The crossroads from which the genre we now know of as black metal were a place that punk, thrash, and death metal met at. Half of these were under ground when they came out and often had to be ordered from an ad in the back of a metal magazine as normal record stores did not carry them. We take this for granted today as they became though of a classic, the most important thing about black metal is it is dark, if it is Satanic which it should be then even better. Which as a kid growing up in the 80s if band was satanic then I just lumped in in with what we knew of as black metal at the time. Most metal heads in the 80s were listening to thrash at best, the rest were listening to what we now think of as power metal or cock rock. Bands like Venom became more popular as their albums began looked upon with reverence of the forefathers of what was to come. Here are the top 10 albums of the 80s that paved the way for what black metal is today.
10- GISM - "Detestation"
This 1984 release by Japanese punk rockers, is rough when it comes to even the production of the 80s. The feral sounds within it clearly left a mark on black metal and earn this album a place on this list.
9-Bathory - Under the Sign of the Black Mark"
Not even this project's best album, but in terms of black metal from this time period, it is way ahead of its time in the manner it marries pagan folk sounds into the metal. Many bands have tried since but tend to get stuck making Viking drinking songs.
8-Sarcofago - "INRI"
While very rough around the edges, the cult status of this album is not unfounded. One of those early death metal releases that sounds so evil and demented it crosses over, before anything was being labelled as blackened in the metal world.
This album shows how blurred the lines were in 1988 between thrash and what would become black metal. This band was founded by now producer and fill in guitarist for Judas Priest Andy Sneap. He was just a teenager when he founded this band. Hooky riffs are a selling point, but the signature to their sound has to be the raspy snarl of vocalist Martin Walkyier. It is still being imitated by black metal bands today.
6- Deicide- "s/t"
The layered vocals sounded like demons coming out of Glen Benton. He seemed very serious about hating Jesus which was impressive to me as a teenager. The music itself is a bulldozer and does not relent. Sure, this is a death metal classic, but it is feral enough to belong here.
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-5-Celtic Frost - "To the Mega Therion"
In 1985 no one thought of this as black metal, but we knew it was too weird and dark to be mentioned alongside many other bands aside from Venom and Mercyful Fate. My love for this band lies in their odder moments and willingness to experiment which is what gives this album a darker edge.
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4- Christian Death= "Sex Drugs and Jesus Christ"
No one will argue punks influence on black metal, but what about the darkest most blasphemous sub-genre of punk death rock? This band claims they made music for punks who like Halloween and though into the occult more than satanism they stepped up their disdain for religion on this album. Only Theater of Pain is largely regarded as their best work, which is true, but this one is darker and more akin to what blakc metal would become as you can hear traces of them in bands like Watain.
3-Venom- "Black Metal"
Of course, this album has to be in the top 3. This band was almost as punk as they were metal since they were as much about their attitude and raw macho aggression of their music. They were good enough musicians to get the job done but not close to the two bands taking top place above them, though this album stood the test of time and how can it not be included?
2-Slayer- "Hell Awaits"
One of the biggest bands in metal was darker than they are now. The speed they played with certainly influenced black metal as well as the evil feeling of their riffs. We now know that the whole satanic thing for Slayer was just a gimmick, yet their love for things like Nazi war crimes and serial killers is like worshipping darkness in its human incarnation. Not their best album, but their most black metal one.
1-Mercyful Fate - "Don't Break the Oath"
The big reason this is number one is because the songs have stood the test of time. Another reason is the King is not playing around, he is an actual Satanist, and the feeling permeates the music. All black metal that came after this owes this band a debt. Black metal is not about its rawness that is punk it is about its darkness.
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