Very few bands can lay claim to having their demo tapes lay the foundation for an entire, enduring genre of music. Thorns is one of those bands. In 1989, Snorre Ruch and Marius Vold formed a band called Stigma Diabolicum. That project yielded two demos before the Latin moniker was dropped in favor of the more memorable name Thorns. Three more demos were recorded and ended up being circulated amongst the “inner circle” of the burgeoning Norwegian black metal scene. The guitar techniques and tones that Snorre utilized on these tapes were widely imitated and are often cited as the very genesis of the second wave of black metal.

Unfortunately, Thorns would enter an extended hiatus before their debut full-length album could be recorded. Snorre had the misfortune of being present the night that Varg Vikernes murdered his Mayhem bandmate Euronymous. Snorre’s silence about the events and lack of cooperation with the authorities led to a conviction for being an accomplice to murder and an 8-year prison sentence.

For this week’s edition of Black Metal Friday we examine the force of nature that is 1349.

Watch the video for “When I Was Flesh” here below.

The band hails from Oslo, Norway and their name is a reference to the year that the black plague reached Norway. Led by frontman Ravn and drummer Frost (who is also a member of Satyricon), the band present a challenging aural assault that is only intensified by their electrifying live performances. See for yourself in the official video for “When I Was Flesh,” the fifth track from the band’s fifth album, 2010’s Demonoir.

This week we look at the first black metal band to ever sign with a major record label (EMI). Hailing from Oslo, Norway, Satyricon formed in 1991. Since 1993, Satyr (vocals) and Frost (drums) have been the band’s only permanent members. Their first three albums were very true to the core formula of black metal, but starting with their fourth album, Satyricon started to incorporate more traditional hard rock elements. As a result, the band has become one of the biggest international success stories to emerge from the Norwegian black metal scene.

“The Pentagram Burns” is the third track of their sixth album Now, Diabolical released in 2006. Check it out here below.