Almost a decade ago one of the most important documents on the complete oeuvre of black metal was published. Author Dayal Patterson, a well-established and successful journalist who had worked extensively within many publications including Terrorizer and Metal Hammer had spoken at length with most of the important people within the scene over two whole decades and had plenty of material to tell this story, the roots of which spread back to a time before the phrase ‘black metal’ was even conceived. Although the book was more than successful at the time, introducing many to historical events and being praised by those within it and fans of the genre, he was not particularly happy and knew quickly that the job was not yet done. Indeed, further volumes were published taking in more interviews with bands that were missed out and those that had more to say. Going back to the original book what we have here is a new version that has been extensively overhauled, restored and expanded into a definitive version. I guess you could look on it like a director’s cut of a film but with nothing at all taken out but the running time doubled.
Rather than list everything different and what is new, previously unpublished and expanded you should hit the link at the bottom of the page where everything is detailed. Just to give you some idea though what we have is a lovely thick hardback book with 23 new chapters in it and expanded by 140,000 words. Also very importantly outlined in a new forward is an enlightening explanation of the authors dissatisfaction with original publishers Feral House who had restricted him with a word-count meaning bands such as Immortal, Satyricon, Mysticum and others had to be ridiculously omitted. There were huge problems with design and photo placement too, which naturally has all been rectified now after the author set up his own publishing house under The Cult Never Dies banner. I originally started on this digitally having been sent it whilst awaiting the finished book to arrive. One handy thing this told me, once my reader had settled down, was that to consume the book in its entirety was going to take 26-hours and I am not a slow reader! That’s a lot of content and of course many a session has been spent on it, each and every one incredibly enjoyable. . Dayal and his interviewees provide a naturally flowing prose which is quite digestible, easy to follow thematically and never stale, too convoluted or academically inclined (well perhaps one of the many batty characters, namely Proscriptor Mcgovern (Absu / Apsû) may melt your brain with his mythological belief system. Again, it is a book that is not just designed for those who know the music and events inside out (and I challenge anyone reading not to learn things they were not aware of) but also one for those looking for initiation to the cult or just wanting to know more about its potted and at times potty history.
One thing I did notice whilst reading and I am sure I am not alone, was that each reading simply had to be undertaken with grabbing of selected CD’s, vinyl, tapes of the corresponding bands to go with it. Tough choices had to be made too as many have extensive discographies and although written in depth there was only time to choose one or two discs before moving onto the next band. I ended up playing stuff I have not heard for years and this gave me even more appreciation for the book. I guess I am privileged in this respect but what if you were new to this style of music? What a wonderful voyage of discovery you can have due to the internet being able to provide you with a first listen to the material in most cases. I kind of envy anyone in this position and it will certainly provide a crash course and a complete picture of things.
I’m not going to go into a band-by-band, sub-genre dissection of things for this review. For a start it was partly covered in the original review HERE. You will find a chronological overview of things from the first wave of bands to the second which emerged from Norway with all the infamy and nefarious crimes and deaths that went with it. You will find the various breakdowns of the music from different countries and even continents as things evolved as well as the stylistic shifts of the template as the music took strange new forms never envisaged at its formation. There will be contentious subjects found politically here something that is covered factually and without any particular self-judgement from the author, something integrally important as far as journalism is concerned. You will also very helpfully find a complete development of structures with the bands themselves from the ever complicated shifts of line-ups and family trees as players incestuously swapped among different groups. The music itself is also explained telling you what to expect sound wise and exactly what was released by each and every group. Of course that particularly side of things can never be completely written due to the fact that many participants are still very much active and even many of those silent for a while have recently been resurrected. This is a cult that never stands still and the work will never be done as I am sure the author is aware. Ten years or so down the line there will certainly need to be another volume written.
I’m not trying to sell the book. I am sure many of our readers will be aware of it and plenty will have pre-ordered. What I will say is that you will not be disappointed. Your arms may however ache, you may need a bigger bookcase and your postman will be huffing, puffing and cursing when he gets it into your eager hands. This is an essential book for lovers of all music and even if I wanted to, there’s nothing negative I can think of to say. Those of you receiving this from Satan Claus will have a very black Xmas indeed. Although I was disappointed to finish it before cruel yule, dipping back into the successive parts of the original publication means that for me the story and the music can continue into the new year and beyond. I feel sorry for the neighbours.
(Pete Woods)
https://www.cultneverdies.com/books/black-metal-evolution-of-the-cult
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