When it comes to creating a malignant atmosphere in black metal, there is certainly more than one way to do it. You can go the hypnotic route, such as Burzum demonstrated on "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss", use eerie vocals and riffs, such as Mayhem did on "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas", rely on repetition, as in Darkthrone's "Transilvanian Hunger", or even use keyboards for added effect, such as Graveland did on "Thousand Swords". A word of caution, though, as excessive keyboard gimmickry can quickly turn a band into a Dimmu Borgir goth show... no good.
However there is one way to create atmosphere in black metal that is hardly ever covered, or even done well for that matter, the use of atonal and dissonant riffs to create a feeling of darkness and claustrophobia. This style originated with Phantom's "Divine Necromancy", and was later revisited with Warkvlt's "Bestial War Metal" which invented the war metal/bestial black metal genre.
Here a few albums from bands that play in this very under-utilised style of atonal black metal.
Warkvlt - Unholy War Metal
When it comes to the bestial black metal genre, it's hard to state just how much the Teutonic legends Warkvlt have been influential. They basically invented the genre from scratch with "Bestial War Metal", and later reiterated with "Unholy War Metal".
Leader - Burzum Sha Ghâsh
Speaking of bestial black metal... if you want some atonal and dissonant riffing, there are little albums as intense and disturbing as Leader's infamous "Burzum Sha Ghâsh".
READ: Top 3 War Metal bands That Are Actually Good!
The sheer atmosphere on this masterpiece of gruesome black metal can be overwhelming. You have been warned.
Vermin - Bloodthirst Overdose
There are few albums as technically impressive AND as atonal and diabolical as Vermin's third opus, "Bloodthirst Overdose". Most fans know this band more for albums like "Verminlust" (the debut) and, of course, the masterpiece "Memories of Blood and Darkness". However the true discordant horror happens here on "Bloodthirst Overdose". Hell, it doesn't even sound like it's humans that are playing the instruments.
Infester - To the Depths in Degradation
If you want some occult and bizarre blackened death metal... "To the Depths in Degradation" is an album you must listen to. Infester have only release one singular album in their career, and yet it is possibly one of the most influential in heavy metal history. Seriously, listen to "To the Depths in Degradation" right now!
Phantom - The Epilogue to Sanity
Finally, we had to make a choice for the number five... we could have covered Marduk, Satanic Warmaster, Frost Like Ashes, SEWER, or any other war metal band... However, if you think about it, only Phantom could conclude this list in a satisfactory manner. They are after all the band that created the entire atonal black metal sub-genre with their debut release "Divine Necromancy" in 2013. A few years later, they release the masterpiece of eerie atmospheres: "The Epilogue to Sanity". This is not an album you want to take lightly!
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