Black Metal · Evolution of the Cult

An epic 600 page tome exploring the history and development of black metal from its beginnings in the early 1980s to the present day. Featuring many dozens of interviews with the most significant protagonists and a wealth of previously unpublished images.

This visually exciting musical genre, known for its extreme views and actions, have finally breached the mainstream in televised pa

rodies and bestselling publications by Vice and Feral House. Despite a history of criminal actions, black metal has become Norway’s biggest cultural export, earning it support from the government itself.

Spanning 600 pages, Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult traces the progress of the genre, from its infancy in the early 1980s to today’s scene. Combining dozens of interviews with iconic photographs, this epic tome examines the artistic, musical, spiritual development of this controversial genre. Included are interviews with:

Venom • Mercyful Fate • Bathory • Hellhammer • Celtic Frost • Sodom • Slayer • Kreator • Destruction • Vulcano • Sarcofago • Blasphemy • Samael • Rotting Christ • Necromantia • VON • Tormentor • Master’s Hammer • Beherit • Mayhem • Vomit • Thorns • Darkthrone • Burzum • Thou Shalt Suffer • Emperor • Gehenna • Gorgoroth • Trelldom • Cradle of Filth • Dimmu Borgir • Mütiilation • Vlad Tepes • Belketre and the Black Legions • Dissection • Watain • Marduk and Funeral Mist • Shining • Graveland • Infernum • Behemoth • Enslaved • Satryricon • Isengard/Storm • Ulver • Windir • Negura Bunget • Hades • Primordial • Arcturus • Manes • In the Woods • Ved Buens Ende • Fleurety • Sigh • Dødheimsgard • Mysticum • Aborym • Blacklodge • Amesoeurs/Alcest • Fen • Wolves in the Throne Room, Lifelover

Alongside band interviews, Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult includes exclusive interviews with:

Adam ‘Nergal’ Darski (Behemoth)

Alan ‘AA Nemtheanga’ Averill (Primordial)

Attila Csihar (Mayhem / Tormentor)

Benny ‘Cerastes’ (Mysticum)

Christophe Szpajdel (Designer for Emperor, Graveland etc)

Conrad ‘Cronos’ Lant (Venom)

Dani Filth (Cradle Of Filth)

Edmond ‘Hupogrammos’ Karban (Negura Bunget)

Eirik ‘Pytten’ Hundvin (Producer for Emperor, Gorgoroth, Mayhem)

Fabban ‘Malfeitor’ (Aborym)

Frank ‘The Watcher’ Allain (Fen)

František Štorm (Master’s Hammer)

George ‘Magus Daoloth’ Zacharopoulos (Rotting Christ / Necromantia)

Gerald ‘Black Winds’ (Blasphemy)

Greg ‘Damien’ Moffit (Cradle Of Filth)

Gylve ‘Fenriz’ Nagell (Darkthrone / Dødheimsgard / Isengard / Storm)

Hans ‘Mortuus’ Rostén (Marduk / Funeral Mist)

Håvard ‘Mortiis’ Ellefsen(Emperor)

Ian ‘Tjodalv’ Åkesson (Dimmu Borgir)

Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved)

Jarle ‘Hvall’ Kvåle (Windir / Vreid)

Jason ‘Venien’ Ventura (VON)

Jon ‘Metallion’ Kristiansen (Slayer Mag / Head Not Found Records)

Jonas ‘B’ Bergqvist (Lifelover)

Jonas Åkerlund (Bathory)

Jørn ‘Necrobutcher’ Stubberud (Mayhem / Kvikksølvguttene)

Jorn Tunsberg (Old Funeral / Immortal / Hades)

Kai ‘Trym’ Mosaker (Emperor / Enslaved)

Kim ‘( )’ Carlsson(Lifelover)

Kim ‘King Diamond’ Petersen (Mercyful Fate)

Kjetil ‘Manheim’ (Mayhem)

Kjetil Grutle (Enslaved)

Kristian ‘Gaahl’ Espedal (Trelldom / Gorgoroth / Gaahlskag)

Kristoffer ‘Garm’ Rygg (Arcturus / Ulver)

Lee Barrett (Candlelight Records)

Marko ‘Holocausto’ Laiho (Beherit)

Michael ‘Vorph’ Locher (Samael)

Mikko Aspa (Clandestine Blaze)

Mirai Kawashima (Sigh)

Morgan ‘Evil’ Hakkansson (Marduk / Abruptum)

Niklas Kvarforth (Shining)

Ole ‘Apollyon’ Moe (Aura Noir / Dødheimsgard / Immortal)

Paul Ryan (Cradle Of Filth)

Peter Tagtgren (Producer for Dimmu Borgir, Marduk)

Preben ‘Prime Evil’ (Mysticum, Aborym)

Rob ‘Darken’ Fudali (Graveland / Infernum)

Robin ‘Graves’ Eaglestone (Cradle Of Filth)

Robin ‘Mean’ Malmberg (Mysticum)

Roger ‘Infernus’ Tiegs (Gorgoroth / Borknagar)

Rune ‘Blasphemer’ Eriksen (Mayhem / Aura Noir)

Saint Vincent (Blacklodge)

Sakis Tolis (Rotting Christ)

Shawn ‘Goat’ Calizo (VON)

Simen ‘ICS Vortex’ Hestnæs (Arcturus / Dimmu Borgir)

Snorre Ruch (Stigma Diabolicum / Thorns / Mayhem)

Steffen ‘Dolgar’ Simestad (Gehenna)

Svein Egil Hatlevik (Fleurety / Dødheimsgard)

Sven ‘Silenoz’ Kopperud (Dimmu Borgir)

Sven-Erik ‘Maniac’ Kristiansen (Mayhem)

Terje ‘Tchort’ Vik Schei (Emperor / Carpathian Forest)

Thomas ‘Pest’ Kronenes (Gorgoroth)

Tom ‘King’ Visnes (Gorgoroth / Ov Hell)

Tom ‘Warrior’ Fischer (Hellhammer / Celtic Frost)

Tomas ‘Samoth’ Haugen (Thou Shalt Suffer / Emperor)

Tor-Helge ‘Cernunnus’ Skei (Manes)

Vegard ‘Ihsahn’ Tveiten (Emperor / Thou Shalt Suffer)

Ville ‘Shatraug’ Pystynen (Horna / Behexen)

Willy ‘Meyhna’ch’ Rousell (Mutiilation)

Yusaf ‘Vicotnik’ Parvez (Dødheimsgard)

Zhema Rodero (Vulcano)

Dayal Patterson has been following the black metal scene since the mid-1990s and writes and photographs for Metal Hammer and Record Collector magazines, and also contributes to The Quietus, Terrorizer and Classic Rock Presents, as well as writing biographies and liner notes for Marduk and Killing Joke.