American blackmetal, or USBM, and near-blackmetal music has long been derided as inferior to the historically better known Norwegian, French, Italian and even Greek blackmetal bands and scenes. Overlooking the obvious importance of some of the early American bands, there was a wave of artists that popularised the movement in, and drew attention to the US, with cold, harsh blackmetal harking back to the originators like Darkthrone and Burzum. Krieg, Leviathian, Xasthur, Nachtmystium and co, are not included in this mix. Instead, I've tried to focus on where I think there are some really interesting and different things taking place within the broad USBM scene. All discussions about the US being the capitalist heartland and all art from there being VNTRVE as a result are idiotic and verge on Reductio ad Hitlerum.
