Satyricon

• Genre: Black Metal

About

Norwegian Black Metal band Satyricon pushed the envelope in this genre a little bit, being among the first to incorporate the synthesizers and goth elements that eventually became hallmarks of black metal. Their first two records are more traditional-sounding, with the usual throat-raking vocals and an emphasis on shimmering walls of guitar shred, but with the release of Nemesis Divina in 1997, the group had started using pianos and mournful melodies to fill out their sound. In 2003, Satyricon became the first black metal band to release an album on a major label, when Capitol Records put out the surprisingly authentic and well-received Volcano. Three years later Now, Diabolical was released to mixed emotions from fans, and in 2008 the more primitive-styled The Age of Nero was released.

- Mike McGuirk