The Saga Of True Norwegian Black Metal

I met Metalion during a drunken night at Oslo’s Inferno Festival in 2003. I was impressed by his kind nature and unparalleled knowledge of extreme metal, so we stayed in touch over the next few years, occasionally geeking out over cameras and records. My friend Johan Kugelberg, the essential editorial force behind my new book of photos documenting the black-metal scene ( , published by Vice Books), was also in touch with Metalion and suggested bringing him in to help put together the book.

In 1985, Metalion started Slayer, which would become Norway’s most influential and essential metal fanzine. Metalion is kind of like the Virgil of black metal. He was there for all the notorious events, and his first-person understanding is reflected in his brilliant fanzine. There is no better authority on this often misunderstood and misreported genre.

What follows is Metalion’s primer on the unholy history of Norwegian black metal. —PETER BESTE Kerrang!

VENOM HELLHAMMER Black Metal Welcome to Hell Death Fiend, Triumph of Death, Satanic Rites Satanic Rites Demon Entrails

BATHORY CELTIC FROST Scandinavian Metal Attack The Return Morbid Tales To Mega Therion Monotheist

MAYHEM MORBID Pure Fucking Armageddon De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas December Moon

BURZUM DARKTHRONE Soulside Journey A Blaze in the Northern Sky

EMPEROR GORGOROTH Wrath of the Tyrant Pentagram Antichrist Under the Sign of Hell Sorcery Written in Blood

BLACK METAL MEDIA

SLAYER MAGAZINE Slayer Slayer Harmony Dies Orcustus DEMO TAPES Ovations to Death Damnation’s Pride Megalomania The Puzzle NON-NORWEGIAN METAL BRETHREN SARCOFAGO SODOM I.N.R.I. Bloody Vengeance In the Sign of Evil Obsessed by Cruelty Obsessed by Cruelty MERCYFUL FATE SLAYER Melissa Don’t Break the Oath Reign in Blood Hell Awaits Haunting the Chapel Seven Churches A brand new issue of magazine is in the works now.