black metal artists
82 published black metal artists, led by Mayhem, Burzum and Venom.
At a glance
82 published black metal artists; 602 studio albums have verified cover art.
- Published artists0 tier 1 · 5 tier 2 · 77 tier 3
- 82
- Release groups
- 1,658
- Studio albums
- 622
- Albums with cover artverified Cover Art Archive
- 602
- Timeline events
- 1,506
- Average career spanfirst to last dated release
- 25.4 years
- Full biographies
- 47
- Biography words
- 82,023
When they started
Debut decade from each artist's earliest dated release. Most debuts fell in the 1990s (51 artists).
| Decade | Artists |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 15 |
| 1990s | 51 |
| 2000s | 8 |
| 2010s | 6 |
Where they come from
Countries with the most black metal artists. Norway leads with 42.
Often paired with
Genres that share artists with black metal. The most shared is thrash metal, with 16 artists in both.
Covers from black metal
602 studio albums have verified cover art. The 12 shown come from the most famous artists.
Liturgy of Death
Mayhem · 2026
Daemon
Mayhem · 2019
Esoteric Warfare
Mayhem · 2014
Ordo Ad Chao
Mayhem · 2007
Chimera
Mayhem · 2004
Grand Declaration of War
Mayhem · 2000
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
Mayhem · 1994
From the Darkest Past
Mayhem · 1992
Death Rehearsal
Mayhem · 1987
Pure Fucking Armageddon
Mayhem · 1986
The Land of Thulê
Burzum · 2024
Thulêan Mysteries
Burzum · 2020
Leaders
Venom has the most release groups (81); Venom the longest career (46 years); Enslaved the most awards (7).
Most prolific
| Artist | release groups |
|---|---|
| Venom | 81 |
| Mayhem | 68 |
| GHOSTEMANE | 67 |
| Enslaved | 60 |
| Ulver | 60 |
Longest careers
first to last dated release
| Artist | years |
|---|---|
| Venom | 46 |
| Mayhem | 40 |
| Necrodeath | 40 |
| Celtic Frost | 39 |
| Darkthrone | 38 |
Most decorated
| Artist | awards |
|---|---|
| Enslaved | 7 |
| Satyricon | 4 |
| Mayhem | 3 |
| The Kovenant | 2 |
| Immortal | 1 |
Most famous black metal artists
Mayhem
Norway · Group · 1984–present
black metal
61 wikis
Burzum
Norway · Group · 1991–2018
dark ambient, black metal, neofolk, National Socialist black metal
60 wikis
Venom
United Kingdom · Group · 1979–present
heavy metal music, thrash metal, speed metal, black metal
51 wikis
Bathory
Sweden · Group · 1983–2004
thrash metal, black metal, viking metal
50 wikis
Darkthrone
Norway · Group · 1986–present
black metal
45 wikis
Immortal
Norway · Group · 1990–present
thrash metal, black metal, death metal
44 wikis
Celtic Frost
Switzerland · Group · 1984–2008
thrash metal, doom metal, black metal, death metal, avant-garde metal
39 wikis
Emperor
Norway · Group · 1991–present
black metal
39 wikis
Gorgoroth
Norway · Group · 1992–present
black metal
38 wikis
Marduk
Sweden · Group · 1990–present
black metal
37 wikis
Satyricon
Norway · Group · 1991–present
black metal
36 wikis
Per "Dead" Ohlin
Sweden · Person · born 1969
thrash metal, black metal, death metal
34 wikis
More black metal artists
Showing 1–70 of 70 artists
Enslaved
Norway · Group · 1991–present
progressive metal, black metal
33 wikis · Tier 3
Moonsorrow
Finland · Group · 1995–present
black metal
28 wikis · Tier 3
Quorthon
Sweden · Person · born 1966
thrash metal, black metal, viking metal
27 wikis · Tier 3
Dark Funeral
Sweden · Group · 1993–present
black metal
26 wikis · Tier 3
Ulver
Norway · Group · 1993–present
experimental rock, synth-pop, black metal, avant-garde metal, neofolk
26 wikis · Tier 3
Carpathian Forest
Norway · Group · 1990–present
black metal
25 wikis · Tier 3
Taake
Norway · Group · 1993–present
black metal
25 wikis · Tier 3
Windir
Norway · Group · 1994–2004
black metal
25 wikis · Tier 3
1349
Norway · Group · 1997–present
black metal
23 wikis · Tier 3
Arcturus
Norway · Group · 1987–present
progressive metal, black metal, avant-garde metal
23 wikis · Tier 3
Borknagar
Norway · Group · 1995–present
progressive metal, black metal
23 wikis · Tier 3
The Kovenant
Norway · Group · 1992–present
industrial metal, black metal
22 wikis · Tier 3
GHOSTEMANE
United States · Person · born 1991
heavy metal music, hip-hop, Q3071, trap metal, black metal
21 wikis · Tier 3
Hellhammer
Switzerland · Group · 1982–1984
thrash metal, speed metal, black metal, death metal
21 wikis · Tier 3
Impaled Nazarene
Finland · Group · 1990–present
black metal
21 wikis · Tier 3
Månegarm
Sweden · Group · 1995–present
black metal, viking metal, folk metal
20 wikis · Tier 3
Batushka
Poland · Group · 2015–present
doom metal, black metal
20 wikis · Tier 3
Sarcófago
Brazil · Group · 1985–present
thrash metal, black metal, death metal
19 wikis · Tier 3
Ancient
Norway · Group · 1992–present
black metal
19 wikis · Tier 3
Graveland
Poland · Group · 1990–present
black metal
19 wikis · Tier 3
Negură Bunget
Romania · Group · 1994–present
black metal
18 wikis · Tier 3
Vesania
Poland · Group · 1997–present
black metal
18 wikis · Tier 3
Aura Noir
Norway · Group · 1993–present
black metal
17 wikis · Tier 3
Nargaroth
Germany · Group · 1996–present
black metal
17 wikis · Tier 3
Vintersorg
Sweden · Group · 1994–present
progressive metal, black metal, folk metal
17 wikis · Tier 3
Gehenna
Norway · Group · 1993–present
black metal
17 wikis · Tier 3
Limbonic Art
Norway · Group · 1993–present
black metal
17 wikis · Tier 3
Thorns
Norway · Group · 1989–present
black metal
17 wikis · Tier 3
Dødheimsgard
Norway · Group · 1994–present
black metal
16 wikis · Tier 3
I
Norway · Group · 2006–present
black metal
16 wikis · Tier 3
Isengard
Norway · Group · 1989–present
black metal
16 wikis · Tier 3
Old Man's Child
Norway · Group · 1993–present
black metal
16 wikis · Tier 3
Ragnarok
Norway · Group · 1994–present
black metal
16 wikis · Tier 3
Beherit
Finland · Group · 1989–present
black metal
16 wikis · Tier 3
Diabolical Masquerade
Sweden · Group · 1993–present
black metal
15 wikis · Tier 3
Khold
Norway · Group · 2000–present
black metal
15 wikis · Tier 3
Toxic Holocaust
United States · Group · 1999–present
thrash metal, black metal
14 wikis · Tier 3
Myrkur
Denmark · Group · 2014–present
traditional folk music, black metal, atmospheric black metal
14 wikis · Tier 3
Naglfar
Sweden · Group · 1992–present
black metal
14 wikis · Tier 3
Bulldozer
Italy · Group · 1980–present
thrash metal, speed metal, black metal
13 wikis · Tier 3
Bethlehem
Germany · Group · 1991–present
black metal
13 wikis · Tier 3
Abbath
Norway · Group · 2015–present
black metal
13 wikis · Tier 3
Hades Almighty
Norway · Group · 1992–present
black metal
13 wikis · Tier 3
Helheim
Norway · Group · 1992–present
black metal
13 wikis · Tier 3
In the Woods...
Norway · Group · 1992–present
black metal
13 wikis · Tier 3
Tsjuder
Norway · Group · 1993–2006
black metal
13 wikis · Tier 3
Urgehal
Norway · Group · 1992–present
black metal
13 wikis · Tier 3
Morbid
Sweden · Group · 1986–present
thrash metal, black metal, death metal
12 wikis · Tier 3
Witchery
Sweden · Group · 1997–present
thrash metal, speed metal, black metal, death metal
12 wikis · Tier 3
Myrkskog
Norway · Group · 1993–present
black metal, extreme metal, brutal death metal
12 wikis · Tier 3
Necrodeath
Italy · Group · 1984–present
black metal
11 wikis · Tier 3
Desaster
Germany · Group · 1988–present
thrash metal, black metal
10 wikis · Tier 3
Ov Hell
Norway · Group · 2009–present
black metal
10 wikis · Tier 3
Holocausto
Brazil · Group · 1985–present
black metal
9 wikis · Tier 3
Nattefrost
Norway · Group · 2003–present
black metal
9 wikis · Tier 3
Zyklon-B
Norway · Group · 1995–present
black metal
9 wikis · Tier 3
Azaghal
Finland · Group · 1995–present
black metal
9 wikis · Tier 3
Sargeist
Finland · Group · 1999–present
black metal
9 wikis · Tier 3
Sarke
Norway · Group · 2008–present
heavy metal music, thrash metal, black metal
8 wikis · Tier 3
Zeal & Ardor
United States · Group · 2013–present
spirituals, black metal
8 wikis · Tier 3
Craft
Sweden · Group · 1994–present
black metal
8 wikis · Tier 3
Lord Belial
Sweden · Group · 1992–present
black metal
8 wikis · Tier 3
Koldbrann
Norway · Group · 2001–present
heavy metal music, black metal
8 wikis · Tier 3
Nocturnal Breed
Norway · Group · 1996–present
thrash metal, black metal
7 wikis · Tier 3
Sabbat
Japan · Group · 1983–present
thrash metal, black metal
7 wikis · Tier 3
Eisregen
Germany · Group · 1995–present
black metal, gothic metal
7 wikis · Tier 3
Mika Luttinen
Finland · Person · born 1971
black metal
7 wikis · Tier 3
Vulcano
Brazil · Group · 1981–present
black metal
6 wikis · Tier 3
Den Saakaldte
Norway · Group · 2006–present
black metal
6 wikis · Tier 3
Djevel
Norway · Group · 2009–present
black metal
3 wikis · Tier 3