Black metal is, in my opinion, the most poetic and beautiful subgenre in metal. I stayed away from this subgenre for almost two decades because I was scared of all the bad press, but when I finally decided to listen to some bands and artists, I fell in love instantly.

The best part of black metal, for me, is how the vast majority of the songs I have listened to are basically lyrical simping for mother nature. I fuck with it.

Also have a soft spot for DSBM and how it both puts a spotlight on and gives an outlet for deeply depressed and suicidal people. Almost therapeutic for some of them. That's so beautiful.

As for all the controversial stuff, I find it almost comical that most bands or artists I discover and enjoy has some weird controversy surrounding them if I start looking into it. At this point I just have to assume that it's a genre that attracts unstable people who decide to make music to have an outlet for their degenerate tendencies and as long as their degeneracy stays in their heads and isn't enacted onto other people, I don't really give a fuck what their beliefs are. Just keep it out of the music and I'm good. Simp for nature or make songs about how the grey concrete outside your window makes you want to slit your wrists. My ears will be listening.

I remember being kind of shocked that the original Mayhem related crime cases were all committed by teenagers. When I was a teen myself, I guess I thought it was like grown ups in gangs ala Hells Angel's, running around being nazis and burning churches and killing people. But it was really just a bunch of bored loser kids with mental problems.

Still, I dig the music. They did something different both in terms of sound and presentation and I can't hate them for inventing a new artform within a genre of music that is basically modern day classical music.

Btw, Blackbraid is, as far as I know pretty inoffensive, but then again, I haven't really kept up on the gossip surrounding him. He makes songs about simping for nature. 🤌