The 10 Best Supergroups in Black Metal

Here are the 10 best supergroups in black metal.

In the words of leading black metal historian, author and curator Finn Håkon Rødland:
“Black metal is on par with Grieg and Munch. In 100 years, bands like Mayhem will be in
the history books.”

Rødland is absolutely correct.

The revolutionary movement that is black metal not only ignited A Blaze in the Northern
Sky, but, as Rødland states, it’s a global phenomenon. Given its cultural significance,
black metal has been honored by the Nordic Embassies in Berlin with Rødland’s
support, the National Library of Norway in Oslo and similar institutions around the
world.

Thus, although it sometimes appears that black metal doesn’t always receive the
recognition that it deserves, the genre’s most worthy figures are still extremely well-
loved with new books, ‘zines, festivals and more constantly emerging to celebrate their
art.

Today, we aim to pay respect to black metallic excellence by highlighting outfits with the
most formidable all-star lineups.

Before diving into our main list, however, we would like to send shout-outs to Order, Jordsjuk, Umoral, and Martröð.

In addition, the super-duos Secht, the meeting of Carpathian Forest and Gehenna, and Life Is Pain, the union of Hypothermia and Trist, have produced some of the most authentically disturbing material one could hope to experience.

Without further ado, we present our 10 brutally awesome picks.

10. 1349

Norway’s 1349 certainly possess a fiery allure that makes their work easily accessible to extreme music fans.

1349’s lineup truly reached supergroup status with the 2001 addition of Satyricon’s Frost, one of black metal’s most gifted drummers. 1349 likewise features one of the scene’s most talented bassists, co-founding member Seidemann, currently of Mortem.

Seidemann previously slayed with acts such as Den Saakaldte, which has functioned as an artistic home to some of Scandinavia’s biggest hellraisers and unleashed especially lethal debut and sophomore records.

9. Storm

Here we have a highly influential collective that consisted of Darkthrone’s Fenriz, Satyricon’s Satyr and even the angelic Kari Rueslåtten, who eventually withdrew.

As Satyr penned on social media, Storm “mixed traditional Norwegian folk tunes that most of us grew up with, together with some Norwegian Black Metal attitude.”

On Storm’s only album Nordavind, which was released by Satyr’s Moonfog Productions, one can hear the same main riff as on Darkthrone’s “Quintessence,” some of the same lyrics used by Ulver and an adaptation of an important poem by Ivar Aasen.

Fenriz has clarified that Storm would have recorded a second full-length, however, he and Satyr were booted from their rehearsal room and were unable to finance a new space.

8. Wurdulak

Several of the defunct Wurdulak’s members belonged to Necrophagia: now ex- Immortal’s Iscariah, brothers Fug and Frediablo as well as the late Killjoy.

The legendary Maniac (ex-Mayhem) was similarly part of this brigade of gore-lords.

On Facebook, Maniac penned the following of Killjoy, his longtime friend: “He was the sole reason I recorded Septic Cunts and hence the sole reason I became a member of Mayhem.”

For more supergroup madness from Killjoy, also check out Hidden — one of the most confounding extreme metal experiments known to this earth, which, at one point or another, benefited from the prowess of other bigwigs, among them was Sigh’s Mirai Kawashima.

7. Ritual Death

This enigmatic black/death entity was formed in 2016 by key architects of the Nidrosian black metal scene, an internationally beloved milieu from Trondheim, who have, past and present, performed with Mare, Behexen, Celestial Bloodshed, Dark Sonority, Beyond Man, Kaosritual, Darvaza, Italy’s Fides Inversa and so forth.

Finn Håkon Rødland pens: “Ritual Death is signature Wraath in the aftermath of One Tail, One Head; Filthy and furious. Pitch-black. Relentless. Nosophoros on drums and H. Tvedt in keys. Case closed. I know H. Tvedt has left the band, but his keys are on the recordings. And Lord Nathas is, of course, excellent as well.”

Always ready for danger, last year in the Via Dolorosa, Ritual Death’s frontman, Wraath, participated in a historic photo shoot by NecrosHorns titled “The Omen…,” which has since been exhibited all over the world, including in the U.S. and at the famous Czech festival Brutal Assault.

READ MORE: 10 Best Black Metal Love Songs

6. Kråbøl

Kråbøl is a multi-generational family project from Trondheim. It consists of Misotheist and Enevelde’s Brage Kråbøl, a fan favorite within the underground; his Spellemann / “Norwegian Grammy”-nominated father, Terje, a former Thorns accomplice and one of the best drummers in the genre; his Spellemann-nominated uncle Stian, whose credits are similar to his brother’s and include Minas, Funeral, Tulus, ex-Sarke, ex-Khold; and, finally, M., his trumpet-playing grandfather.

The band’s jaw-dropping first single, “Fundaments,” premiered on TERRATUR COMPENDIUM MMXXIII by the outstanding label Terratur Possessions, the brainchild of the exalted king of both black metal aesthetics and sass, Ole A. Aune.

Kråbøl’s sensational first full-length, Never, should lead anyone with a discerning ear to the conclusion that the Kråbøl’s must be the family with the most fearsome amount of combined black metallic talent.

5. Parfaxitas

Parfaxitas’ debut, Weaver of the Black Moon, a clear highlight of 2024, certainly seems to rank among the greatest black metal efforts born of an American composer.

Conceived by Gabe “Nero” Jorgenson of Oculus, the international Parfaxitas furthermore boasts Whoredom Rife’s K.R, one of the genre’s top vocalists right now; Sinmara’s esteemed skin-pounder B.E.; and Suffering Hour’s YhA on fretless bass.

Parfaxitas merges the best of all worlds into a thoroughly brutal yet artful synthesis. Gabe collaborates with amazing musicians from across the globe in his other projects as well, take, for example, ex-Master’s Hammer’s Honza Kapák and Darvaza’s Omega.

4. Dold Vorde Ens Navn

Dold Vorde Ens Navn came into existence when ex-Dødheimsgard’s Cerberus decided to visit his friend, the renowned composer of the Ulver Trilogie, Haavard, also a co- founder of Satyricon. The former had been away from black metal since the ’90s and the latter had only recently returned.

The pair are joined by Dødheimsgard’s unsurpassed frontman, Vicotnik; Dødheimsgard’s Myrvoll; and, more recently, Morten Aaveren entered the fold. Dold Vorde Ens Navn signifies the glorious fusion of old-school black metal with classical, avant-garde and refined theatrical impulses.

3. Syning

The quality of the masterpieces in the arsenals of the veterans in Syning cannot be
overstated.

Syning wields the crushing musical supremacy of Tor-Helge “Cernunnus” Skei of Manes; Levninger of Knokkelklang, who released what has been described as one of the genre’s best offerings; and Whoredom Rife’s V. Einride, who competed in Eurovision with Keep of Kalessin.

Yes, Syning’s self-titled album is simply magnificent and we couldn’t recommend the related project Manii highly enough either.

As one of the year’s greatest black metal surprises, Skei revealed “Gratias agamus domino infero deo nostro,” the phenomenal first track from his emerging supergroup dubbed Diabolus, mecum semperterne! with K.R, Brage Kråbøl, and Spellemann-winner Eskil Blix of Djevel — an entity with another all-star roster in its current three-piece incarnation.

2. Skitliv

Despite doubts, fortunately, Skitliv remains activ, and its golden core will always be Shining’s ingenious Niklas Kvarforth and the project’s founder, Maniac, formerly of Mayhem fame, as stated.

These champions of Scandinavian Misanthropy have expanded the genre with such success as to make one’s mind explode as if by Kalashnikov in light, ever so blinding, of their absinthe-strong potion of cerebral, poetic, experimental, doomy, and industrial impulses.

An impressive list of other heavyweights has appeared on Skitliv’s precious sonic weapons: Mayhem’s Attila Csihar, ex- Gorgoroth’s Gaahl, Current 93’s David Tibet, etc. It would be absolutely criminal to neglect to mention that Lice, Kvarforth’s genre-defying partnership with Teitanblood, is an equally miraculous must-hear supergroup that epitomizes artistic brilliance.

1. Høstsol

Høstsol were founded in 2020 by a couple of black metal’s greatest geniuses and pioneers, Shining’s Niklas Kvarforth and Manes’ Tor-Helge Skei. The band unleashed their anticipated debut album, Länge Leve Döden, a masterpiece almost wholly unmatched within the movement, in 2023.

Although few may know it, Kvarforth is an awarded poet for his achievements in the Swedish language. That is certainly reflected in his sublime lyrics here, though the revered graphic designer and Cold Prophet mastermind, Mr. Tuomas Tahvanainen, penned the text to the first track.

Høstsol likewise showcases the talents of ex- Barathrum’s Kalmos on bass along with his bandmate in Ajattara, drummer Rainer Tuomikanto, who replaced Mayhem’s Hellhammer.