My Favorite Atmospheric Black Metal Albums — Part 3

Part 3 of my favorite sub-sub-genre of music

I’m continuing my series on my 15 favorite (well, this list will make 45) atmospheric black metal albums. It is, after all, my favorite sub-sub-genre of music, so I should have no problem coming up with even more albums to check out. See Part 1 and Part 2 here.

I’m continuing my rule of not repeating any artists for now, even though many artists would technically have several albums at the top of the list.

It can be hard to separate this genre from parallel ones such as post-black metal, ambient black metal, blackgaze, folk metal, and so on. The lines between genres get very fuzzy here, and I’m sorry if we disagree. By the way, these are in no particular order.

Diabolical Masquerade — Nightwork (Sweden, 1998)

This side project of Dan Swanö and Blakkheim has been a favorite of mine for quite some time. I’ve gone back and forth, questioning if this album qualifies as ABM, and I think it does. It certainly has some avant-garde and symphonic undertones and cinematic and horror-induced themes.

It’s a bit erratic of an album, but it does have some nice atmospheric sections. Keyboards, synthesizers, effects, and samples are abundant, but so are Blakkheim’s raspy vocals, crunchy guitars, and head-spinning rhythms.

Arcturus — Aspera Hiems Symfonia (Norway, 1996)

Arcturus is another band that has been with me almost since my initial discovery of extreme metal. I like several of their other albums more than this one, but after some contemplation, this is the only one I consider to be atmospheric black metal. After this, they went in a more progressive direction.

This album has a very symphonic sound, with abundant keyboards and pianos. A wintry feel and intergalactic theme also permeate through, as well as hints of the avant-garde direction the band would soon explore. Raspy vocals are prominent, but Garm’s clean vocals are also mixed in, not to mention an ever-present primitive yet charming production quality.

Колдовство — Ни царя, ни бога / Koldovstvo — No King, No God (Russia?, 2021)

This enigmatic artist emerged from the shadows to create one of my favorite albums of the past couple of years.

One could call it melancholic, depressive, or even gothic black metal, but there’s no doubt there’s an extremely viscous, layered atmosphere to be found here. Distant, agonizing vocals, medieval chanting, and folk-like melodies dust the distortion and blast beats, forming somewhat of a paradoxical feeling.

The consciously raw yet somehow comforting production quality is really the most noticeable element here. It isn’t quite ear-piercing but more like a muffled, dampened timbre, delivering a very encapsulating feeling.

This album isn’t long at all — clocking in at barely half an hour, but I always want it to last much longer. It’s one of the most unique and addicting albums I’ve discovered in a long time.

Dämmerfarben — Herbstpfad (Germany, 2012)

This nature-oriented black/doom metal band are heavy on folk influences and acoustic instruments, but they’re still atmospheric in my book. The addition of accordion, cello, and nyckelharpa (a traditional Swedish string instrument) really adds to this album's organic and timeless feel. All their albums are great, so don’t stop here!

Noctambulist — Noctambulist I: Elegieën (Netherlands, 2021)

Bordering on post-black metal or perhaps blackgaze, this seemingly unheard-of Dutch group cannot go unmentioned. They’ve molded a deep, reverberant album brimming with melody and variation, full of buildups, contemplative breathers, and sudden bombardments. There’s a surprise around every turn, and I haven’t listened to it nearly enough to fully appreciate it. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Forhist — Forhist (France, 2021)

I was beyond thrilled when this side project of Vindsval from Blut Aus Nord was revealed. It’s very reminiscent of BAN, and it should go without saying that any fan of theirs should investigate this.

It’s an easy and satisfying listen — there’s nothing too experimental or unusual about it. It’s fast and somewhat raw, brimming with delightful melodies. Keyboards make an appearance but are very subdued — just enough for that added richness. Vocals are somewhat pushed back in the mix, almost enough to seem like an instrumental album.

Białywilk — Próżnia (Chicago, USA, 2021)

This is the solo project of Marek Cimochowicz, an ex-member of Vukari. This is a very fulfilling album — it’s not too long, and there’s nothing too crazy or experimental going on. It’s one of those albums that has nailed the sweet spot of this genre. It has that perfect blend of heaviness and atmosphere without becoming too cheesy or boring. I really can’t wait to hear the next release.

Darkspace — Dark Space III (Switzerland, 2008)

This boundary-pushing project produces a much different type of atmospheric BM than practically any other band. On first listen, it can be almost impossible to appreciate — even for seasoned metalheads. It sounds like an outrageous mishmash of ideas ground up in a blender with an interstellar theme poured on top. But something magnetic pulls the listener back in and invites them for more —and it’s impossible to resist.

Some simple, ambient keyboard sections establish the cosmic tone, quickly ripped away by hellish shrieks, dueling guitars, and drums faster than the speed of light. The album then vigorously pulls the listener on a downright terrifying journey through the universe, barely slowing down for time to catch a breath.

It’s chaotic and mind-bending, establishing a new set of music rules. It’s equally unsettling and addictive; every listen has the same sense of wonder as the first. Its fervency never fades from the first note to the last. I’m sure its innovation and eerie intensity will live on for many listens.

Eclipsus — Yūrei (Virginia, USA, 2021)

This album has a significant depressive side to it, with painful screams, stabbing riffs, and mournful yet harmonious breakdowns. It’s quite double-edged — the heavy parts are quite piercing, and softer parts could be found on a post-rock album. They work well together, though, and if that’s your thing, this is a great album.

Mare Cognitum — Phobos Monolith (California, USA, 2014)

Listening to a Mare Cognitum album is always a treat. At the very least, I always expect a mystical journey through time and space. It isn’t easy to choose a favorite, but for now, I’ll choose this one because it was my introduction to the band. A different day may result in a different answer, however.

This album isn’t exceedingly atmospheric or keyboard-heavy — plenty of straight-up black metal goodness can be found. It contains just the right amount of atmosphere-to-metal ratio in my book. It’s intricate, inventive, and epic — avoiding the cheesiness that sometimes comes with it. Layers of clean and distorted melodies are braided together flawlessly, and songs have that “endlessly wandering” feeling I’ve come to appreciate.

Morwinyon — Pristine (Italy, 2020)

This side project of the members of Falaise is a bit keyboard-heavy, but all around a really solid ABM album. It’s one of the less aggressive ones on this list, with a light, fantasy kind of feel. They also have a new one coming out soon which I’m really pumped about.

Remete — Into Endless Night (Australia, 2019)

This is a side project of the guy from Woods of Desolation, (known as “D.”) which has also appeared on an earlier iteration of this list. It’s another really solid album that I admittedly haven’t listened to enough yet — mostly because there’s just so much great music in this genre to keep track of. It’s quite heavy all the way through, with the perfect amount of atmosphere.

Annorkoth — The Last Days (Russia, 2013)

This prelude to Bogdan Makarov’s other project, Skyforest, is a fairly obscure one with symphonic undertones. It is quite synth-filled, epic, and even fantasy-inspired. It may be a tad cheesy for some, but I enjoy it quite a bit.

Fluisteraars — Bloem (Netherlands, 2020)

This was another album I didn’t really like at first, but it ended up being one of my favorites of 2020. It starts out sounding like your run-of-the-mill, perhaps nature-inspired black metal, but slowly becomes more interesting the longer it goes on. In fact, each song starts out somewhat mediocre and slowly “blooms” into its own unique thing.

Soon, the song's true nature is revealed — whether it’s experimental blips, post-rock undertones, jazz influences, or a more atmospheric feel. It’s a very interesting and devious ABM album if you even want to consider it part of that genre at all.

Hermóðr — The Howling Mountains (Sweden, 2016)

This artist seems a bit all over the place in terms of quality, but I’ve enjoyed this particular album of his (Anders Nord) quite a bit. It’s quite raw but has a nostalgic and charming aspect to it. Some pleasant, clean atmospheric sections have a synergistic effect combined with the heavier parts and highlight the mood. This artist seems relatively unknown for having such a large discography, so there’s plenty to check out here.