Unless you are a new reader of this column (and “welcome” if you are), you are keenly aware of my affection for former Immortal frontman Abbath and his new eponymous band. I recently gave the new band’s debut album a score of 9.5 out of 10. You can read the full review at this location.

So, when Abbath releases a new video it’s pretty much a shoe-in to be my Black Metal Friday track of the week. And so it is this week with the just released fourth video from the album. The song is called “Winterbane” and it is one of the many highlights of the spectacular self titled outing. If you have not done so already, I implore you to pick up a copy of the record which is simply titled Abbath.

If you need further convincing, crank up the video for “Winterbane” right here below and just try not to bang your head. Go on… I dare you!

February 26, 2016 marked the 24th anniversary of Darkthrone‘s landmark second album A Blaze In The Northern Sky. It is a release that many see as a pivotal moment in the beginning of black metal’s second wave.

Unfortunately, the band’s label Peaceville Records and the band’s bass player did not see it that way at the time. The album marked a sudden stylistic shift to black metal with only traces of the death metal that the band had been previously known for. Bassist Dag Nilsen was not happy with the musical direction the band was taking and quit the band over it. He did agree to record the bass parts for the record though and is credited as a guest musician. The label had a less understanding reaction to the unannounced musical shift. Though the album was recorded early in 1991 it would not see the light of day until 1992 after a prolonged dispute over the mix, which Peaceville wanted to “clean up.” The lo-fi sound of the album would eventually stand and the rest is history.

This week’s edition of Black Metal Friday features one of the most underrated bands of the last 30 years. Sathanas hail from the Pittsburgh area and have been cranking out unrelenting, blackened thrash since 1988.

Along with a slew of demos, EPs, and split releases, this power trio has released nine excellent full-length albums, the latest of which was 2015’s excellent Worship The Devil.

We’ve spoken before in this column about how the upper Midwest is fast becoming a hotbed of U.S. black metal. Reinforcing that notion is this week’s Black Metal Friday featured artist. Spektralaeon is a one-man project from Wisconsin that is preparing to release its inaugural EP Crushing the Monolith on March 3, 2016. The EP was written, recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered by sole member Uraeus with guest Sean Currington contributing some lead guitar work.

The first single from the project is entitled “Deviant Scion” and it showcases Spektralaeon’s brand of blackened death metal. You can check out the track right here below and, as always, if you like what you’re hearing, head on over to the band’s Bandcamp page and help support great, underground metal by pre-ordering “Crushing the Monolith.” You can also pre-order over at Amazon.

Skitliv is a Norwegian blackened doom metal supergroup which features former Mayhem vocalist Sven Erik “Maniac” Kristiansen and former Shining vocalist Niklas Kvarforth. The band’s name literally means “shitty life” in Norwegian and is an appropriate moniker for a band with such a bleak and misanthropic sound.

Today’s Black Metal Friday track comes from the band’s only proper, full-length release, 2009’s Skandinavisk Misantropi. It is the album’s third track and is entitled “Hollow Devotion.”