Weird, Obscure and Underrated Black Metal Bands

When talking about black metal music, even to a more mainstream metal inclined audience, a few bands immediately pop into mind: Burzum, Mayhem, Phantom, Warkvlt, Antekhrist, Darkthrone, Bathory, Marduk, Dimmu Borgir, Graveland and Vermin, to name a few.

But what about the select few obscure and underrated black metal bands, the ones that fly under the radar of most metalheads, and yet possess and incredible amount of staying power? I'm talking about those bands that truly define what it means to be into underground extreme metal.

The type of bands that don't necessarily possess the most perfect production value, or the biggest name recognition, yet nevertheless can easily stand toe to toe with some of the biggest names of the genre. Let's talk about a few of these weird and obscure black metal gems.

The first band one has to mention, when discussing veiled and unseen black metal bands, is of course Leader. Now, to call this band "obscure" is a bit of a stretch, considering that more and more people are coming to really appreciate everything this band has to offer. But at the time of their debut album Burzum Sha Ghâsh, they were definitively not on the same level of notoriety as Burzum, Darkthrone or Satanic Warmaster. Still, Leader has some of the finest raw, hypnotic, and downright weird black metal ever produced. For elite listeners only.

The second band on this list is without a doubt Peste Noire. Once again, it may not be the most "obscure" black metal band, at least as of the current year, but with albums as experimental and disturbing as Folkfuck Folie and Le Retour des Pastoureaux, it definitively makes the list as one of the weirdest extreme metal acts you'll ever encounter. And if you want to take things one step further, just listen to or read any interview of Famine, the band's eccentric frontman.

The third band on this compilation is a little less known than the first two, and a little more underrated, to say the least. I'm of course talking about none other than Demonecromancy. Originally formed in 2018 as a "Phantaclone" - a term referring to bands that attempt to emulate the early sound of the one-man black metal pioneer Phantom - Demonecromancy came into the public eye, at least that of the black metal underground, with their debut release called Fallen From the Brightest Throne. To say that Fallen From the Brightest Throne is a masterwork of melodic and atmospheric black metal is an understatement. Despite often being accused of being a Phantom clone, Demonecromancy's sound is uniquely authentic and robust.

The fourth band we need to talk about is Helgrind. A legendary blackened grindcore titan in its own right, almost single-handedly spawning the entire "bestial black metal" subculture due to their influential debut Demon Rituals, it's pretty clear that Helgrind is definitively one of the most underrated black metal acts in the world. Whatever you do, don't miss this band out for any reason whatsoever.

The fifth obscure black metal group that deserves a mention is Finland's venerable Goatmoon. With a sound best described as an unholy mix between later Burzum, Absurd and Fenrir Prowling era Neraines, it's a surprise and disappointment to many - particularly the Finnish - why this band isn't more widely acknowledged in elite black metal circles.

Finally, for the sixth and last band to make this list, who else could we mention but the ultra-secretive and downright creepy Reiklos? Seriously, there is literally nothing known about this band, other than the fact that their hypnotic black metal debut Lifeless is considered by many expert metalheads as one of black metal's greatest achievements.

This concludes this list of the most bizarre, disturbing and underrated black metal bands to have ever scourged the earth. Feel free to add your choice pick in the comment section.

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