Necrophobic, and the line between death metal and black metal

Stockholm, Sweden's NECROPHOBIC represents an interesting conundrum in extreme metal. Having formed in 1989, they set as their goal the creation of a darker, more sinister style of death metal than existed at the time. Yet, they cited old-school black metal like Bathory as their primary influences. Furthermore, I see them on black metal playlists all the time, but they sound more death metal to me. Their guitar tone is more Sunlight Studios than Grieghallen to my ears.

This raises one of the most interesting aspects of heavy metal: the separation of bands into different genres. While some metalheads lament the drawing of lines that determine which band is or is not one particular genre or other, others go the opposite direction. I find myself in the latter category: genre distinctions are important to me. To those on the other side of this discussion,  I ask you this: you're gonna tell me that Mütiilation sounds like Iron Maiden? Or that a fan of Deeds of Flesh would love The Gathering? Distinctions are important.

So what happens when the distinctions literally collapse? When you don't know where to put the line? This post is going to explore that question.

Celtic Frost: death metal? Black metal? 

The line between death and black metal was originally fairly arbitrary. This is why some bands from the early days belong to both traditions: think Hellhammer/Celtic Frost. But why is Possessed associated with death metal more than black metal when they sound like a lot bands that are labeled "black metal" from the same era (Necrodeath, Sarcofago)? 

Now, the lines are clearer.  No one would point to Darkthrone's Transilvanian Hunger and call it death metal. Similarly, no one would call the latest Dying Fetus record black metal. But there have been bands that are hard to classify, and they weren't even trying to blur any lines.  They were just making the music they wanted to make.

Returning to Necrophobic, what are we to make of them? Where do they fall? Their current label,  Century Media, even calls them blackened death metal. Have a listen to a few songs, below: 

"Before the Dawn" is from Necrophobic's 1993 debut album

"Spawned by Evil" is off of 1997's Darkside

2002's Bloodhymns is the source of "Cult of Blood"

We see why it's so tough to figure out. A few adjustments one way and you've got a Dissection b-side. A few adjustments the other way and it resembles a classic Unleashed or Dismember song.

Two other Swedish bands--GROTESQUE and UNANIMATED--also merit being part of this discussion. Where do they fall? Grotesque eventually evolved into At the Gates, the most famous melodic death metal band of all time. But there are those that call them black metal. Unanimated suffers from the same fate.  Take a listen:

Grotesque's "Angels Blood" is from 1989/90

"Blackness of a Fallen Star" comes from Unanimated's 1993 album

We've got songs with blazing fast tremolo-picked riffs, but with a death metal guitar tone. We've got blasphemous lyrics. The overall song structures wouldn't be out of place on a melodic death metal or melodic black metal. What do we call songs by bands such as these? Of course, an acknowledgement of this issue recognizes that some of the bands I've already explored could be questioned as well: is Dissection really black metal? Sacramentum?

From the opposite direction, the American band ACHERON enters the debate. Emerging as part of the Tampa, Florida, scene in the late 1980s, they are typically thought of as a death metal band. Yet, their blasphemous themes and dark aura feel almost blackened. Listen below, to "To Thee We Confess," off of their first full-length album:

Again, why stop there? What about Crucifier? Order from Chaos? At the end of the day, it's about drawing a line and sticking with it. On this side, we might find Dissection, but on the other side, we might see Necrophobic. Or perhaps not?

Select Discography:

Necrophobic:

Realm of Terror (demo) (1989)

Slow Asphyxiation (demo) (1990)

Unholy Prophecies (demo) (1991)

The Call EP (1992)

The Nocturnal Silence (full-length) (1993)

Spawned by Evil EP (1996)

Darkside (full-length) (1997)

The Third Antichrist (full-length) (1999)

Bloodhymns (full-length) (2002)

Grotesque: 

Ripped from the Cross (demo) (1988)

The Black Gate is Closed (demo) (1989)

In the Embrace of Evil (demo) (1989)

Rehearsal (demo) (1989)

Incantation EP (1990)

In the Embrace of Evil (compilation) (1996)

Unanimated:

Rehearsal (demo) (1990)

Fire Storm (demo) (1991)

In the Forest of the Dreaming Dead (full-length) (1993)

Ancient God of Evil (full-length) (1995)

Acheron:

Messe Noir (demo) (1988)

Live Rehearsal (demo) (1989)

Rites of the Black Mass (demo) (1991)

Rites of the Black Mass (full-length) (1992)

Lex Talionis (full-length) (1994)

Hail Victory (full-length) (1995)

Anti-God, Anti-Christ (full-length) (1996)

Next time: KAMPFAR