War Metal

War metal is an extreme sub-category of black metal, born in the most radical fringes of underground metal at the turn of the 1990s. Also known as "bestial black metal" or "black/death", it pushes sonic aggression to the extreme: frantic tempos, deliberately chaotic and primitive production, almost indistinguishable riffs submerged in a storm of noise, and gutturally inhuman vocals. The influence of Blasphemy — Canadian band from Vancouver — is fundamental to the genre's definition.

Musically, war metal refuses all compromise with listenability or melody. The blast beat is near-constant, guitar and bass form a dense wall of distortion, and the lo-fi production — often proudly claimed — reinforces the impression of organised chaos. Lyrical themes revolve around war, blasphemy, anti-cosmicism and destruction, within a radically nihilistic aesthetic. The war metal scene is international but remains resolutely underground.

Revenge, Canadian project of musician J. Read, is one of the most respected and uncompromising acts in the genre, with a dense discography and live performances of absolute brutality. Antichrist Siege Machine, American band from Virginia, represents a new generation of war metal, applying the genre's founding codes with formidable rigour and intensity.

War metal performs primarily in small underground clubs and at extreme metal festivals dedicated to the most radical scenes. Specialist events in North America, northern Europe and Latin America gather devotees around music that deliberately pushes the limits of what metal can be. War metal festivals are experiences of rare intensity, reserved for fans of the most abrasive forms of metal.