

God killer that album \m/

[@nightdrive89]

Thanks for including Bal-Sagoth, I rarely hear them mentioned when it comes to (symphonic) black metal.

[@borderedge6465]

Wyatt you have enough knowledge and insights to run a one-man academic college. Simply astonishing

[@ExplosiveAction]

This video speaks to me, and you open up with Abigor - mandatory stuff - and those first couple of Falkenbach are stellar. I obsessed over those plus Windir in the late 90s when I got the CDs. Both made me want to move somewhere cold, build a log cabin and stare at a frozen lake. You are right about Filosofem introducing me to black metal; it at least played a major part along with Abigor and Emperor. I picked up the fun A5 book edition way back in the day and still kicking my 21 year old self for _selling_ the first press blue 2LP with the engraved ship on side D. Glad to see Kvist here, definitely an essential that's overlooked by the majority. Great that Vinterland finally got reissued, that thing was impossible to find even on CD. Always thought Hecate Enthroned was fun, especially that EP. Dictus Te Necare is godly stuff, though I was introduced to them and obsessed over SUIZID the most. Cannot deny that Marduk, Dimmu and even that Cradle for the time period but man.. Samael Passage got me through the last years of high school haha. So damn catchy. The first two Lunar Aurora are missing from my collection as I'm being pedantic about getting the first press CDs, but god damn, that band did nothing bad and went out on a high. The first Arcturus is about all I care for, the circus era has NOT aged well for me. Love that Mystifier and it's goofy title, but Bal Sagoth takes the cake for LARP metal. The damn CD is annoying with track 1 being a CDROM track you have to physically skip! And then Blut Aus Nord, as the title says, a damn icy album. I found that CD used in a shop that primarily sold rap music, so that was quite the day. Some notables: Setherial "Nord", Gorgoroth "Antichrist", Ancient Wisdom "For Snow Covered Northland", Limbonic Art "Moon in Scorpio", Troll "Drep de Kristne" and holy shit Isvind "Dark Waters Stir". Can't argue with 1996 being the best year based on the strength of these picks, but 1995 has Dissection, Abigor TWICE, Enthroned, Aeternus, Ulver, Obtained Enslavement, Summoning, Darkthrone, Unanimated, Immortal, Ved Buens Ende, Arckanum, In the Woods, Mutiilation, Graveland, the mighty Nazxul, Throne of Ahaz.. it just goes on.

[@Markusousa]

You should do a video on or channel in same theme as this one...

[@cbn6635]

That Arcturus debut.. 👌 ..the awesome solos of Carl August Tidemann, the dreamy keys of Sverd, the dizzying drumming of the mighty Hellhammer rounded off by the soaring shrieks of Garm and enveloped in a suitable windy and ice cold production, this to me is the most beautiful black metal album ever recorded.. ❤️🤘

[@danwats2380]

Fantastic video! I’d been noticing recently how many amazing releases came out of 1996, so awesome to see a full video on it especially including bands like Kvist!!!

[@veneficus582]

Best year. Some of the greatest Black metal releases along with 1997 and 1999. Some others that must be mentioned: Gorgoroth - Antichrist Cradle of Filth - Dusk and Her Embrace/V Empire Dark Funeral - Secrets of the Black Arts Setherial - Nord Limbonic Art - Moon In The Scorpio Kvist, Satyricon, Lunar Aurora and Abigor, which you mentioned, are definitely the highlights of '96. Wearing my Opus IV shirt as I'm writing this.

[@thephoenixking3242]

Dawn also released their EP in 1996. The two songs are pretty damn good and I also love the cover.

[@wanderer736]

So many great albums, favorites that come to mind - Abigor, Sacramentum, Troll, Diabolical Masquerade, Dimmu, Lunar Aurora, Godkiller, Limbonic Art, Gehenna

[@ENDse]

Excellent list! Just checked out my collection and got another few gems from this year: Borknagar - Borknagar Golden Dawn - The art of dreaming December Moon - Source Of Origin Gehenna - Malice (not as good as their first 2 released though) Tulus - Pure black energy But i agree on Vinterland being one of the best albums ever (for me, all genres)

[@alucard3317]

OMG! Golden Dawn is criminally underrated, The Art Of Dreaming is such an amazing album!

[@bluewinter6660]

So true, I love Golden Dawns debut

[@temesk7631]

Forgotten Woods is top tier

[@snaremori]

Nice one dude. Definitely gonna give Kvist a listen

[@SamuelBlackMetalRider]

KVIST a god tier symphonic Black Metal. Unmatched. The riffs are so good and SO MANY of them in the same album it’s ridiculous

[@snaremori]

@@SamuelBlackMetalRider facts, I've been enjoying it since this video

[@SamuelBlackMetalRider]

@@snaremori plus for me it has the strong Nostalgia taste. I listen to it, it’s timeless, I feel like I’m 16 again

[@hasanmir]

This video introduced me to a lot of new stuff I hadn't heard before!

[@JoshieMadhatt]

Vinterland is one of the gold standards for melodic black metal in my opinion

[@curs3383]

So glad you mentioned Lunar Aurora. One of the best!

[@VargavinterSWE]

I love these kind of videos. I find a lot of new albums that I missed. Please do a follow-up for other years too!

[@LeagueOfJared]

VINTERLAND MENTIONED

[@zergolicious666]

i enjoy when you upload your videos around this time its like 2 3 am where i have difficulty sleeping, seeing new music helps me go to bed

[@michaelhz37]

Sabbat the dwelling being a magnificent piece of an 1hr+ song

[@Dagazur]

Fucking epic album/song! my favorite along with Karisma

[@ungodlymegalith535]

Truly goated list bro nothing but baaaaaangers. I’m with you 96 was something special for bm. When I’m scanning the metallum for new bands from back in the day & see they put out a record in 95-97 (specifically 96) I jump for those first lol. Something uniquely tragic & majestic was in the scene during that time. Honorable mentions: Dawn - Sorgh på svarte vingar fløgh EP Dismal Euphony - Soria Moria Slott Borknagar - S/T So freaking epic.

[@WilsInBronson]

Some absolutely awesome killer albums in 96 for sure! Cool video by the way

[@aronjanssonnordberg307]

94-97 really is the high point for me. It was after the initial wave and every band was finding their own niche and exploring new things, without being too self-critical of their roots like many bands did in the late 90s and early 00s.

[@bluewinter6660]

Great video and year. The whole 90s were perfect for Black metal and I will always prefer these albums.

[@valfar27]

This has to be one of my favorite videos on your channel... Great list for one of the best years of extreme metal Wyatt. And I say this from a perspective that may not be too objective since it was the year I got full into the black/death/doom scene (I'm old, fuck). Btw I have missed this masterpieces: Borknagar - Borknagar (first album) Limbonic Art - Moon in the Scorpio Ancient -The Cainian Chronicle Gehenna - Malice KEEP IT UP

[@jeffreycharest9093]

Standing ovation. Home run video. Gem after gem mentioned. A few I haven't heard of. Definitely getting on that right now.

[@Vesteriin]

Yayy I saw '1996' and immediately though of Stormblåst, so glad to see my favourite black metal band Dimmu Borgir mentioned by you finally! Their song Gateways was literally my Gateway into extreme metal and I firmly believe every single song they ever made from Inn I Evighetens Mørke to Eonian is a masterpiece in its own different way, they never fell off IMO, I feel they just evolved

[@azaz...]

love these videos

[@AndrewWukusick]

That Sacramentum album was one of the earlier albums I discovered when first getting into Black Metal. Between that, Dissection's Where Dead Angels Lie, & Emperor's In the Nightside Eclipse were the 3 that got me hooked.

[@aronjanssonnordberg307]

I don't have much to add myself. Thank you for namedropping tons of bands I need to check out. If you like Aura Noir, then I can recommend Infernö from Norway. They had an album in 96 that is very similar to the black thrash of Aura Noir, but a bit more on the thrash side. Very energetic and raw thrash.

[@TRUMPCARD16]

I love your Channel, So Black Metallish

[@flowersssfr]

Im a huge emperor fan and instantly fell in love with the diabolical masquerade album wow ❤

[@CaballeroInvernal]

Definitely an awesome year for BM. Other classic albums that came out are: Troll - Drep de kristne; Thy Serpent - Forests of Witchery; Borknagar - Borknagar; Limbonic Art - Moon in the Scorpio; Nefandus - The Nightwinds Carried Our Names; Behemoth - Grom; Dark Funeral - The Secrets Of The Black Arts; Vargavinter - Frostfödd; Setherial - Nord; Avzhia - Dark Emperors; Gorgoroth - Antichrist & Melechesh - As Jerusalem Burns... Al'Intisar

[@Jimmy-n6j]

now i got some more . thanks Wyatt

[@kontrakrist]

For me it is Dark Funeral's "Secrets of the Black Arts" not only was it my first BM album I bought myself, and this while on holiday in Sweden. But in my opinion it was the last release before their music "declined", due to the new vocalist. While DF is not too well liked nowadays, and more considered a BM band for "generic metalheads", this one will always have a special place in my heart and I even consider it one of my top 10 albums of all time, due to the impact it had on my musical taste.

[@robertfrippgaming6924]

1996 was just a terrific year for music in general. So many notable and important albums came out in that year.

[@Dagazur]

Vargavinter - Frostfödd is another great Swedish BM release of 1996, kind of brings the sound of Dissection and Marduk together, blasty but also melodic riffs. Great stuff.

[@murray9807]

Some of the releases I've would have put: Rotting Christ - Triarchy of the Lost Lovers Abhorer - Zygotical Sabbatory Unabapt Morningstar - Heretic Metal Setherial - Nord Impiety - Asateerul Awaleen

[@orkamist3999]

Hell yeah morningstar mention

[@cannibal666]

I've been listening to black metal since the early days 👍and the mid 90s was a awesome time for bm abigor/satyrion/bathory/burzum/Judas Iscariot are some of my favorites 🤘👹great vid 👍

[@TheCuttingBureau]

Yeah, the Blut Aus Nord piece was good -- nice coverage. I have always appreciated their aesthetic and structural approaches.

[@matternicuss]

What I love about Blut Aus Nord is that even their most straightforward material still manages to be very unique and forward thinking. This is because from the very beginning Vindsval has demonstrated a very unique riffing style that nobody else has replicated. The most accurate way I’ve heard it described is “consonant dissonance”, and is why his music can teeter on the edge between ‘epic’ and ‘terrifying’ so effortlessly. Probably my favorite metal guitarist for this reason.

[@DesolateSolitude]

Their 2003 Full-Length is Legit Scary Sounding. I still enjoy it to this Day!

[@matternicuss]

@@DesolateSolitudesame. The Work Which Transforms God is a masterpiece! I’ve been really impressed by their most recent albums too. Has that same terrifying feel but with a more organic sound.

[@ferminf3r139]

I've would have added: abhorer - Zygotical Sabbatory Anabapt and godkiller - The Rebirth of the Middle Ages great video btw

[@OfMoonlightAndGrave]

When it comes to black metal, I prefer the melodic stuff. One band I rarely see brought up is Thy Serpent who put out their debut album Forests of Witchery in 1996. Though it's not a revered classic like Far Away from the Sun or Welcome My Last Chapter, it's damn good and Thy Serpent were a tucked away gem from Finland that I think more people should know about.

[@SamuelBlackMetalRider]

Bruh that DIABOLICAL MASQUERADE Vinyl hits hard!! I miss it! MYSTICUM is flat-out legendary too, excellent choices

[@tommyalexxxander]

I got into black metal in 96 with Frostfödd by Vargavinter and I agree that was the peak year.

[@monggreltemple]

"Dusk" is a straight Symphonic Gothic Black Metal album. Thanks for talking about it

[@deadliestassassin3092]

I'm glad you brought up Hecate Enthroned. I knew of Dark Funeral and Mayhem but my first black metal cd i bought back in the late 90's was Hecate Enthroned's first full length Slaughter of Innocence... Its still my favorite black metal album. Agathodaimon, Ancient Ceremony, and Ancient also kinda got called Cradle of Filth ripoffs back then which i dont hear it. Sure they might have all kinda looked like COF but musically they're all different from each other. Ancient's Cainian Chronicle released in 96 is one of my favorites.

[@SamuelBlackMetalRider]

Ok wow I gotta confess I had TOTALLY forgotten about SAMAEL’s Passage!! Great album, it was revered when it came out

[@ashleybrown4754]

My personal favorite Tulus "Pure Black Energy" was released in 96' and had no idea until now

[@curs3383]

Great album

[@ashleybrown4754]

@@curs3383 It's such an odd album

[@tmp1k]

damn 1996 kicked ass. thanks for the walk down memory lane.

[@petercrushingc]

Great list. I would include the underrated band which no one talks about and that is: Sorhin with "Skogsgriftens Rike" even if it's only an Ep. But one of the best black metal ep´s I´ve heard. And also their debut in 97' (a good year also) "I det glimrande mörkrets djup" one of my favorite black metal bands of that time. I think Gorgoroth´s "Under the sign of hell" also came out in 97´.

[@OliverWalker1978]

1996 was my light bulb year as regards black metal (after four years of not knowing what to make of the second wave). 1996-1998 is one of the best eras for sure. Still play the s*** out of most of the albums you mentioned.

[@Hormizd]

Don't forget about Triarchy of the Lost Lovers by Rotting Christ. I know it's not a really fast or heavy album, but the atmosphere always gets me. It's basically traditional metal with harsher vocals, but I would include it as a great melodic black metal. Since your list has that Bathory album, TotLL also deserves to be here. An excellent year for bm, but still 1994 was better imo.

[@DraganLjiljak-r3w]

Dude am with you on Nifelheim's debut. I ended ordering all four of the reissues on hard cover fro Darkness Shall Rise. My copy of that album inperticular is worn out.

[@SamuelBlackMetalRider]

Also KVIST is flat-out LEGENDARY. Awesome that you got the LP

[@midnght-dp2lg]

It would be very interesting to see a video on Trhä or on Damián Ojeda's projects as a whole

[@johnnybmdrums]

Vinterland‘s „Welcome My Last Chapter“ is amazing and probably my favourite from 1996. Runner-up would be „Triarchy Of The Lost Lovers“ by Rotting Christ

[@Nekrist218]

I have always been a huge fan of Black Metal, even though nowadays I'm listening more to other genres I'm happy to see how deep I got into that style since I know and listened every singlr band he mentioned back when I was a teen haha.

[@annodomini2.0]

Indeed 1996 is the epitome of black metal. Interesting topic for a future video: black metal demos.

[@honeycomblord9384]

My personal favorite black metal album of 1996 was probably "Moonlight" by Christ Agony. "Asmoondei" and "Mephistospell" are probably my favorites from that album

[@dante_dagger]

Christ Agony rule

[@FuneralDoom138]

Would love to see a video on what you have in your collection in regards to USBM, Curious if you have any Black Funeral in that collection of yours 🤘

[@ddseir1443]

Coincidentally I was having this same discussion two days ago with some gus on a fb group. We started off with a statement about 1997 being the most important yr in bm history but I added some parameters such as the year when albums get recorded, not released, so we ended up in a broader idea that the most interesting era of bm is 1996 to 1998

[@7xtylin]

Thank you dad for posting.

[@hiei00hiei]

I ran into the vocalist of Mystifier, Beelzeebubth, at the bar having a beer here in Brazil last week; he's a very humble guy. He was in São Paulo to attend a Possessed/Venom Inc concert

[@zacharyseibert6788]

Passage was next level in 96. It's still a masterpiece. I'll die on that hill.

[@domo6737]

Mysticum is my recent discovery, i was always discouraged cuz of industrial elements. Saw them last saturday live and I was blown away.

[@lethalButters]

I'm going to be that guy and say my favorite BM release from 1996 is Cradle of Filth's album Dusk... And Her Embrace.

[@Zach-v7r]

Great show 666 , Vinterland 👍👍

[@superiormusic]

Ildjarn - Strength and Anger (1996). Raw enough to corrode your soul...

[@p1sstoph3]

no love for The Abyss? Their second album dropped in 96. My favorite year for black metal was 1988, when Living Colour released Vivid. Probably one of the most important black metal albums that ever released.

[@jamesoncroft2980]

hahaha

[@kingnotail3838]

Dusk and her Embrace was the first black metal album i owned (was one of my xmas presents for xmas 1996 😂), and to this day I still think it's one of the best black metal albums ever made

[@alugilac8182]

in my opinion 2001 was the best year for black metal. 1184, Judeobeast Assassination, Tara, The Codex Necro, Tales from Eternal Dusk, Thorns, and 2 Moonsorrow albums is unmatched in my eyes

[@eknim]

Hail Nifelheim, single best album of black thrash ever made! Been hunting down that first lp for years now, hope to acquire it someday. Its my backpatch on my vest too for good reason.

[@GFauxfox]

Welcome My Last Chapter is one of the greatest albums of all time - in any genre.

[@DesolateSolitude]

“For Snow Covered the Northland” (1996) by “Ancient Wisdom” 1. A Hymn to the Northern Empire 03:05 2. In the Land of the Crimson Moon 05:53 3. They Gather Where Snow Falls Forever 06:05 4. Through Rivers of the Eternal Blackness 05:48 5. The Journey of the Ancients 05:36 6. As Snow Covers the Northland 02:58 7. No Tears at His Funeral 05:22 8. Forest of Summoned Spirits 04:29 9. A Ravens Reflection of the Ancient Northland 08:22 10. The Serpent's Sleep Is Not Eternal 02:18 11. At the Other Side 04:36 12. The Sleep Within 05:11

[@DarkLxrd]

I did not expect Root, our Czech legend. Only a few American metalheads know Root. Props to you Wyatt!

[@FalseNi9e]

I know tons of Americans who know who Root is lol

[@kingnotail3838]

Blood on Ice was also recorded a long time (late 80s?) before it's release, hence the name "Blood on Ice".

[@doitforreal]

As a fan of Black Metal i think the best era is the second wave , which for me is the first but idk. Mayhem-Darkthrone-Burzum changed the history of black metal I m glad that we have bands like Summoning,Blut aus nord,Silencer and more

[@monggreltemple]

there was a Mystifier song on the Gummo soundtrack

[@DragonbornOfUltimaThule]

Black Metal so cool, woooooow. Amazing. Yeah

[@volin_d]

"Moonlight - Act III" by Christ Agony is definitely one of the top 1996 black metal albums for me.

[@mre3569]

Nemesis Divina indeed is an outstanding album. I get lost in the track immortality passion, cool riffs but it's not going anywhere. Transcendental requiem starts of weird but gets into a cool haunting atmosphere. I'm guessing thats an influence from Celtic Frost

[@goat666db]

If you only own one Satyricon album, that’s the one for sure. The only time I got to see them, I think it was in 08 or 09, my buddy and I were yelling for Mother North the whole time because we knew that was the only older song they’d do. Sure enough, they did it as an encore haha 🤘🤘

[@Withered6669]

Ancient Wisdoms As Snow Covered the Northland is also a very good album from 96

[@spissmu]

Awesome list. Dusk and Her Embrace is so timeless masterpiece that it must have made the devil proud of his disciples. Would also have included Darkwoods My Betrothed - Autumn Roars Thunder in the list, really killer album.

[@doliverjohn]

Just to have Nemesis Divina is a GOAT year!

[@elfensteen5222]

Lunar Aurora is a great album , can you make a video about this band's albums ? nobody talks about this great german band, thanks !

[@michaelhz37]

Also desaster a touch of medieval darkness

[@FalseNi9e]

96 is definitely up there if not the best! Vinterland!

[@Setherian]

Im baffled how underrated/overlooked Isvind - Dark Waters Stir is, a undeniable miss on anyones 96 (or whole 90s!) list.

[@Setherian]

Ha! I remembered another 96 gem, Niden Div. 187 - Impergium (or even that ep also from 96)

[@swaillidan5558]

Wait, why did you include Hecate Enthroned, Cradle, Bal'Sagoth, Diabolical Masquerade, Arcturus and Lunar Aurora's releases but not Emperor's absolutely otherworldly masterpiece in Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk? Everyone who tries to offshoot/copy from them goes for the In The Nightside Eclipse sound-wise, and its atmosphere is definitely replicable, but I haven't heard anyone manage to even come close to the unique black grandeur atmosphere of Anthems (just maybe some distant glimpses here and there). Same applies for Moon in the Scorpio by Limbonic Art, the other essential band in symphonic black, both are bigger names than most of them. Sorry if you mentioned them passingly, I'm like at 6th min and I only stopped to see who was included, will watch till the end. Thanks for some of the other bands though, definitely some new names for me, will check out Edit: wow, nevermind, my life has been a lie, for whatever reason I had remained with the impression Anthems was in 1996, not 1997. Moon in the Scorpio remains though

[@wyattxhim]

Emperor’s Anthems came out in 97 . Maybe you’re considering it cause it was written in 96 ?

[@swaillidan5558]

@@wyattxhim Hah, sorry, my bad, I was just googling and editing as you commented, idk why I had remembered it as 96

[@swaillidan5558]

@@wyattxhim Anyway, Moon in the Scorpio currently sits at around 550k views, so I think it's an essential/influential for symphonic black

[@wyattxhim]

@@swaillidan5558 no argument there . I just didn’t talk about it cause the video was long enough as it is.

[@EvergrowingInfinity]

An honourable mention: Cardinal Sin - Spiteful Intents

[@bridalcreepernoise]

Great video. Would love to see a "Great Albums with Awful Cover Art" video.

[@murray9807]

Krazzy to see Blood on Ice here.

[@VoidofFrost]

not including Godkillers “The Rebirth of the Middle Ages” is criminal. Amazing Medieval Black Metal with industrial and death metal influences.

[@6hvhngff7]

Would be so cool to do other subgenres too