Ten Most Incomprehensible Black Metal Band Logos

the>Preston Mantooth<

     We've all seen them. While walking through the record store or show on the front of a black t-shirt,  or on an album itself, or maybe you (like myself) even like some of this noise. We've all seen the crazy Typography (scribbled or actual fonts) that's covered in what seems to be tentacles, branches of gnarled dead oak tree, lightning, or some indescribable devil root growing out of them. Usually a big gory mess,  yet some how graceful & elegantly symmetrical, and always difficult to read.
    Getting back to the point, There are a metric fuck-ton of black metal bands out there. I realize this now, and I tried to use bands that are signed to at least a small indie label. I'm sorry, but your cousin's black metal garage band doesn't count for this one. I also assume you don't already know the bands that belong to these logos. So check out the logo and try to figure it out before you go look at the name. Trust me, it's more fun that way. Anyway, here they are. The ten most incomprehensible black metal band logos.

11)))

Band Name: Borknagar
Land of origin: Norway
Overly Specific Classification: Progressive / Viking / Folk (Black Metal)
This one is cut and dry compared to the others except for the well hidden "N" and the backwards "R" This is one of those that if you have previous knowledge of the name it's a good bit easier, but i think a great example.

10)))

 

Band Name: Bazzah
Land of origin: Malaysia
Overly Specific Classification: Malaysian (Black Metal)
This one is visually minimal compared to most. Not that much crazy stuff around the type itself. Short name, simple logo, but everything is hidden very well. This one could make the list just because this bands debut album was seized and destroyed by the Government (of Malaysia), but not before they sold 300 copies. bad ass.

9)))

 

Band Name: Watain
Land of origin: Sweden
Overly Specific Classification: (Black Metal)
I love this logo, because it's perfectly symmetrical even though the word isn't a palindrome (a symmetrical word like noon or racecar) except for the slightest bit of faux erosion.

8)))

 

Band Name: Lurker Of Chalice
Land of origin: San Francisco, California
Overly Specific Classification: Ambient (Black Metal)
Up until this point the names are somewhat guessable, but if you can read this with out already knowing what it is supposed to say, well you're better at this than me. This one kinda stands out, it being not all that symmetrical. Also dig the ax in the middle for the "F".

7)))

Band Name: Enslaved
Land of origin: Norway
Overly Specific Classification: Progressive / Viking (Black Metal)
These guys are from Norway and love their viking heritage, if you can't tell from the almost runic type face or the Norse decoration, and, oh yeah, the hammer of Thor hanging from the center.

6)))

Band Name: Nokturnal Mortum 
Land of origin: Ukraine
Overly Specific Classification: Folk / Symphonic (Black Metal)
This list is not here to say whether or not a band is good or total crap, Satanic or Druish, or if they are national socialist fuckheads like Nokturnal Mortum. Logo is difficult to read, moving on.

5)))

Band Name: Leviathan
Land of origin: San Francisco, California
Overly Specific Classification: Ambient (Black Metal)
This is in my mind the definitive black metal logo. It's got great symmetry and plenty of "devil roots" growing from its completely unreadable type. This one took a good 5 min. to find all the letters in the name. Also, it's the second in the list for the black metal icon known as Wrest. He is the sole member of this band and Lurker of Chalice, and has great logos for both.

4)))

 

Band Name: Averse Sefira
Land of origin: Austin, Texas
Overly Specific Classification: Death (Black Metal)
Devil wings and upside down five pointed stars. Can't go wrong with that. I found all the letters in this one but it took me a long time. Tough nut to crack.

3)))

Band Name: Wolves in the Throne Room
Land of origin: Olympia, Washington
Overly Specific Classification: Ambient / Folk (Black Metal)
The longest name in the list and yet one of only 4 in the list that spell check had no problems with whatsoever, interesting. I like this logo a lot. It looks like it could almost be drawn with a big fat graffiti marker.  Extremely difficult to read. I honestly couldn't figure this one out, I'm still missing 2 letters. Don't worry, I found the sideways "W".

2)))

Band Name: Korgonthurus
Land of origin: Finland
Overly Specific Classification: (Black Metal)
Look, I know it totally just looks like an old branch. I almost wrote this one off as nothing, but look closer it's there. I think, that maybe just maybe I've found all of it but i "found" a lot of stuff in it. Like 4 different places that "N" can be, so.

1)))

 

Band Name: Xasthur 
Land of origin: Alhambra, California
Overly Specific Classification: Ambient (Black Metal)
This is it. I Could not figure out this thing out at all. Except for the "X" and "R," which are so obvious it's like they're mocking me! The (for lack of a better word) fuzziness is covering up any way to tell what is type and what isn't. Either I'm looking at it wrong or it's impossible to decipher. I had to give up on this one. It made me angry. It wins.

Comments

[Broken Brain]

Surprise surprise, they all look about the same to me. Of course, Black Metal kind of, as a rule, blows. It's really just an excuse for a bunch of talentless kids with silly-shaped guitars to stand on a stage without people criticizing their poor hygiene and ridiculous long flat hair. Am I wrong to say that a metal show is the only place left where a person in a black leather duster can be taken seriously?

[Preston Mantooth]

Now who's being pretentious... of course they look the same to you. Moron.

[Jason]

He's a moron because they all look the same? They DO look the same. But then again, all shitty black metal sounds the same, so I guess they all get together in a giant meeting to make sure they have the same crappy logos too.

[Broken Brain]

@Jason.
He's right, I am a moron. He's known me for enough years to know that pretty well. You're right in that they do get together in a giant meeting. . . . Seriously, I've seen pictures of it. Oddly, for a group of people who love Vikings so damned much, not a single Minnesota jersey there.

[doran]

i figured out xasthur. it's all quite easy. the X and R are obvious.

the 'a' is in black and large (fits right under the upper right arm of the 'x', the 'sth' are all in the middle part, scratched in the black with white (the 's' is small, the 't' is large, the 'h' is small) the 'u', like the 'a' is in black and larger than the 'sth'

[puddy]

true i also think Xasthur is not that hard

but very nice list and cool idea ;D

\,,| METAL UP YOUR ASS! |,,/

[Ovidiu - GuitarFlame.com]

Yea, you don't understand a thing from their logo!

[scott]

The whole gimmick of the corpse paint as they call it and all the leather and spikes and shit I really think is overboard cheezy. However there are a few Black metal bands that I have heard that I actually like. But this whole logo things is fuckin stupid and overdone. Seriously, does there have to be an upside down cross for every "T" in their names? Then they throw an extra one in their for shits and giggles. Some bands go too far to show how "Evil" they are. Just play the damn music and let that speak for itself!

[Preston Mantooth]

Just like to point out, 4 of the 6 bands on the list that DO have "T"s in their names DON'T use upside down crosses(please,don't mistake the hammer of Thor in numbers 1 and 7 as a cross). Also, none thrown in for "shits" and / or "giggles" (but they are thrown in for extremely black, dark, evil, satanic, and VERY serious reasons). Just sayin'.

[dave]

ima start a black metal band and ima call it GIGGLEBUNNY cuz that would be ironic and funny and stuff and the logo will be like and anime bunny being hugged by a little anime girl but the songs will be called stuff like "Bloodbath" and "Rectum Ripper" and Gutslurping Killdragon Vikingsword Dude" and stuff. It'll be awesome.

[max]

wow dave the depth of ur irony astounds me, its sorta like, instead of a black metal cliche image, itl be an anime bunny. ha ha ha im laughing. and well i think that bands who put in more than just music are not necesarily bad. not criticising those who simply play music but whats wrong with putting on a show at the same time?

[Dom]

I think this kind of band logo is really good looking for a metal band but only if you can actually read the bands name, otherwise they are useless in my eyes. http://www.thevirusmustbestopped.com/

[azh]

I listen to black metal and I like half of those logos. The logo doesn't have to readable, just recognizable and the more unique the better. But as you can see, symmetry is a very strong trend. Anyway, they're just band logos and if you don't know the music behind them, you don't get the right impression.

[Mabus]

This would make a nice chalange. Colore the letters or what you think are the letters.

[Lt]

Hey, what about forgotten land? This logo is ridiculous!

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/2324/57639logoede4778tl5.jpg

[Seraph]

"talentless kids with silly-shaped guitars to stand on a stage". You have no idea what you're on about. It takes a lot more skill and talent to play the music those bands play. Even if it doesn't sound good in the end.

[dorknigar]

the world always needs more vegan straightedge black metal bands from california

[John]

While I'm not really a fan of death metal, it certainly takes more talent then jumping around on stage and repeating a poem you wrote over and over and adding a few expletives.

[86]

Hey now, Im not a Death Metal afficionado, but I saw Leviathan at Ozzfest and they were pretty cool. The names DO NOT look the same, what you mean is they are all nearly unreadable. :^)

[Daniel]

lol, you fools.
Black metal is all the same?
Right, and Asians are all the same, rap is all the same, and all Americans are all same.

But yeah, those logos look the same, but it's kinda like this... you know how all cars look the same? tires, frame, doors? Well they look the same because they have to.
These logos look the same for the same reason. It's the only real way to look that badass. They have to be similar.

I don't know any of these bands, they might all sound they same... but check out Nevermore, Opeth, Death, Amon Amarth... good stuff.

[I AM RIGHT YOU NEO-METAL TOOLSHEDS]

Douchebag #1: "Hey, their logo looks cool, how can we use MSPaint to rip it off and try to make a name for ourselves other than writing music that doesn't copy their style as well?"

Douchebag #2: "How can we use MSPaint to rip it off? SAY NO MORE!!!! Should I make it completely unrecognizable, thereby guaranteeing that we have nothing but retarded fanboys following us around?"

Douchebag #1: "You bet!!!"

Would you a**holes PLEASE come up with something that isn't at least fifteen years old?

[arcane]

i could read the first 2 then i got completely lost
nice list

[DILLA]

Black metal sucks. I love metal, but black metal tanks. God-fucking-awful music. And I even like death metal! Whoever said black metal requires talent is obviously not "tr00" nor "kvlt" because black metal is supposed to be shitty.

Requirements:
1. You suck, all your band members suck, and your singer is your best friend who you asked to fill the vacancy, regardless of the fact that he has never tried to sing in his life. Don't worry, you say... it's not necessary. How right you are!
2. You record five instruments by routing them through one output and laying down the track on a single input tape recorder, circa 1978.
3. You produce your tracks by scraping and/or partially melting the tape in random spots.
4. Your songs all feature references to the moon, Nordic mythical creatures, the woods, or the Baltic Sea.
5. You've recently had the revelation to wear white and black face paint and leather to stand out and be unique.

And you rap haters should lay the fuck off... I'm also a hip hop producer and that shit takes WAY more talent than playing 7 fifth chords per album. I should know, I play guitar too.

Black metal kids are douche bags.

[Broken Brain]

@DILLA: You forgot wolves. They love wolves.

[Alice]

1: They do not all look the same, only simular.

2: They are all very difficult to read.

3: They look v. Cool.

4: Most Rap sucks, though not all.

5: Most Hip Hop is cool, but a lot of it sucks

6: These logos rock, wether or not the music is any good!

[Preston Mantooth]

I maean come on "DILLA", why you gots to be hatin'.
To make this easy to read I'll use your format:

1. I happen to like my single input tape recorder, circa 1978.

2. "the moon, Nordic mythical creatures, the woods, or the Baltic Sea" yeah it's because all of those things: FUCKING METAL!
Especially the Baltic Sea.

3. Look, i know guys who make hip-hop (not "rap") beats. Compared to playing ANY instrument, it's NOTHING.
"I should know, I play guitar too." Yes. Yes, you should.

4. You talk like a guy that got beat up and had his fucking milk money stolen by black metal kids in elementary school.

5. AND WHO THE FUCK SAID ANYTHING "HATERESQUE" ABOUT "RAP". By the way, you used the term "rap" then call your self a Hip-Hop producer, BIG FUCKING DIFFERENCE!!! you'd think someone "in the biz" would differentiate between the 2.
"I should know". Yes, you should.

DILLA. YOU ARE A FUCKING JOKE!

but, thanks for taking the time to leave us a comment. we couldn't do it with out the readers. :)

[HiZaM]

hey calm down first this is about the logois and they are awesome and the piont is they are hard to read i got till the branch and then i couldn't get any more letters second end with the discussion one says black metal sucks the other one says that all metals are the same (i am still trying to find a similarity in symphonic metal and doom metal) third you can be whatever you want i really don't care we all have the chance and i could think of some brains to be here and writing so for me you're quallifying to post a comment so thanks for everything.

for the poster i liked the band logos i have always thought about that they always make them hard to read.

[ArdRi79]

"the world always needs more vegan straightedge black metal bands from california"

Classic line! vegan straight edge black metal. Euronymous must be puking his last meal out the holes in his head.

Black metal logo's are cool but death metal logo's FFS I havent been able to read one in years

[shish]

nice idea, you gotta collect 'em all! and should maybe make it like when you point mouse on a pic letters become red.

[Preston Mantooth]

@ shish: Thought about it but this post was already complicated enough, as is.

[harry]

hahahahahahahaha, none of you even begin to udnerstand black metal. The music has so much feeling to it - good black metal that is, it creates beautiful atmospheres but at the same time is also the most extreme musicla form on the planet and is truly an art. Personally i think "4. Your songs all feature references to the moon, Nordic mythical creatures, the woods, or the Baltic Sea." is pretty cool but i guess all the faggots out there who want songs about love and being "gangsta" and shit dont have enough of an interest in life to write about anything toher than their direct experiences and dont have creativity. Rap takes no skill at all. Half the shit is just any rnaomd beat for the duration of ten seconds repeated over and over, whereas id love to see some of you pick up a guitar and play some of abgott or immortal's stuff, hmmm... Theres nothign retarded about having a logo you cant read as its a logo they wnat to add somethign unique and dont crave mainstream recognition anyway, they want to play music they actually like its not about becoming a corperate sellout who makes terrible music for the mainstream to lap up. You say black metal bands "try to be evil", one of the points of black metal was against the death metal scenes where they thought everything was imagery and not sincere, hence the infamous church burnings, and various murders and tortures in the 90s. I dont condone any of it but calling them insincere is just egotistic. Black metal doesnt care what anyone else has to say and isnt some pushover lefty who takes everyones comment into account, its an elitist genre

[Jay]

i found a few names in their logos, it's kind of tough but your pick for #1 (i'm not scrolling back to the top to get the band name) was easiest, but then again ima a lefty. anyway cool site, thanks, and love most metal...and hip hop too. shiza

[Preston Mantooth]

One of you guys that says that Xasthur (thats #1 for those who are either to lazy or too pretentious and feel the need to tell me how they are Not scrolling back to the top to get the band name) so fucking easy, please do a readable red out line of it in Photoshop. because I find it hard to believe that it in fact says anything at all.

Also harry is correct in that it's an elitist genre. The logos are made unreadable so if you know the band, you know what it says.

Example: If you wearing the shirt of one of these bands, lets say Leviathan, and some random comes up (no matter what they look like they listen to) and says, "Hey awesome shirt, Leviathan is fucking badass". That means a lot more than if your wearing say a Motorhead shirt and some random comes up (no matter what they look like they listen to) and says "Hey awesome shirt, Motorhead is fucking badass".

Because, there are some cockholes out there that if they can read what your shirt says they will automatically say they like the band. While their equally cockhole friends are right behind them, laughing hysterically at how funny (and don't forget clever) their douche friend is. On the flipside, if you wear corpse paint out in public you kinda have the whole getting made fun of coming to you.

[you guys are barely metal]

black metal is cool BECUASE most of you idiots dont like it!

[Broken Brain]

@barely metal:
You're so right! I don't think that your revolutionary idea of just doing the opposite of what the majority of people do has every crossed our minds. It's brilliant. As long as you're doing things that everyone hates, you're not letting their opinions control you at all, right?

[Wotan]

Broken Brain,

You obviously live in a world where everything you do is done for everyone around you to see and to either approve or disapprove of...which tells me either you're a child or a goddamn emo, therefore your opinions are as useless as your fucking 'Hot Topic' Tripp pants.

People who listen to Black Metal do so because it speaks to them in a way other forms and genres of music do not. Notwithstanding there are a few clueless dipshits out there who latch onto the ideology of black metal just to 'show the world' how evil they are or whatever. Preston has tried to explain this in earlier posts. There are morons everywhere...even some who claim to be 'black metal fans'. But the people who began this movement in Norway did so because they were tired of mainstream music; it didn't speak to them at all. The invented something raw and new and 99% of them time with very poor equipment leading to poor quality sound samples. Alot of the time the lyrics were in Norsk as well so it would be impossible for an english speaker to make any sense of it either way.

So before you swing that judgmental pendulum at those of us who understand and appreciate the beginning of black metal and it's modern-day counterparts (I doubt you've even listened to the musical genius in some of Dimmu Borgir's albums...heh) try actually learning something about black metal and it's people before making such an imbecilic broad generalization of shit you know nothing about.

[compsen]

Looks kinda like an embedded message for the right/left brain. The symbols are symmetrically similar, but slightly different sending a slightly different message to each side of the brain. Kind of similar to what Aleister Crowley did with reverse speech in the albums of popular classic rock bands.

Of course, then again I could be over complicating things whereas it's just a shitty attempt to do the same as every other Black Metal band :)

[hhhh]

More kiddies crying over shit no one cares about.. now THATS "unique" huh?

[Omega]

music is music. there's shitty music and there's always good music amongst the shitty music. In any genre. Playing music requires skills and inspiration, and that's already a plus. ( i bet the person who wrote how talentless these kids are wouldn't be able to play a metal drum solo). To judge it, one has to explore it and know what he's talking about. To explore it, one has to be open-minded. Open-mindedness is what most of the above comments are lacking. Listening only to black metal and saying everything else is shit is as lame as listening to rap or any other kind of music and being too limited to try to understand something new.
So that's pretty disappointing. But the logos are pretty funny, and that's the fun side of black metal :)

[goremancer]

Whats the point of fighting? Can't we just settle in peace? Everyone doesn't have to be the same... I used to like Hip-hop and after a few years I discovered Punk, then punk was the shit then after that it was grindcore... then Black metal and now death metal... but no matter what I wont say that a particular genre suck or is shit.... I might not listen to Hip hop now but they are a genre for a reason, they have their uniqueness too... and same goes for all the other genres... yes i know many people hate emo... but what's it to us... some people like to listen to that stuff.. the most we can do is not listen to it to show that we dislike it but there is no point in arguing about which is better... because all genres are special in their own ways. Dilla... according to ur post earlier at the top... u mentioned that u play guitar and ur a hip hop producer.... are u sure u know how to play guitar or do you just pretend to know ? ok even if you do know how to play guitar... have you ever played songs from Black metal bands? if not... i dont think you have the right to judge anyone or anything but urself for criticizing something you don't even know about. I used to like hip hop too and im not dissing cos Hip hop had its strong hard pumping beats ...just because i dont listen to it now doesn't mean that it's shit!

[Nekroid]

First of all, I can read all of these logos just fine..
I can see them fairly well. For another thing, I'm in a Black Metal band, and I love writing black metal, It's fun and it has feeling. I agree with everything Harry said, being in a black metal band myself, I don't wanna go mainstream, I'd much rather prefer to stay underground, and make some good money off TRUE fans, not poser ass mainstream fags. The music is not shitty, Black Metal is an acquired taste, because it's far from the normal music most people are used to listening to. That's also why it's called extreme metal. Not very many people like, and that's why there's tons of you people bashing it, because you don't understand the POINT of black metal, most black metal bands don't care about how complicated the music is, they care solely about the message they portray to people. That's the way it's always been with best of the Black Metal bands.