Perhaps you're right. I'd never ventured into black/norwegian metal other than maybe classic Cradle of filth or Dimmu Borgir. But even those felt goody and sort of like an act to me. I'll give those a listen, thanks.
I can definitely recommend bands like Lifelover, Psychonaut4, Totalselfhatred, Alcest, Lantlos, Bonjour Tristesse, Drawn into Descent if you want to experience some not-so-happy metal
Never thought I would see these bands mentioned on HN. Would have even missed a heartbeat to see Thergothon or Skepti but Mordor is an absolute total surprise. Cheers, good fellow!
Varg is a murderer—he does claim self-defense, and that his victim, also an obsessive black metal creator, meant to murder HIM—and an arsonist, and politically outrageous. He meant and means every bit of it, and would earnestly explain to you that (for instance) the arson is church burnings, and that the Christian Church has executed a pogrom of his ancient Viking culture, using the most ruthless methods.
As he's talking about things like the Inquisition and the obliteration of pagan cultures, he's not wrong about some of his history.
It's a pretty unusual pagan who gets as murderous as Varg about historical injustices, though.
Sons of northern darkness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3snMB_CIoY&list=PLNDXDJtQAO...
Damned in Black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k4iWwluhGc
At the heart of Winter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeOlPQqJR-o