Emperor is one of the very cornerstones of black metal. Led by musical visionaries Ishan and Samoth, this band pretty much singlehandedly invented symphonic black metal. Bands such as Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, and Ne Obliviscaris can trace a direct lineage to this groundbreaking outfit from Bergen, Norway.

Emperor’s debut album, In The Nightside Eclipse, turned 20 years old last year and the band celebrated with a string of high profile headlining slots at festivals across the world. Ishan remains adamant that there will be no new Emperor music as he is currently riding high on the success of his solo works, but die-hards such as myself will always remain hopeful.

From Emperor’s massively influential 1997 sophomore record, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk, this is the official video for the track”The Loss & Curse of Reverence.”

Impaled Nazarene are generally credited as the founders of the black metal scene in their native Finland. The band has been active since the early ’90s and have, to date, released 12 full-length albums and numerous EPs, compilations, and live recordings. Keeping a stable lineup has proven difficult for Impaled Nazarene; they have had fifteen different members over the years including Children of Bodom leader Alexi Laiho, who was the band’s guitarist for a period in the late ’90s.

From Impaled Nazarene’s eighth studio album, 2003’s All That You Fear, this week’s Black Metal Friday track is “Armageddon Death Squad.”

Polish blackened death metal legends Behemoth have just released a Hellish and surreal clip for the third single from their critically-acclaimed masterpiece The Satanist.

The video is for the track “Messe Noire” and is a tribute to the art of the late, great H.R, Giger who passed away last year. Giger’s ties to the metal community were deep rooted and Behemoth offer a tip of the hat to his Hellish visions in the new clip.

What’s that you say? You like your black metal bands with a heaping side of avant garde prog metal? Well then, this Black Metal Friday is right up your alley!

Sigh are Japan’s oldest and most well-known black metal outfit. Formed in 1989 they were in fact signed to Deathlike Silence Productions, the label owned and operated by Mayhem leader Euronymous before his murder at the hands of Varg Vikernes. Since then Sigh have been signed to almost as many labels as the nine records that they have released. The over aesthetic of the band’s music has evolved from pure black metal to blackened thrash blackened avant garde metal. The band boasts one of the most unique guitar sounds in all of black metal and an equally unusual live show. Co-lead singer and saxophonist Dr. Mikannibal is a rather attractive lady, prone to wearing skimpy costumes with angel wings and completely covering herself in blood. Check it out… well worth the YouTube search… trust me.

Graveward, the tenth studio album by Sigh will be released April 13 in Europe and May 4 in the U.S. This is the first single and video from that album “Out of the Grave.”

After yesterday’s not so surprising announcement from Immortal frontman Abbath that he is disbanding that pioneering Norwegian black metal band due to an ongoing disputes with his longtime bandmates, I started thinking about the absolutely exceptional record that he crafted in 2006 with his metal supergroup I. In addition to Abbath the band features his Immortal bandmate Armagedda, along with Gorgoroth bassist TC King, and Enslaved’s Ice Dale.

Abbath has always said that the group is not a one-off despite the fact that their one and only record thus far, the mind-blowing Between Two Worlds, is nearly ten years old. The singer and guitarist has stated multiple times that he is working on songs for a sophomore effort. Now that he seems to have some free time on his hands, let’s hope that that comes to fruition sooner than later.