Peter Beste’s True Norweigan Black Metal Photo Book To Be Released On May 15
In the last two decades a bizarre and violent musical subculture called Black Metal has emerged in Norway. It has its roots in a heady blend of splatter movies, heavy metal music, Satanism, Pagan mythology and adolescent angst. In the early-mid 1990’s, members of this extremist underground committed murder, burned down medieval wooden churches, and desecrated graveyards. What started as juvenile frenzy came to symbolize the start of a war against Christianity, a return to the worship of the ancient Norse gods, and the complete rejection of mainstream society.
American documentary photographer Peter Beste has spent the last eight years working in the milieu of this insulated and secretive community. Beste’s access and insight has been absolutely without precedent, resulting in an amazing photographic journey. Beste has earned the respect and trust of this impenetrable, suspicious and often elitist community. With each visit Beste saw more, photographed more and eventually accumulated enough material for this book. True Norwegian Black Metal is a visual testimonial to this subculture. Peter Beste and editor Johan Kugelberg have created a unique photographic narrative that explores black metal from a truly visceral perspective.
With extensive contributions from the personal archive of Jon “Metalion” Kristiansen, publisher of the original Norwegian black metal publication Slayer Magazine, a unique opportunity is here presented to see original artifacts and ephemera from this secluded rock community, and to read accounts of these events in the words of the people who were actually there at the time.
True Norweigan Black Metal (Vice Books) offers confrontational live performance photographs of a savage subculture set alongside the stark beauty and natural allure of a landscape often shrouded in darkness.
True Norweigan Black Metal Photo Exhibition:
NYC: Steven Kasher gallery opening May 8-June 7
Also: London, Stockholm, Oslo, Berlin, Los Angeles (dates t.b.a)
The book is comprised of:
160 Pages of photographs of the following bands/individuals: Nocturno Culto and Fenriz of Darkthrone, Necrobutcher, Hellhammer, Blasphemer, and Maniac of Mayhem, Samoth of Emperor, Frost of Satryicon, Enslaved, Abbath of Immortal, Gaahl, Infernus, King, and Kvitrafn of Gorgoroth, Nattefrost of Carpathian Forest, 1349, Dimmu Borgir, Ildjarn, Aura Noir, and many more.
Interviews/Quotes from Frost (1349), Abbath (Immortal), Fenriz (Darkthrone), Gaahl (Gorgoroth)
Essay by authors and Jon ‘Metalion’ Kristiansen publisher of the original Norwegian black metal publication Slayer Magazine
32 Pages from the personal archive of Jon “Metalion” Kristiansen.
Including original artifacts, photographs, ephemera, and personal accounts by black metal’s key figures.
For more info, check out Peter Beste
This is a crucial piece of journalism on an often misunderstood and misrepresented sub culture
how much is this bitchn’ book gonna cost? and will it be sold at borders or barnes and noble or what ever? it had better be or else there’ll be HELL to pay? INFERNAL HAILS! BITCH!!!!!
$60 but you can pre-order it on Amazon.com now for $37
Great book. It shows what my lifestyle is actually like.. Now go out and burn a church…HAIL SATAN!!!
Wow, this whole ‘war against christianity’ is some serious shit! I’m not religious person, I don’t want religion, it seperates the world, but when this happens, all I gotta say is, well it’s your life black metal bands, do what you please. I’m not against nor with you all on this one, have fun sittin in jail someday.
Fuck yah immortal and gorgorth. some evil shit you people say =fuck yah keep it up
death after life hail infernus. burn the churches down
HELL YHA!! BLACK METAL KILLS EVERY THING EVEN PUNK MUSIC!!!
KEEP IT UP AND BURN SOME MORE CHURCHS DOWN!!!
MIGHTY HAILS TO THE EVIL FORCES. GOD DONT GIVE A SHIT!!! NAIL HIM AGAIN!!!!!!666
black metal fans are extremely narrowminded morons. laviathain and infernal hope are great examples! … btw, book is excellent and I completely agree with Mike Hill… Maybe 1000 people understands black metal and what that music is all about… people nowadays want to be grim nekro kvlt before everything else! and that people are disgrace…
Peter Beste will be in our gallery this Saturday, November 22nd from 4-6 PM signing copies of his book TNBM if anyone is interested in attending. We’re located at; 1532 East Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802 USA. http://www.DDRprojects.com