Summary

The website content provides a sequel list of 15 atmospheric black metal albums, expanding upon the author's favorite sub-sub-genre of music with a focus on albums not previously mentioned.

Abstract

The author, following the success of their previous article, presents a continuation of their favorite atmospheric black metal albums. This sequel article delves into a diverse range of albums, each with unique characteristics that contribute to the atmospheric black metal genre. The selected albums span various years and countries, from Panopticon's "On the Subject of Mortality" from Kentucky, USA, to Rye's "Eternal" from Russia, showcasing the global presence of the genre. The author emphasizes the albums' ability to blend melody with harshness, and the use of keyboards and synths to create a moody and immersive soundscape. Albums like Old Growth's "Mossweaver" and Olhava's "Ladoga" are highlighted for their melodic and dynamic qualities, while bands such as Drudkh and Sunken are noted for their organic and aggressive approach to the genre. The author also touches on the difficulty in distinguishing atmospheric black metal from related sub-genres, acknowledging the fluidity between them.

Opinions

The author has a strong personal preference for Panopticon's "On the Subject of Mortality," considering it underrated and a must-listen for fans of the band.
Old Growth's "Mossweaver" is described as an absolute masterpiece that left the author eager for the band's next release.
Рожь's (Rye) album "Eternal" is praised for its unique and ingenious sound that warps time and ignores conventional musical rules.
Null's "Lore of a Sleeping Forest" is recognized as a monstrous, keyboard-heavy album that may not appeal to everyone but is appreciated by the author for its fantasy-like sound.
The author finds Drudkh's albums enjoyable and collectible, with "Microcosmos" standing out as particularly noteworthy.
Sunken's "Livslede" is noted for its addictive quality, foreboding yet comforting atmosphere, and top-notch production.
Veldes' "Flameless" is acknowledged as a satisfying album from a nature-inspired, one-man band, with a suggestion that it may not be the best in the discography.
Vukari's "Aevum" is seen as having a promising future, balancing aggression with atmospheric elements.
Medenera's "Medenir" is described as lighthearted and fantasy-inspired, with a caveat that its cheesiness might not be to everyone's taste.
Hænesy's "Garabontzia" is commended for its complex layering and clear direction in composition, setting it apart from albums that meander.
Altar of Plagues' "White Tomb" is included despite not being strictly atmospheric, with the author admitting its progressive qualities and personal long-time favoritism.
Wolves in the Throne Room's "Celestial Lineage" is recognized as a significant and intensely satisfying album from a well-known band in the metal community, with mystical elements and female vocals adding to its appeal.

15 More of my Favorite Atmospheric Black Metal Albums

Part 2 of my favorite sub-sub-genre of music

Due to the overwhelming success of my previous story, 15 of my Favorite Atmospheric Black Metal Albums, I’ve decided to produce a sequel to it. It is, after all, is my favorite sub-sub-genre of music, so I should have no problem coming up with 15 more albums to check out.

I didn’t want to repeat any artists from the first one, even though technically many artists would have several albums at the top of the list. It’s also sometimes hard to separate this genre from parallel ones such as post-black metal, ambient metal, blackgaze, folk metal, etc. The lines between genres get very fuzzy here and everything is ultimately my own opinion anyway. These are in no particular order.

Panopticon — On the Subject of Mortality (Kentucky, USA, 2010)

I wouldn’t normally categorize Panopticon as an atmospheric black metal band, although the influences are usually there. This album is an exception though. It’s their most atmospheric and coincidentally happens to be my favorite of theirs. I didn’t even get this album until much later after discovering the band, because it didn’t seem very acclaimed. I think it’s extremely underrated and any fan of the band needs to hear it.

The album has a strange history that probably contributes to its relative obscurity. The songs were first released on two separate splits, making it a compilation of sorts. It was also completely remastered and reworked in 2016. The original had terrible production due to the “head space” Austin was in and “COMPLETE lack of recording knowledge” during the production. I’ve never heard the original, and it doesn’t sound like I’d want to anyway.

The remastered version (called “Revisions of the Past”) has all my favorite elements of atmospheric metal — long, winding songs that are easy to get lost in, a moody blanket of sound, plenty of melody, along with the signature harsh vocals and heaviness.

Old Growth — Mossweaver (Germany, 2020)

This band seemed to come out of absolutely nowhere and quickly became one of my most-listened-to albums of 2021. It’s an absolute masterpiece, and this band can’t release their next album soon enough. It’s delightfully melodic but also contains the perfect blend of speed and harshness.

Eneferens — The Bleakness of Our Constant (Montana, USA, 2018)

This is a very subdued, melodic, and soothing ABM album, almost bordering on post-rock or progressive rock at times. It’s a very easy listen, especially for someone who is perhaps new to the genre and doesn’t come from a metal background. There’s quite a few clean vocals, but still some harsh vocals too.

Рожь — Вечное / Rye — Eternal (Russia, 2021)

This may be closer to the doom metal or post-black side of things, but I cannot pass up the opportunity to mention this album. I’ve never heard anything quite like it. It warps time and ignores all rules of the universe. It’s unnerving, sprawling, and ingenious, and I can’t get enough of it. It’s one of those albums that seems like a fresh listen every single time. It’s a very dynamic album — the instrumental parts are very quiet; the loud parts are booming. There are barely any vocals either. It’s not a particularly long album (37 minutes), but it seems like it’s over in about five, leaving the listener hungry for more.

Null — Lore of a Sleeping Forest (Virginia, USA, 2019)

This monstrous, nearly 2-hour long album drags the listener into all sorts of different places. It’s a keyboard-heavy one, so if that’s not your thing, better move on. It’s somewhat fantasy-like sound can deviate far from metal at times. I really do enjoy this album for what it is, though. Normally I want my favorite albums to last longer, but truth be told, this one can feel a bit too long sometimes. Fans of Midnight Odyssey will probably appreciate it quite a bit.

Autumn Nostalgie — Esse Est Percipi (Slovakia, 2020)

This album touches on post- or depressive black metal and was also one of my best discoveries in 2020. I still feel like I just discovered it yesterday even though it’s been a year-and-a-half, and they have released another album already. It’s pleasantly melodic and discordant at the same time, with very raspy vocals.

Olhava — Ladoga (Russia, 2020)

If I was scoring these albums based on the most atmospheric, this would probably top the list, and may even top my entire collection. While still being firmly metal, this album builds an entire world of endlessly wandering melodies, without being the slightest bit cringey or tiring. In fact, I have a very hard time choosing which of their albums I like best, but for now I’m going with this one since it’s the first one I discovered.

Drudkh — Microcosmos (Ukraine, 2009)

Drudkh is one of those bands that despite never really blowing me away, I always find their albums quite enjoyable and feel like I must collect them all. To be honest, I probably couldn’t even tell most of their albums apart if I listened to them blindly — with a few exceptions. I don’t know what makes their albums good or not-so-good, but I do know that this one has always stood out to me. They have a very organic sound that’s always overflowing with melody, while still having a substantial metal edge.

Sunken — Livslede (Denmark, 2020)

This is probably one of my most addicting albums of 2021 — and I feel like I still haven’t even begun to digest it. It is foreboding and comforting at the same time, which is what the genius of this genre can accomplish if done right. There is quite a majestic atmosphere here with deep intricacies and top-notch production. It also has a very comprehensive and progressive quality to it. There are many ups and downs, and tracks flow into one another effortlessly. It’s a disservice to just listen to singular tracks (even though the video above is one). It’s another perfect example of the greatness that this genre can be and should be, and other bands should take note.

Veldes — Flameless (Slovenia, 2019)

This is yet another nature-inspired, European one-man band. He may not be super unique, but this album is always satisfying for me. There’s a lot of synths and keyboards here but nothing too over-the-top. It still hits pretty hard, and the vocals are quite aggressive. He’s got quite a few more albums to check out, so this one may not even be the best.

Vukari — Aevum (Chicago, USA, 2019)

This album is perhaps a little closer to true black metal than most on this list, but it still contains a satisfying number of atmospheric elements. There’s a perfect trifecta of speed, aggression and ominousness. This is another band that I’ve just starting to discover and can’t wait to check out their other material. I also think they have a particularly bright future ahead of them if they keep up this kind of quality.

Medenera — Medenir (Italy, 2018)

This is a very lighthearted, fantasy-inspired album enshrouded in keyboards. It’s in the same vein as some ambient metal such as Lustre or Elderwind, and also reminds me of certain epic black metal acts like Cân Bardd and Caladan Brood. It’s a bit on the cheesy side and I see how it could be easy to hate. However, I really enjoy this style — it’s extremely relaxing when you’re in the mood for it.

Hænesy — Garabontzia (Hungary, 2021)

This is another one of those bands that seemingly come out of nowhere to everyone’s delight. This band is more complex than many ABM acts and know how to layer of keyboards and reverb without making it sound the least bit cheesy. Emotion pours out from the guitar harmonies with shrieks far in the distance. Lush and entrancing melodies darting in unpredictable directions leave the listener thirty for more. This album doesn’t seem to endlessly meander like many in the genre do — it feels like the music always has a clear direction, which is surprisingly refreshing.

Altar of Plagues — White Tomb (Ireland, 2009)

One could certainly argue this is not an atmospheric album, and I wouldn’t disagree. I’m not sure what other list of albums to include it in though. It has a progressive quality to it and includes extremes on both ends of the spectrum. The heavy parts are extremely powerful, forceful, separated by very pensive, mournful, post-rock-like interludes. It’s a favorite I’ve had for a long time.

Wolves in the Throne Room — Celestial Lineage (Washington, USA, 2011)

This band is much more of a household name in the metal community than many others on this list and for good reason. There are some mystical elements with the addition of female vocals, long instrumental parts, and some experimentation. All these elements make for an intensely satisfying album that is still firmly metal and not the least bit cheesy. This is the first album I got by them and probably still my favorite, however I’m still collecting their discography.