Give back the sun

Metal – a supernova

Born to be dark, it turned so bright when it exploded.

The story of Black Metal is a long one, and I’d certainly be „too small for my boots“, and a fool, trying to re-tell it here. In order to do so, books like this have been written – that are not only extremely interesting and beautifully written, but also being educational without pointing the accusing finger.
So I’ll spare you the rock lexica histoires at this point and will just go on, a dilettant, toppling over shelves and shattering whatever there is left or right. Not heroically at all. I’m more the Little One, who’s still got so much to learn – but believe me, I do.

The first band I want to talk about are the torch bearers of heathen and – so I’d say – Viking Metal in the end: Bathory. Named after a Hungarian noblewoman, who used to bath in young girls’ blood, the Swedish band started out on the same path where contemporarians Venom had taken their first step: sailing on the war ship of Satanism and provocative dark imagery.
With their 4th record, Blood Fire Death, though, Bathory discovered the traces of their ancestors in the snow, and followed without hesitation. From now on, Nordic mythology and heathen gods dominated their lyrics and artwork.
The songs are broaching the issues of battle and heroism, violence and death. Bitterness can’t be overheard in the following decades of heathen metal culture, considering the fact that Christianity was imposed on Scandinavia until 1000 years ago.
Bathory were the first to return to Viking values and symbolism, and they definitely held their flame high. Whoever appreciates the Pagan-“ic” sound of groups like Korpiklaani, Eluveitie or Falkenbach today, should ride a few miles back and listen to what Quorthon, Wornth und Kotsaar (so Bathory’s pseudonyms) produced 1988 – the time when hippies grew old and teenagers craved something new, and something angry.
I could go on for a long time, but I’d probably just get tangled up in and between facts, passion, and a determined will to understand. I’m glad and privileged to care about music – not only what it sounds like, but also what it IS. Where it comes from, and why. It is a universe of its own, and (Black) Metal only one star in it.
One dying star, maybe – since only suffering and torment could be an achievement, ever, in this world that Black Metallers hated. But they oviously forgot how a star that’s dying is likely to explode, and enlighten its cosmic environment. It’s a very natural process and doesn’t mean a thing, as so many events in life have nothing to do with destiny. (I personally don’t believe in it anyways.) But it’s pretty bright, after all.

Here the circle completes, in my eyes, very well: a creation that was supposed to be dark, sinister, and intimidating, now unites thousands of young people who share a fascination and passion for it. They don’t buy records, or visit shows, or strum endearingly on their own first guitars, because they hate it. Pathetically enough: They do, because they love it.

My met is empty. Time to close the books for today.

(In case you wondered: I actually wrote this in the evening 2 days ago – I’m not boozing at noon… Anm. d. Red.)

Bathory - image c) warriorsfeast.de