How much do you know about Black Metal?

Let's start with the ones who coined the term "Black Metal" in the first place - Venom. While usually not considered Black Metal themselves (or First Wave Black Metal at most), they did pave the way for the genre. Already many typical Black Metal elements were present in Venom - Satanic lyrics and edgy pseudonyms, for example.
What were the pseudonyms of the band (at the time of their first demo tape from 1980, Demon)?

Another one of those that "only" paved the way is Mercyful Fate. Even though their sound is really far from what is considered Black Metal, their lyrical themes aren't. It's a lot of Satan, and evil. Besides, they were more "authentic" than Venom with the whole Satan-business because their lead singer, King Diamond, also actually considers himself a Satanist (even though a boring LaVeyan one).
So, what was King Diamond's microphone stand made out of?

Let's move onto harsher territories - Bathory. I don't really need to tell you about Bathory. Everyone should know about Bathory. Screw you if you don't know about Bathory.
When did the three founding members meet?

Now, another band that pushed the boundaries of Metal and thereby inspired the sound of following Black Metal bands... You guessed it, Hellhammer! (You probably actually didn't guess that) Their aggressive and extreme sound, not to mention their low production quality, made them a harshly criticized band during the early 80s when they were active - only to be celebrated as forerunners of the Black Metal genre years later, when that kind of music really started to take off.
What's the reason Tom G. Warrior - founder, vocalist and guitarist of Hellhammer - pushed the band to have such a dark sound?

And what naturally follows from Hellhammer? Right, Celtic Frost, the band born from Hellhammer's ashes, with a new concept and a somewhat more professional sound.
The band's name "Celtic Frost" was chosen for several reasons. First of all, it didn't sound like a typical 80s Metal band name, and the band didn't want to be limited to the Metal genre. Also, the band's members do have a Celtic background. But what other reason was there for naming the band "Celtic Frost"? (which, by the way, is pronounced with a hard c - I was right all along, Miro)

To talk about another one of Black Metal's inspirations - let's bring up Thrash Metal. Only Thrash Metal with particularly high aggression and Satanic lyrical themes, that is. Early stuff from Slayer or Sarcófago comes to mind, for example. But what trio of bands had, according to Black Metal musicians like Fenriz, Apollyon and Euronymous, also a big impact on Black Metal with their early releases?

Another one of those bands with really edgy (and lengthy) pseudonyms (such as "Nocturnal Grave Desecrator And Black Winds" or "The Traditional Sodomizer Of The Goddess Of Perversity") is Blasphemy. They don't only have edgy names and lyrics, though, but also actually undertook Satanic rituals and thereby popularized a graveyard in their homecountry, Canada, as a ritual site for those interested in the occult. What graveyard is that?

From Canada to Greece - and to Rotting Christ. Though not very Nordic and somewhat less "cold" in sound, Rotting Christ influenced many Norwegian Black Metal bands with their "unique brand of mid-tempo Bathory-esque mystique and eerie atmospheres", according to Ivar from Enslaved. Besides, they offended people just as much as other Black Metal bands tend to do. One particular born-again Christian Metal musician (as in, a Christian who made Metal, but not Christian-themed Metal) even took such offense to the band's name that he got them thrown off two large Greek festivals in 2005. Who was that?

Next: Tormentor. Well, one of the around 20 Tormentors there are in Metal. These are the ones from Hungary, you know, who also had later-Mayhem vocalist Attila Csihar. Well, maybe you didn't know, but now you know.
What is the name of their "true classic", according to Samoth from Emperor, that was only released seven years after the band meant to release it due to the head of their record company vanishing together with the master tapes?

Another influential band from Eastern Europe is Master's Hammer, from the beautiful city of Prague. Their debut album, Ritual (1991), was even half-jokingly called "the first Norwegian Black Metal album" by Fenriz because it was so foundational and genre-defining in its style, atmosphere, riffs and vocals.
So, what did the cover of their demo Finished (1988) show?

Now, a band whose music Snorre Ruch (Stigma Diabolicum / Thorns) described as "anti-music" - VON. You know the drill; minimalism, barbaric sound, pseudonyms, Satan, all that kind of stuff. Anyway, what did the band do after their initial bass player, Venien, left the band due to family issues?

Let's talk about some Finnish Black Metal now with Beherit. With beautiful pseudonyms such as "Nuclear Holocausto Vengeance" and a primitive, raw sound, you'd think they'd perfectly harmonize with the more prominent Norwegian scene. But they did in fact draw criticism from Norwegian Black Metal musicians for their lyrical subject of LaVeyan Satanism, since it was widely regarded as an untrve form of Satanism. Interestingly, vocalist Holocausto doesn't only consider himself a LaVeyan Satanist but also a...

You know Mayhem, and you probably know their 1987 Deathcrush EP. But do you know what the unlisted final track that was only included on the earliest pressings of the Deathcrush EP was called?

To get into more serious territory again, let's talk about the good old "Satanic terrorism", as the Norwegian media called it - in other words, all the crimes surrounding the Black Metal scene in Norway. On August 21, 1992, Bård "Faust" Eithun (Thorns/Emperor) stabbed a stranger to death in Lillehammer. He claimed he did it "just to see what it feels like", though there is the theory that he actually killed the guy in self-defense and just said the edgy stuff about enjoying to kill to the press in order to gain reputation. In any case - what did Euronymous persuade Faust to do right after Faust confessed the murder to Euronymous?

To get back to more music-related stuff, let's continue with the very Thorns Faust played in. Thorns is thought to have been very influential to the Black Metal scene especially in terms of riffing since it was different from anything else at the time when the band started, so it stood out. The reason their music was so innovative and unique from other Black Metal bands is mainly that Thorns refused to be influenced by other Metal music, instead taking their inspirations from outside the genre and thereby adding "new" elements to Metal. So, what kind of music were Thorns influenced by?

Now let's talk about beautiful, beautiful Darkthrone. Having arguably released the very first Norwegian Black Metal album with A Blaze In The Northern Sky in 1992, Darkthrone's importance can hardly be exaggerated. By the time of Transilvanian Hunger (1994), their sound had become even more lo-fi and primitive, making Transilvanian Hunger a huge milestone in Black Metal history. At request of the band, the following statement accompanied the album: "We would like to state that Transilvanian Hunger stands beyond any criticism. If any man should attempt to criticize this LP, he should be thoroughly patronized for his obvious..." - what?

Finally, we get to the best of them all; Burzum. Well, you know Burzum is the project of Varg Vikernes, and you should also know how iconic and beautiful early Burzum albums such as Hvis Lyset Tar Oss (1994) and Filosofem (1996) are. But do you know what the 2010 album Belus was originally going to be called?

Now, onto a band that did much to further the advent of Symphonic Black Metal - Emperor. With their 1992 demo Wrath Of The Tyrant and the following Emperor EP from 1993 being instantly successful, the band soon embarked on their first UK tour. Which other band did the 1993 tour feature?

Let's not forget about another important Norwegian band; Gorgoroth. With controversial live shows such as the infamous "Black Mass" in Kraków, and crime charges such as torture and rape against the band members, the band made quite the name for itself. But, to talk more about their art and less about their controversies...
What is special about Gorgoroth's lyrics?

Now, onto a band that brought Black Metal to the mainstream and in many people's eyes thereby "betrayed" the genre and probably deserves to be spat upon - you guessed it, Cradle of Filth. But even though most people wouldn't consider the band Black Metal nowadays, back in the early 90s they were; their debut album, The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh, even earned praise from prominent Black Metal personalities such as Emperor's Samoth who called it one of "the best Black Metal recordings ever".
So, tell me: What was lead singer Dani Filth's pet rabbit named? (because, you know, that's totally relevant)

Another one of those terribly untrve unkvlt sell-out bands is Dimmu Borgir. But what does the name "Dimmu Borgir" actually mean?

Okay, from untrve bands to something even worse - France... But despite being France, the country actually did produce some relevant Black Metal - or, more precisely, the Légions Noires (Black Legions) did. Now, the bands who made up the Black Legions collective - Mütiilation, Vlad Tepes, Belkètre and others - at least realized what a stupid language French is and instead invented their own language. What is the word for "vampire" in that language?

Something that's been missing so far is Swedish Black Metal. So, let's talk about Dissection. Well, it is a Black Metal band, so of course there are Satanic elements in the music, but Dissection is one of those bands where the Satanism isn't only confined to the music. What Satanic order did Jon Nödtveidt (guitars/vocals) join?

Yet another country with great Black Metal that has been neglected so far - Poland. With bands like Veles, Thor's Hammer, Kataxu, Infernum and Graveland, Poland has been particularly associated with NSBM and Pagan Black Metal. Interestingly, Karcharoth, formerly guitarist and bassist in the openly nationalist band Graveland, became a member of a communist party in Poland after leaving Graveland. What mental disease did he suffer from?

To talk about another Polish Black Metal band - this time not an NSBM one, though - let's talk about Behemoth. Formed in 1991, they were one of the very earliest Black Metal bands in Poland. What did the three founding members all have in common?

Okay, we are getting close to the end. And how better to end than with some questions about Post-Black Metal? Lifelover is such a band; drawing upon core elements of Black Metal while simultaneously incorporating other styles such as Shoegaze, Depressive Rock and New Wave, thereby crossing the line of truly being considered Black Metal...
What are the pseudonyms of the two founding members of Lifelover?

And, for the very end, one more Post-Black Metal band - Fen. Fen is a band that has willingly accepted the "Post-Black Metal" term, with singer/guitarist/keyboardist Frank Allain suggesting that "perhaps [...] Post-Black Metal is really just a more acceptable synonym for grown-up Black Metal".
Anyway - why is the band called "Fen"?