Black Metal

Black metal is a form of extreme metal characterized by an emphasis on treble for guitar, a blast beat-dominated drum section, and shrieked or screamed vocals.

History
While bands such as Venom and Celtic Frost were known for setting the roots for the first wave of black metal, the definitive start for the genre was found in releases such as Bathory's self titled debut. There is a distinct seperation in sound between the "first wave" (Bathory, Hellhammer) and the "second wave" (Mayhem, Immortal).