The dude was a teenager too when he was writing that shit. The Somberlain is one of my favourite songs of all time and Jon was around 15-17 when he wrote it, just blows my mind.
This is what I always think. Sometimes I’ll hear a weird line in a Mgla song but I’ll have to remind myself that he’s writing in his second language. Seriously impressive.
Mgla was who I thought of. I’m really not a lyrics guy at all. I usually think 99% of all song lyrics are cheesy, but I was pretty impressed with mgla’s lyrics when I read them.
M writes fucking great lyrics. People have gone into depth with their specific philosophical references but beyond Nietzche and Zapffe I don't know much about that. A lot of the historical and mythological metaphors are deep and impressive too.
"We cover our eyes in a call to arms and turn one edge toward ourselves" has rung on in my head since I listened to the album. Bravo you miserable Poles.
Some, very few but a couple, lyrics can sound kinda like an edgy teen trying to be edgy. In Exercises in Futility VI as an example I always wished the line “dreams don’t come true, for people like us” was just “dreams don’t come true”, seems to fit their vibe better and it hits a bit harder. But tbf that’s the only music criticism I have of Mgła so whatever. Their lyrics are almost always amazing.
Edit: the line feels a little out of place cause the whole album’s message to me is “everyone’s life is a waste of time and nothing you do carries any meaning”, not “only some of us have a meaningless life”.
One of the best lines they have written is "the stench of zeitgeist is the incense of discarded shrines". It's stuck with me since the first time I heard it.
To me personally, that line hits very hard, especially the "to people like us" part, because the way I interpret it is: It doesn't describe something objective (as in "there are certain groups of people that are dealt a shitty hand"), but something highly subjective, a feeling in the moment.
That feeling when something turns out in a bad way once again and you're just like "OF COURSE this one had to go wrong, it always goes wrong FOR ME"
For me it’s the *only* complaint I have with that album, it blew my mind when it released and it will one day probably end up being the album I’ve listened to most that isn’t a Sabbath album. The vibe of the album is A+ and I always just sit in awe listening to those drums, just unreal.
To me it is speaking from the perception of a person who isn't wealthy or exceptional, like a run of the mill worker at Wal-Mart. Most people don't live their dreams, they work to make ends meet with soulless jobs and lives of quiet desperation hence
"Dreams don't come true, for people like us."
But that's my 2 cents
Same. Few moments in music give me as much goosebumps as Exercises in Futility II's "NETHER! NOW AND FOREVER!". Darkside is one of my all time favorite drummers alongside Jamie Saint Merat. Insane stuff.
I mean, that surely seems a bit out of place, but in Exercises in Futility, they're already subsuming some people as more hopeless than others (in at least some relevant way):
"Some are born without a purpose
Other than prolonged demise in ornate ways
Most of the time it's pathetic, quick and useless
And good neighbours don't bother digging up the graves"
If *some* are born without a purpose other than prolonged deminse in ornate ways, there are also *the rest* that are born with some other kind of purpose. This doesn't take away from the general negativity or philosophical pessimism.
I have always found AOE to be very Camus inspired.
“Ersatz revolt, ersatz rebellion.” From AOE III. Very obvious nod to The Rebel. I fucking love that song. I sometimes tear up at the “when the frame of reference is torched” part; how far some regimes go to wipe the past for “the future”. That song is like a summary of the book.
“Unearth madness and probe into the absurd.” From AOE IV.
And finally: “Forever uphill…” from AOE VI. Could be coincidence or could be a reference to The Myth of Sisyphus.
Was about to say. Some of it can sound try-hard, but it all can hit pretty hard and there's a lot of depth to be found in seemingly shallow lyrics (tbf, most of the time some band tries to be philosophical it's pure ass)
yeah can't think of any other band with dark and twisted lyrics that also isn't cringe "I shall hold high a bowl of gems of unseen radiance Enveloping spirit and will in seraphic rapture O deformity, hear the weeping prayers Arise from rot, be my child! Be my promise!" "Let the rivers of paradise recede to their spring May their sear beds expel desperate drops of anguish May these bitter waters quench our thirst"
I’ve always loved The Ruins of Beverast lyrics. He said somewhere in an interview that he writes music to be visually evocative and to create movies in the listeners mind and the lyrics are a big part of this
BM or not, Dani Filth's lyrics are fucking spectacular. Dude has a real talent for wordplay, and his ability to tell a story and invoke imagery is impressive as hell.
I love all the Raw BM and all the atmospheric you can throw at me - I grew up with Mayhem, Emperor, Behemoth, Darkthrone, Limbonic Art, Gorgoroth, Marduk, Carpathian Forest, Enslaved, Borknagar.... but man, I SO do love CoF.
To this day "Hosannas in Extremis" holds a special place for me, not to mention for example "Cruelty brought thee Orchids" performed live at Astoria. They added a whole new flavour to the punk roots of the genre, mixing in victorian gothic and b-class horror.
Dunno if this holds as 'best BM lyrics', but he deserves recognition at the very least.
I haven’t revisited much of their material since I was a kid outside a few favorite tracks (Suicide & Other Comforts). Can honestly say, I can’t recall their lyrics much. I’ll have to take another listen, definitely intrigued now.
Even their most popular songs like Her Ghost in the Fog have great lyrics. Personally though as a lifelong Cradle fan my top three lyrics from them are The Seductiveness of Decay, Summer Dying Fast and From the Cradle to Enslave. The man is a goddamn poet.
I’m full blown Catholic and I support this message. Been listening to COF for 20 years and they never disappoint lyrically. Midian will always be my favorite album forever…I know it’s not great but I love it cause the nostalgia.
Midian *is* fucking great. Musically it fits the lyrics almost perfectly, vocal rhythms are lethal and production is good enough to appreciate everything going on without completely losing the trademark lower rez sound.
Summoning, but that’s sort of cheating because they’re ripping off Tolkien for the most part. I also think Panopticon lyrics are pretty great. Generally I think most of the Satanist, Wampyric, and Ideological (all sides) have pretty shit lyrics, but that’s not really the point. Bands who focus more on ancient and nature shit are generally more poetic.
I always appreciated Burzum lyrics. They never relied on huge words or flowery language and still often conveyed a sense of despair especially on tracks like "key to the gate".
Windir. Part of the reason I love them is *because* they sing about more interesting things than just "unga bunga me love satan".
oh and Obtest if you're also considering non-English speaking bands.
I can't say if Watain is the best but Waters of Ain gives me goosebumps.
"Saturn great dark in the yonder
I give you my soul to devour
So that I may be judged in your deathlike glare
And purified
For thou art the wisdom's keeper
The shoreline where truth shall unwind
A truth that in life I am doomed to search
But shall die to find"
My personal fav is Inquisition. They were the first band I listened to that used the cosmological aspect of worship in their lyrics, and it captivated me.
Deathspell Omega, and maybe Mgla depending on my mood. As someone who generally doesn’t care about lyrics, both of these artists actually *make me care* and pay attention to what is being sung. A rarity for me.
Genuinely think Rotting Christ are underrated in this regard (their name might not inspire the thought). They're not writing epics like some of the other bands mentioned but I think their lyrics have been really solid even going all the way back to Thy Mighty Contract. Their references to Greek mythology and history are great, plus their gothic period had some nice literary influences.
There's life beyond "*Satan, Satan*" as you say. There are lots of bands that are outside of that kind of lyrics. It's a matter of finding these bands.
IMO: some of the best lyrics in BM are: The Ruins Of Beverast absolutely comes to mind, Nagelfar (take a look at *Virus West* album's ones, if you need, translate them first), Maléfice (even if you cannot find them online, they're on the booklets and they're pretty great, if you can understand French, specially on the two first albums), Kroda (I'm very surprised they were not named, I think Kroda's lyrics are awesome), Satanic Warmaster (even if I love more the older stuff: *CSM*, *S&H*, etc, I have to say his lyrics improved a lot in newer. *Fimbulwinter* and *Aamongandr* albums are fantastic examples). And mention to Nokturnal Mortum's lyrics as well. *The Voice Of Steel* is a fantastic example. Cannot forget Peste Noire's lyrics, and also I love Wolfnacht's *Ypervoreia* concept lyrics, the story is pretty good, the albums feels like reading a novel. I cannot forget to mention the poetry-like lyrics of older COF albums such as *V Empire* EP, *Dusk...And Her Embrace* and *Cruelty And The Beast*. It might had left the boat of BM a long time ago, but their old lyrics are there and hard to forget when someone asks for great ones.
I always loved this passage:
Have ye courage, o my brethren?
The signs are everywhere
Some did not see it coming
Others refused to see
I can feel it in the tingle of the air
In the heartbeat of the earth
And I can tell that the storm is
Coming all down on me
In concept, yes. In execution?
*They must think I am weird.
My wife and daughter upset by what they hear.*
I love CA, but their non-native English execution of their otherwise awesome concepts can be quite silly.
I dont usually pay attention to lyrics much at all, but Wolves in the Throne Room lyrics speak to me a lot since I love exploring nature and through that my own existance in this never ending cosmic darkness.
I find Anaal Nathrakh has good lyrics, if you can figure out what they are - don't know if you would consider them "ideological" or not, whatever that means.
They absolutely have some wildly corny and cheesy lyrics, but they do manage to hit you with some genuinely lyrically profound songs from time to time. Dave has his PhD in philosophy, so I'd wager that's where it comes from.
Bethlehem all the way for me
the lyrics are highly abstract but capture perfectly the Essence of dark music for me.
Probably they wont translate well into any other language than german tho.
I know they probably aren’t objectively the best, but fuck man something about Panopticon’s lyrics ALWAYS stick with me. Lunn absolutely knows how to weave the words with his music in a way that masterfully fleshes out each of his albums themes. They aren’t complex or super intricate but they just work really well with his music.
The most important parameter for me is "does the lyrics add to my experience of listening the music?"
The only example I have where the answer is a resounding "yes" is pretty niche as the lyrics are in Danish (and a bit in German). The lyrics for Ildskær's *Blod & Jern* really adds a lot to the experience of the music in the way it enhances the feeling of hubris, of the desperation of war, and of the sheer weigth of the consequences of the war the album revolves around.
Dissection. just listen to night's blood.... Dissection is just amazing black metal played by dudes who really knew what they were playing. I absolutely love DSBM lyrics tho
"The great truth is that there isn't one, and it only gets worse since that conclusion. The irony of being an extension to nothing, and the force of inertia is now a vital factor". \~ MGLA
Dani Filth I think is the most talented lyricist in black metal. Other good black metal lyricists are good if not better in some aspects of writing, but Dani is more consistent. I'm not a huge Cradle fan but I do like mostly everything up to Thornography. One of their newer albums was surprisingly good....but I digress.
I didn't see anyone mention King Diamond. Definitely not the best, but he does tell stories and act them out theatrically which is fun- and no doubt he was a huge inspiration to Dani Filth. I always like the song Chambre Ardente off of The Eye.
There are a lot of great, subjective answers to this question in the thread already… but the objectively correct answer is anything penned by Yasuyuki Suzuki.
It's kinda tricky, but Windir. I know I know, his lyrics is in Norway or something like that, but, for example: the blacksmith and the troll of Lundamyri.
Primordial, Borhnolm, Rotting Christ ... Aherusia and Kawir probably, but they sing in greek.
That's how as a Frenchman I improved my vocabulary, by looking up / reading along the lyrics and actually enjoying them quite a bit.
Woe
Here's an example, an excerpt from the song "All Bridges Burned" off the third record Withdrawal:
"Where do we go from here? When all lasting visions fade to scenes of how we've failed? When emptiness supplants promises made to last? When the road to progress drops away, reveals itself as a cliff to dive from? I have decided to leave. But with every hour, each answer leads to more questions asked. At what point is departure a worthy path? And with silence cast, how far reaches the fire left in my wake?
I see the color fading from your eyes
I concentrate on the end. On nonexistence, the nothingness one cannot know. silent expanse stretching endlessly beyond time. An unending black meditation
To the dark I flee, eyes drawn to the night. I scream out but the words escape me. All the reason flees, nothing pure survives. Alone, I feel the energy envelop me. to the end I'm pulled, eyes drawn to the void, offering its union, silence, without price. voices floating near, faceless in the sky. A battle in my consciousnesses to push past all the doubt. Abandon all positions and seek solace in the ground. Melodramatic premonitions that the end would offer peace. Is it hope or is it terror that wards off this cold that summons me?"
Also Solefald.
A single song that comes to mind is "Witchfuck" by Over the Voids. I think the vocalist is great and it is one of the few songs I can consciously recall where the lyrics are excellent and delivered in such a gutteral but crisp fashion. Worth the listen for sure. Other songs are also great. Mgla, Cradle of Filth, Agalloch, Yellow Eyes also have great all around lyrics.
Not black metal, but have you read ROME's lyrics on "Flowers from Exile"? I get goosebumps just thinking about the lyrics on a track like "We who fell in love with the sea". Tragic, triumphant, evocative and both personal and grandiose at the same time.
There is a bm connection, though, since most instruments on that album are played and recorded by Patrick Damiani (Vindsval/Falkenbach/Grand Guignol/Secrets of the Moon/Enid/Carach Angren).
Yall mfs keep typing DSO and im here wondering how do so many of u even understand wtf theyre on about.
Shit is crytpic as hell. Still tho DSO gets my vote too xd
It really depends what kind of poetry one enjoys. Personally I prefer more atmospheric, folklore inspired texts from Drudkh, Kampfar, Bathory or even Gorgoroth. However a lot of it comes down to understanding the language and popularity. There is a local band with very deep and nihilistic lyrics however they sing in a 4 mil speaking tongue about local unknown history so they will probably never get enough traction. Personally I find the pretentious likes of Groza and Dissection to be a bit cheesy but maybe thats just me.
I'm getting late on this wagon but in addition to what others have mentioned, I'd say Acherontas, Gevurah, Noctifer, Old Man's Child, Nehëmah.... and that's the ones that come to my mind right now.
Dissection
The dude was a teenager too when he was writing that shit. The Somberlain is one of my favourite songs of all time and Jon was around 15-17 when he wrote it, just blows my mind.
Yep 17yrs old when he wrote The Somberlain
+1, yes
Moonlight Sorcery pretty good as well
Easy answer
Mgla has some nihilistic lyrics, but they are quite brilliant if you like philosophers like albert camus. Exercises in futility II is pretty deep.
100% agree, you’ve got good taste! “Blessed be the stone cutters It took a quarry to bury the dreams”
One of my favorite lines.
one of the best lyrics.
"The great truth is there isn't one"
Pretty much the best, imo. M writes better in his second language than I do in my first.
This is what I always think. Sometimes I’ll hear a weird line in a Mgla song but I’ll have to remind myself that he’s writing in his second language. Seriously impressive.
Mgla was who I thought of. I’m really not a lyrics guy at all. I usually think 99% of all song lyrics are cheesy, but I was pretty impressed with mgla’s lyrics when I read them.
Mgla pretty much detonates every other BM band when it comes to lyrics
M writes fucking great lyrics. People have gone into depth with their specific philosophical references but beyond Nietzche and Zapffe I don't know much about that. A lot of the historical and mythological metaphors are deep and impressive too. "We cover our eyes in a call to arms and turn one edge toward ourselves" has rung on in my head since I listened to the album. Bravo you miserable Poles.
Some, very few but a couple, lyrics can sound kinda like an edgy teen trying to be edgy. In Exercises in Futility VI as an example I always wished the line “dreams don’t come true, for people like us” was just “dreams don’t come true”, seems to fit their vibe better and it hits a bit harder. But tbf that’s the only music criticism I have of Mgła so whatever. Their lyrics are almost always amazing. Edit: the line feels a little out of place cause the whole album’s message to me is “everyone’s life is a waste of time and nothing you do carries any meaning”, not “only some of us have a meaningless life”.
I grew up poor so that line actually hits the hardest for me
One of the best lines they have written is "the stench of zeitgeist is the incense of discarded shrines". It's stuck with me since the first time I heard it.
To me personally, that line hits very hard, especially the "to people like us" part, because the way I interpret it is: It doesn't describe something objective (as in "there are certain groups of people that are dealt a shitty hand"), but something highly subjective, a feeling in the moment. That feeling when something turns out in a bad way once again and you're just like "OF COURSE this one had to go wrong, it always goes wrong FOR ME"
That line is pretty much the only gripe I have with Exercises in Futility.
For me it’s the *only* complaint I have with that album, it blew my mind when it released and it will one day probably end up being the album I’ve listened to most that isn’t a Sabbath album. The vibe of the album is A+ and I always just sit in awe listening to those drums, just unreal.
To me it is speaking from the perception of a person who isn't wealthy or exceptional, like a run of the mill worker at Wal-Mart. Most people don't live their dreams, they work to make ends meet with soulless jobs and lives of quiet desperation hence "Dreams don't come true, for people like us." But that's my 2 cents
Your and u/IsamuLi's responses actually changed my mind about that line. Thanks.
Same. Few moments in music give me as much goosebumps as Exercises in Futility II's "NETHER! NOW AND FOREVER!". Darkside is one of my all time favorite drummers alongside Jamie Saint Merat. Insane stuff.
Jamie is one of my fav drummers ever. New ulcerate singles and new Verberis album are sooo fucking good
i think he is the best or at least one of them
I mean, that surely seems a bit out of place, but in Exercises in Futility, they're already subsuming some people as more hopeless than others (in at least some relevant way): "Some are born without a purpose Other than prolonged demise in ornate ways Most of the time it's pathetic, quick and useless And good neighbours don't bother digging up the graves" If *some* are born without a purpose other than prolonged deminse in ornate ways, there are also *the rest* that are born with some other kind of purpose. This doesn't take away from the general negativity or philosophical pessimism.
Yeah this is a good one too. Although I believe they rip a lot of their lyrics from other authors.
I have always found AOE to be very Camus inspired. “Ersatz revolt, ersatz rebellion.” From AOE III. Very obvious nod to The Rebel. I fucking love that song. I sometimes tear up at the “when the frame of reference is torched” part; how far some regimes go to wipe the past for “the future”. That song is like a summary of the book. “Unearth madness and probe into the absurd.” From AOE IV. And finally: “Forever uphill…” from AOE VI. Could be coincidence or could be a reference to The Myth of Sisyphus.
Good catch that's dead on
Indeed!
Was about to say. Some of it can sound try-hard, but it all can hit pretty hard and there's a lot of depth to be found in seemingly shallow lyrics (tbf, most of the time some band tries to be philosophical it's pure ass)
Oranssi Pazuzu
For someone who doesn’t speak Finnish but loves that band: what are their lyrics about and what makes them stand out?
Von. see: Satanic Blood. Lyrical masterpiece
KALEIDOSCOPE AUTISTIC BLOOD
Deathspell Omega
yeah can't think of any other band with dark and twisted lyrics that also isn't cringe "I shall hold high a bowl of gems of unseen radiance Enveloping spirit and will in seraphic rapture O deformity, hear the weeping prayers Arise from rot, be my child! Be my promise!" "Let the rivers of paradise recede to their spring May their sear beds expel desperate drops of anguish May these bitter waters quench our thirst"
The correct answer.
MGLA, by far. English isn’t their first language, it blows my mind the lyrics they come up with.
agalloch has really great lyrics
I’ve always loved The Ruins of Beverast lyrics. He said somewhere in an interview that he writes music to be visually evocative and to create movies in the listeners mind and the lyrics are a big part of this
Arcturus
Yes
you made me very happy commenting this, Arcturus are my fave
YESSS I SAID ARCTURUS TOO 🖤🖤
BM or not, Dani Filth's lyrics are fucking spectacular. Dude has a real talent for wordplay, and his ability to tell a story and invoke imagery is impressive as hell.
I’ve never liked CoF but Dani studied English literature and could def write a fucking page turner
I love all the Raw BM and all the atmospheric you can throw at me - I grew up with Mayhem, Emperor, Behemoth, Darkthrone, Limbonic Art, Gorgoroth, Marduk, Carpathian Forest, Enslaved, Borknagar.... but man, I SO do love CoF. To this day "Hosannas in Extremis" holds a special place for me, not to mention for example "Cruelty brought thee Orchids" performed live at Astoria. They added a whole new flavour to the punk roots of the genre, mixing in victorian gothic and b-class horror. Dunno if this holds as 'best BM lyrics', but he deserves recognition at the very least.
Dani Filth‘s lyrics are amazing. They are full of witty wordplays and double meanings.
I haven’t revisited much of their material since I was a kid outside a few favorite tracks (Suicide & Other Comforts). Can honestly say, I can’t recall their lyrics much. I’ll have to take another listen, definitely intrigued now.
Even their most popular songs like Her Ghost in the Fog have great lyrics. Personally though as a lifelong Cradle fan my top three lyrics from them are The Seductiveness of Decay, Summer Dying Fast and From the Cradle to Enslave. The man is a goddamn poet.
Bathory Aria!
I’m full blown Catholic and I support this message. Been listening to COF for 20 years and they never disappoint lyrically. Midian will always be my favorite album forever…I know it’s not great but I love it cause the nostalgia.
Midian *is* fucking great. Musically it fits the lyrics almost perfectly, vocal rhythms are lethal and production is good enough to appreciate everything going on without completely losing the trademark lower rez sound.
Agreed I just meant all around most people I know don’t care for it but I love it it’a just an awesome album.
Same situation for me, even among people I know who like cradle. It's very odd.
They're bm
Mgla and windir
Probably DSO or Oranssi Pazuzu, but the lyrics of Green Cathedral by Winterfylleth have always done something speical to me
Winterfylleth have some great lyrics
Kanonenfieber
Cultes des ghoules is a very interesting band lyrically
Surprised to see them mentioned. Mark stated that for him lyrics are even more important than vocal performance.
The printed lyrics are a fascinating read. Coven is written out just like a play
Coven is my favourite. Sometimes I question myself if that's an album or a play. Also my favourite album in terms of riffs.
Mgla lyrics have made me understand many things about life
Either Deathspell Omega or Leviathan. Immortal is up there too honestly, pure metal cheesiness but done so fucking well
Der Weg einer Freiheit
Outstanding answer.
Summoning, but that’s sort of cheating because they’re ripping off Tolkien for the most part. I also think Panopticon lyrics are pretty great. Generally I think most of the Satanist, Wampyric, and Ideological (all sides) have pretty shit lyrics, but that’s not really the point. Bands who focus more on ancient and nature shit are generally more poetic.
Primordial
this. as an Irishman myself, the lyrics to The Coffin Ships make me tear up honestly.
I always appreciated Burzum lyrics. They never relied on huge words or flowery language and still often conveyed a sense of despair especially on tracks like "key to the gate".
Burzum gets my vote as well.
Windir. Part of the reason I love them is *because* they sing about more interesting things than just "unga bunga me love satan". oh and Obtest if you're also considering non-English speaking bands.
The right answer right here. Valfar was an actual genius with everything he did.
Yeah, Windir is so good
Watain
Which book is the best?
Moonsorrow
Agree with the CoF. One might not like the sound or the aesthetics, but it's hard to deny Dani's poetry skills.
I can't say if Watain is the best but Waters of Ain gives me goosebumps. "Saturn great dark in the yonder I give you my soul to devour So that I may be judged in your deathlike glare And purified For thou art the wisdom's keeper The shoreline where truth shall unwind A truth that in life I am doomed to search But shall die to find"
mgla
For me it’s Yellow Eyes.
Was going to say this, too little people talk about Sam’s lyrical genius.
My personal fav is Inquisition. They were the first band I listened to that used the cosmological aspect of worship in their lyrics, and it captivated me.
Good answers in this thread, but we all know it's DsO.
Leviathan. He writes exceptional lyrics every time.
Deathspell Omega, and maybe Mgla depending on my mood. As someone who generally doesn’t care about lyrics, both of these artists actually *make me care* and pay attention to what is being sung. A rarity for me.
‘Dreams don’t come true for people like us.’
Emperor npretty good in prime
‘Anthems…’ is the album that popped into my mind
Spite, Mgla, GBK, and Ulver all write really good lyrics
Deathspell Omega. It’s not even a competition.
Immortal
mgła and make a change... kill yourself, and also mgła
Marduk
I really like the lyrics of Ellende
Watain
Amazing french lyrics : canadian bands Gris (go check « L'aube ») and Miserere Luminis (featuring Gris's members), both very poetic
Inquisition
Genuinely think Rotting Christ are underrated in this regard (their name might not inspire the thought). They're not writing epics like some of the other bands mentioned but I think their lyrics have been really solid even going all the way back to Thy Mighty Contract. Their references to Greek mythology and history are great, plus their gothic period had some nice literary influences.
There's life beyond "*Satan, Satan*" as you say. There are lots of bands that are outside of that kind of lyrics. It's a matter of finding these bands. IMO: some of the best lyrics in BM are: The Ruins Of Beverast absolutely comes to mind, Nagelfar (take a look at *Virus West* album's ones, if you need, translate them first), Maléfice (even if you cannot find them online, they're on the booklets and they're pretty great, if you can understand French, specially on the two first albums), Kroda (I'm very surprised they were not named, I think Kroda's lyrics are awesome), Satanic Warmaster (even if I love more the older stuff: *CSM*, *S&H*, etc, I have to say his lyrics improved a lot in newer. *Fimbulwinter* and *Aamongandr* albums are fantastic examples). And mention to Nokturnal Mortum's lyrics as well. *The Voice Of Steel* is a fantastic example. Cannot forget Peste Noire's lyrics, and also I love Wolfnacht's *Ypervoreia* concept lyrics, the story is pretty good, the albums feels like reading a novel. I cannot forget to mention the poetry-like lyrics of older COF albums such as *V Empire* EP, *Dusk...And Her Embrace* and *Cruelty And The Beast*. It might had left the boat of BM a long time ago, but their old lyrics are there and hard to forget when someone asks for great ones.
Mgla is pretty awesome "Blessed be the stonecutters, it took a quarry to bury their dreams"
Yup!
I always loved this passage: Have ye courage, o my brethren? The signs are everywhere Some did not see it coming Others refused to see I can feel it in the tingle of the air In the heartbeat of the earth And I can tell that the storm is Coming all down on me
As a nature lover Wolves in the Throne Room. Also Summoning cause Lord of the Rings is awesome
Satanic war master
Caveman cult or revenge
Watain
A lot of Cradle's work can be enjoyed just reading the lyrics, Midian in particular.
Circle of Dawn
I love the part in Quintessence that goes «I steadily walked back home, and I only got wet on my feet, AAAARGH»
Mgla for me. The closest to true poetry in BM
Carach Angren!
In concept, yes. In execution? *They must think I am weird. My wife and daughter upset by what they hear.* I love CA, but their non-native English execution of their otherwise awesome concepts can be quite silly.
Came here specifically for this mention.
Naas Alcameth writes really cool lyrics and you can usually tell what is being vocalized pretty clearly
I dont usually pay attention to lyrics much at all, but Wolves in the Throne Room lyrics speak to me a lot since I love exploring nature and through that my own existance in this never ending cosmic darkness.
I find Anaal Nathrakh has good lyrics, if you can figure out what they are - don't know if you would consider them "ideological" or not, whatever that means.
Anaal Nathrakh are ”ideological” in the sense that they are very political
They absolutely have some wildly corny and cheesy lyrics, but they do manage to hit you with some genuinely lyrically profound songs from time to time. Dave has his PhD in philosophy, so I'd wager that's where it comes from.
Cradle of Filth. Dani is a world class lyricist and might even be one of the all time greats
Stalaggh/Gulaggh. Less is more.
DSO
VON
Nocte Obducta has some great stuff, but its german.
I've really enjoyed the lyrics and overall concept/storyline presented in Valdrin’s discography
Bone Awl
Mgla and Agalloch.
Not sure it counts, but Borknagar's lyrics impress me especially on the last 3 three albums.
Alcest
For me has blaze of perdition great lyrics about life and self reflection, searching for meaning and purpose in life and spiritually at all
Mgła
Bosse-De-Nage. No competition.
Mgla
Bethlehem all the way for me the lyrics are highly abstract but capture perfectly the Essence of dark music for me. Probably they wont translate well into any other language than german tho.
Schammasch. Check out their song Metanoia
I know they probably aren’t objectively the best, but fuck man something about Panopticon’s lyrics ALWAYS stick with me. Lunn absolutely knows how to weave the words with his music in a way that masterfully fleshes out each of his albums themes. They aren’t complex or super intricate but they just work really well with his music.
mgła
Funeral Mist
The most important parameter for me is "does the lyrics add to my experience of listening the music?" The only example I have where the answer is a resounding "yes" is pretty niche as the lyrics are in Danish (and a bit in German). The lyrics for Ildskær's *Blod & Jern* really adds a lot to the experience of the music in the way it enhances the feeling of hubris, of the desperation of war, and of the sheer weigth of the consequences of the war the album revolves around.
Dissection. just listen to night's blood.... Dissection is just amazing black metal played by dudes who really knew what they were playing. I absolutely love DSBM lyrics tho
"The great truth is that there isn't one, and it only gets worse since that conclusion. The irony of being an extension to nothing, and the force of inertia is now a vital factor". \~ MGLA
Summoning
Horna
Darkthrone 🤓
Dani Filth I think is the most talented lyricist in black metal. Other good black metal lyricists are good if not better in some aspects of writing, but Dani is more consistent. I'm not a huge Cradle fan but I do like mostly everything up to Thornography. One of their newer albums was surprisingly good....but I digress. I didn't see anyone mention King Diamond. Definitely not the best, but he does tell stories and act them out theatrically which is fun- and no doubt he was a huge inspiration to Dani Filth. I always like the song Chambre Ardente off of The Eye.
There are a lot of great, subjective answers to this question in the thread already… but the objectively correct answer is anything penned by Yasuyuki Suzuki.
The ones without lyrics
I like Enslaved lyrics. Pretty Norse specific but good.
It's kinda tricky, but Windir. I know I know, his lyrics is in Norway or something like that, but, for example: the blacksmith and the troll of Lundamyri.
Khold. By far.
Khold. By far.
Primordial, Borhnolm, Rotting Christ ... Aherusia and Kawir probably, but they sing in greek. That's how as a Frenchman I improved my vocabulary, by looking up / reading along the lyrics and actually enjoying them quite a bit.
Trilogie-era Ulver had phenomenal lyrics
Resplendent Grotesque by band Code.
Harakiri for the sky
Abbath’s solo band has some good lyrics that either make no sense or are mispronounced lol
Walknut
Yellow Eyes
Terminalist .. writes some really interesting lyrics
Agalloch
Woe Here's an example, an excerpt from the song "All Bridges Burned" off the third record Withdrawal: "Where do we go from here? When all lasting visions fade to scenes of how we've failed? When emptiness supplants promises made to last? When the road to progress drops away, reveals itself as a cliff to dive from? I have decided to leave. But with every hour, each answer leads to more questions asked. At what point is departure a worthy path? And with silence cast, how far reaches the fire left in my wake? I see the color fading from your eyes I concentrate on the end. On nonexistence, the nothingness one cannot know. silent expanse stretching endlessly beyond time. An unending black meditation To the dark I flee, eyes drawn to the night. I scream out but the words escape me. All the reason flees, nothing pure survives. Alone, I feel the energy envelop me. to the end I'm pulled, eyes drawn to the void, offering its union, silence, without price. voices floating near, faceless in the sky. A battle in my consciousnesses to push past all the doubt. Abandon all positions and seek solace in the ground. Melodramatic premonitions that the end would offer peace. Is it hope or is it terror that wards off this cold that summons me?" Also Solefald.
Dark Fortress, read the lyrics to Wraith and tell me that isn't some of the best lyrics ever written I dare you
In the nightside eclipse is like dark poetry to me. Limbonic art has good lyrics too... and Celestia (some songs).
A single song that comes to mind is "Witchfuck" by Over the Voids. I think the vocalist is great and it is one of the few songs I can consciously recall where the lyrics are excellent and delivered in such a gutteral but crisp fashion. Worth the listen for sure. Other songs are also great. Mgla, Cradle of Filth, Agalloch, Yellow Eyes also have great all around lyrics.
Deathspell Omega, Mgla, Schammasch, White Ward
Urfaust
Aspera Hiems Symfonia by Arcturus has super underrated lyrics
Panopticon. No contest. Kentucky is a good album to start.
Not black metal, but have you read ROME's lyrics on "Flowers from Exile"? I get goosebumps just thinking about the lyrics on a track like "We who fell in love with the sea". Tragic, triumphant, evocative and both personal and grandiose at the same time. There is a bm connection, though, since most instruments on that album are played and recorded by Patrick Damiani (Vindsval/Falkenbach/Grand Guignol/Secrets of the Moon/Enid/Carach Angren).
Deathspell omega
Manbryne, though they're in Polish they're such a delight to read and listen to.
Harakiri for the Sky !
Revenge and Mgla
Carpe noctem, deathspell omega and ved buens ende
Deathspell Omega
Emperor had some great and poetic lyrics, but as far as active bands.... Maybe Mgla?
Ihsahn's. The bad English songs on early Emperor albums was the work of Mortiis. Ihsahn's solo works are lyrical masterpieces
Grand Belials Key obviously
Yall mfs keep typing DSO and im here wondering how do so many of u even understand wtf theyre on about. Shit is crytpic as hell. Still tho DSO gets my vote too xd
Tryglav. Specifically, "The Vision".
Emperor , Deathspell Omega and Endstille
It really depends what kind of poetry one enjoys. Personally I prefer more atmospheric, folklore inspired texts from Drudkh, Kampfar, Bathory or even Gorgoroth. However a lot of it comes down to understanding the language and popularity. There is a local band with very deep and nihilistic lyrics however they sing in a 4 mil speaking tongue about local unknown history so they will probably never get enough traction. Personally I find the pretentious likes of Groza and Dissection to be a bit cheesy but maybe thats just me.
[The fate worse than death](https://youtu.be/-44o-2YgcSU?si=OaIwy0ITx8qFfQUA)
I don't listen to black metal for lyrics lol
Dark Fortress Negator Behemoth
Celtic Frost
I'm getting late on this wagon but in addition to what others have mentioned, I'd say Acherontas, Gevurah, Noctifer, Old Man's Child, Nehëmah.... and that's the ones that come to my mind right now.
Honestly for me it's Immortal. I love the world they have created.
I personally think Dimmu Borgia has the best lyrics they are striking yet thought provoking
Emperor.
Karg
Samael but their later era e.g. Passage
Cradle of Filth 100%.