10 Standout European Black Metal Albums of 2023
This year has been an excellent time for black metal. Many of the records released over the past twelve months represent the height of what the movement has to offer, from Enevelde ‘conquered with the standout album’s En Gildere Død to Taake‘s Et Hav av Avstand and so many remarkable releases in between.
And while the year’s been something to celebrate, we also were saddened to learn that Urfaust was ending its run with their final opus, Untergang. Fortunately, Urfaust’s fabled Jim Dokter confirmed that he’s still going strong by unveiling even more great works with Botulistum, Duivel, and others.
And let us not forget the labels — without efforts from the likes of The Sinister Initiative, Terratur Possessions, and Peaceville Records, we wouldn’t have such outstanding material to discuss today. These labels deserve major accolades for their service to the genre. After all, without them we wouldn’t be able to share the following standout black metal albums of 2023.
Shining’s Shining
Shining’s self-titled eleventh album officially dropped on September 15. In my unerring opinion, this masterpiece truly ranks among the greatest of all time. Although it belongs on a shelf beside classics like Filosofem (1996) in one sense, Shining seems to transcend anything that has ever been done. The genius of Shining owes totally to the band’s superhuman mastermind, Niklas Kvarforth. When discussing Shining with Metallerium, this visionary described it as a “love letter to death.” He further stated:
“At the end of the day, death always wins. […] The calmness of the album could be seen as an acceptance[…]. There is no second chance. […] If you hear how calm the album is, it actually might mean that I have reached a point in my life where I am completely content with the choices I have made.”
Indeed, the ever-eloquent Kvarforth is my most highly regarded creator for a reason. I have travelled the world in pursuit of artistic truth, and never have I seen or heard a performer as impressive as this famed misanthrope. This has been an especially rough year for Kvarforth, but I, and many of his fans, support him 100% and know that he is strong enough to surmount any obstacles. “Allt för Kvarforth!” Thank you, Sir, for providing me with my most important source of strength through the music for which you’ve given your blood and sacrificed everything about which mere mortals claim to care.
The lyrics to Shining will, of course, be incorporated in the sixth edition of When Prozac No Longer Helps, which comes out in 2024. We had a sneak preview, and I wholeheartedly believe that Kvarforth’s texts are more worthy than the honor of any award.
Høstsol’s Länge Leve Döden
At the end of 2022, I, a seer, predicted on this column that 2023 would be great based on the fact that I had already heard Høstsol’s Länge Leve Döden, which would not officially unleash its lethal brilliance until January 13. If Länge Leve Döden was the only black metal album that was released all year, that would have been more than enough. Länge Leve Döden is nothing short of miraculous. As one of the top releases since Det Som Engang Var (1993), this monumental work lifted my spirits infinitely by restoring my faith in the possibilities of today’s black metal. It showcases an all-star lineup: Niklas Kvarforth on vocals, Manes’ Cernunnus on guitars and synths, ex-Barathrum and Ajattara’s Kalmos on bass, and ex-Shining and Ajattara’s Rainer Tuomikanto on drums. Cernunnus crafted the infuriatingly perfect compositions and Kvarforth penned the equally phenomenal lyrics. The gorgeous text to “As Seen Through the Eyes of the Prophet,” however, was written by Shining and Cold Prophet’s Tuomas Tahvanainen. Länge Leve Döden was mastered by King Diamond’s Andy La Rocque like our last pick, which furthermore features a couple of his guitar solos. Both Länge Leve Döden and Shining are clearly intensely meaningful paragons of total creative integrity.
Dødheimsgard’s Black Medium Current
“Love is a curse. Nothing could be worse. The sign of human grief. Rooted in belief.” It’s quite tragic how much we love Dødheimsgard’s Black Medium Current, a long-awaited album worth weeping over. Black Medium Current is a groundbreaking achievement of unsurpassed quality. This radically inventive offering never fails to leave us speechless. Of course, Dødheimsgard’s Vicotnik is one of the genre’s top creators. His artistry is almost wholly unmatched. His work is cerebral, poetic, philosophical, ridiculously immersive, etc. As a result of his, yes, unfathomable genius, Black Medium Current is so much more than music — it is an unbelievably rewarding experience that should prove transfiguring if you just listen with your full heart and soul. Frightfully dark yet also kaleidoscopic, Black Medium Current is the closest most of us mortals will ever come to a journey through the cosmos.
RUÏM’s Black Royal Spiritism – I – O Sino da Igreja
RUÏM’s debut album, Black Royal Spiritism – I – O Sino da Igreja, demonstrates that Blasphemer remains a king of his craft. Yes, Blasphemer’s superiority as a composer and guitarist is glaringly obvious on this effort. Blasphemer handled everything but drums, which were beautifully provided by the highly skilled French musician CSR. Black Royal Spiritism was inspired by a tape of Blasphemer’s Mayhem-era material that dated back to the late ’90s and was sent by his good friend, leading black metal expert Finn Håkon Rødland. Of course, Blasphemer is known for creating classic Mayhem material and even won a Spellemann / “Norwegian Grammy” as a result.
Manii’s Innerst i Mørket
Formed in 2011, Manii represents the musical reunion of Manes’ Cernunnus and ex-Manes’ Sargatanas. On Innerst i Mørket, Manii’s third full-length record, the pair was joined by Whoredom Rife’s V. Einride, who proved an ideal fit. Innerst i Mørket consists of one epic nearly 40-minute track that is every bit as awe-inspiring as Trondheim’s iconic Nidaros Cathedral. Sargatanas gave one of the best vocal performances of the year. Meanwhile, Cernunnus’ songwriting is absolutely sublime. The atmosphere that he crafted is almost completely without parallel. That, however, actually shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise, given his stellar reputation as a pioneering artist.
K.F.R’s Pain/Ter
K.F.R is the main project of the insanely prolific multi-instrumentalist, painter, sculptor, video creator, author, and educator Maxime Taccardi. K.F.R’s latest victory, Pain/Ter, may be considered Taccardi’s magnum opus. Pain/Ter exhibits Maxime Taccardi’s remarkable ingenuity. I firmly believe that this delightfully profound, thoroughly haunting, and impossibly disturbing record will be regarded as a masterpiece in the future.
Please consider Maxime Taccardi’s other equally amazing recent black metal releases to be part of this list as well: Osculum Serpentis’ debut album, Maleficia, and first EP, The Curse of the Vampyre. We must furthermore note that Taccardi premiered the highly recommended Blasphemia under the banner of his new death metal project Putrid Omen this November.
SYN’s Villfarelse
We knew that Villfarelse, SYN’s debut, would be magnificent as soon as we heard its fifth track, the epic “Groregn,” on the mind-blowingly excellent compilation TERRATUR COMPENDIUM MMXXIII. On Villfarelse, SYN reminds listeners of the greatness of the ’90s. The band mesmerizes us with the nuances of their extraordinarily strong vision. SYN features a member of the revered Askeregn, which partially accounts for Villfarelse’s quality. Despite being a new act, SYN is already booked to appear at Beyond the Gates and also at CAERIMONIA NIDROSIÆ pt. 2 beside other top bands like the Spellemann-winning Djevel and Mare — a testament to their merit.
Mork’s Dypet
This March, Mork unveiled their sixth full-length effort, Dypet, which quickly earned much critical acclaim. For studio purposes, Mork is the one-man project of Thomas Eriksen. Dypet is a dreadfully pleasing record with killer vocals, riffs, lyrics, and so forth. Eriksen incorporated different types of influences into the fabric of Dypet, an aspect of the creative process that he found quite liberating. This year, Mork played at major festivals, travelled to Brazil, similarly rocked Asia, marked the tenth anniversary of their debut record in their native Halden, and so forth. Yes, Mork has become a fan-favorite outfit, and the reason is apparent on Dypet.
Tulus’ Fandens Kall
Despite being a classic True Norwegian Black Metal band, Tulus rarely receives due credit. Tulus’ seventh full-length record, Fandens Kall, is a glorious triumph. Tulus features celebrated original members “Sarke,” Thomas Bergli, on drums and “Blodstrup,” Sverre Stokland, on vocals and guitars. The highly accomplished “Crowbel,” Stian Myhre Kråbøl, who has been with the group since 2008, spellbinds us with his performances on bass; fans know that Tulus is a very bass-heavy group. “Hildr,” Hilde Nymoen, crafted Fandens Kall’s masterful poetic lyrics. As we are conditioned to expect from Tulus, Fandens Kall is gorgeous, groovy, brutal, and authentic.
Tsjuder’s Helvegr
Tsjuder’s Helvegr is an utterly uncompromising monster of an album — energetic, authoritative, dynamic, and charismatic. From beginning to end, Tsjuder bulldozes us with their bestial aggression. The legendary Nag and Draugluin remain at Tsjuder’s core. On Helvegr, the pair was joined by American drummer Jon Rice, an absolutely enviable piece of artillery. Even the record’s production is just right.
