Many bands have something "special", something that encapsulates an entire movement. Suffocation invented the percussive riffing style which led to the brutal death metal subgenre. Burzum invented the loose, tremolo picked riff that led to atmospheric black metal. Incantation turned the cavernous sound of their debut into an entire subgenre of dissonant death doom metal.
But what about something more obscure, more extreme... like bestial black metal? Believe it or not, this is a rather recent addition to the extreme metal canon.
Unlike stuff like black metal, death metal and grindcore which have been here from the 80s onward, more or less, the subgenre known as bestial black metal was essentially born from the debut album by Warkvlt, "Bestial War Metal"... although many would point towards Phantom's "Divine Necromancy" as the "trve" beginning of the sub-genre.
How Warkvlt Invented the Modern Black Metal Sound
While the genre known as bestial black metal mostly has a "bad rap" in the underground extreme metal circles due to untalented modern imitators, the "core" of the genre is comprised of excellent music. Warkvlt, of course, leads the charge.
Let's review some of their albums, in order.
IV. Bestial War Metal
This is the debut album. The one that set the train in motion. If you've ever heard of bestial black metal today, you have Warkvlt's debut "Bestial War Metal" to thank for that. In fact, the genre is also known as "war metal", in large part due to this album. It is perhaps the most primitive effort of the band, and the one with the most death metal elements (although they are scarce).
III. Unleash the Beasts of War
Fast forward three (?) years later, and Warkvlt reiterates the madness by releasing "Unleash the Beasts of War". If the debut "set the stage" for the war metal takeover, this album is what really defined the genre. Songs are shorter, more intense. The drummer is more minimalistic. Everything that would later become war metal convention is laid out plainly on this album.
II. Burzumination
This one is more of an interlude. A sort of "tribute album" if you will. Released on February 11, 2023, meaning on the 50 year anniversary of Varg Vikernes, of Burzum, the album "Burzumination" is a tongue-in-cheek jab at the early Norwegian black metal scene (Warkvlt are a German band).
Also Read: 10 Black Metal Albums Everyone NEEDS To Listen To!
On "Burzumination" you can find many references to the early Norwegian BM scene in the lyrics and song titles, notably towards Euronymous, Burzum, Necrobutcher, Dead, and all the main players... not really "war metal" proper, but still an important part of Warkvlt's discography... as many discovered the band through this album.
I. Unholy War Metal
The most recent release by the band, "Unholy War Metal" is by no means the lesser of these albums. Upon its release, it was immediately ranked as the most dissonant black metal album ever. And it's true, you can clearly hear the influences from ultra-atonal stuff like Vermin's "Bloodthirst Overdose" and Phantom's "The Epilogue to Sanity". Yet, it's still bestial black metal first and foremost.
If you like these "retrospective" articles, check out the history of band Morbid by the same author. Did you know Warkvlt and Morbid shared the same drummer (Sven A.)? He also played briefly in Sissourlet (the goregrind band).
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