Rating: 
Summary: NO REMORSE
Review: I was just reading some of the other reviewers who thought that "Lords Of Chaos" had a right-wing agenda or that the views of the authors somehow "represented" those of Varg Vikernes et al. It was f**king hilarious. Grow up, you pathetic f**ks. This book has a sensationalist slant because the subject matter did cause some fair amount of controversy (due to an overzealous media). Same to those black metal listeners who either claim that this book somehow justifies the views actions of the Black Circle or slam the book because it portrayed their "heroes" in a negative light. I think the book is brilliant because it portrays a very balanced view of what was going on. It's pseudo-sociological but hey these guys are only journalists. But good effort for trying to link the events in Norway and Europe to the history of paganism and nazism. Only drawback is the writing style which sounds like it can't decide to either be journalistic or serious. Sounds like it wasn't written by a native English writer/speaker. But this is just nitpicking. Again, to the lame-o who thought that this referred to events in Iceland/Greenland, it's Norway, you idiot.
Rating: 
Summary: Satisfy your morbid interests!
Review: I was recommended this book by a friend who considered it a joke but I have to say I found it extremelly interesting and compelling. As a long time fan of HEAVY METAL and macabre and mysterious things in general I found this book and the characters and situations it chronicles outrageous, contemptable, ridiculous and ultimately morbidly fascinating! The authors do a good job of vividly portraying the Nordic Black Metal Scene through interviews and scholarly analysis often letting the central players speak for themselves without much editorial comment. The overall history of METAL that (accurately) traces it's origins back to the blues and beyond is a good primer especially for those who are not particularly knowledgeable about the music itself, and the connections and associations that are made to folkloric european superstitions and modern totalitarian/fascistic racist ideology are genuinely spooky and disturbing. A great peek into a very dark obscure corner of pop culture! Only complaint: "the lords of chaos" from which the book takes it's title have nothing to do with either Metal (nordic or otherwise) or satanism!
Rating:
Summary: Finally!
Review: Finally a book that looks at the true nature of a barely understood sub genre of heavy metal. Heavy metal's evil stepchild blazed a bloody horrifying trail in its rise to get out of the closet. The authors delve deeply and accurately into both the social aspects of the music as well as the key events into its history. This is an important read for those who would like to either understand this form of music or are fans of social history. I enjoyed it immeasurably. It is indispensable for fans of black metal.
Rating:
Summary: Impeccably researched study of Death Metal
Review: The whole "metal" genre is easy enough to parody: it tries to be spooky and scary, but all too often just ends up looking silly. And yet Heavy Metal, complete with Satanic trappings, remains popular among disaffected teens who frankly don't give a ... what the critics say. (As a wise old bluesman might have said, "the highbrows don't know... but the mullet-boys understand.") Moynihan never condescends or sneers when studying his subject. He understands the attraction of "evil", particularly a carefully crafted, harmless evil like Metal ... and explores the cases where it became something less than harmless. He details the short but nasty career of Burzum's Varg Vikernes, currently incarcerated for the murder of a friend and for the burning of several Norwegian churches. He also finds heavy metal's precedents in the strangest places -- in the Norse "wild hunt" and in the career of Norwegian Nazi sympathizer and traitor Quisling. This is cultural studies at its best: Moynihan gives us a deep and well-researched study of an important cultural phenomenon without sinking into jargon, pomposity, or smirky irony. If you are a fan of heavy metal -- or a cultural studies buff -- this volume is indispensible.
Rating:
Summary: Very informative
Review: I really immersed myself in this experience. The details of this book are very complete; every lead is followed to its end. There is not much speculation here; most is told through interviews. This is probably more than you ever wanted to know about black metal unless you have some kind of morbid fascination with it (like I do). I especially found the interview with Bard Eithun to be captivating. It would be interesting to see an update of this book, since it was first released in 1998, and black metal has done nothing but expand since that time.
Rating:
Summary: amazing
Review: very very interesting book on the black metal scene of the early 90's. one of the best books ive read in a long long time.
Rating:
Summary: An in depth look at the black metal scene
Review: This biography of the black metal scene really shows you how the bands truely think and act... unlike newpaper tabloids who enjoy using names... this book shows how and why most of these bands did what they did (murdered, suicide, burned churches etc.) This book gives you in depth looks at some of the most cult black metal bands around such as Mayhem, Darkthrone, Burzum, Bathory and more! If you are a fan of the black metal scene this is the book for you! I assure you you will enjoy it throughly just as I did!
Rating: 
Summary: ok
Review: About half of this book is really interesting, the other half is very boring. Not enough focus is put on the music and way too much is put on the crimes and politics. It is well written and has some decent pics.
Rating:
Summary: A Whole Sub-Culture!
Review: As someone who grew up listening to metal bands from the 70s (Blue Oyster Cult,Black Sabbath,etc.)I found it fascinating that these kids in Norway took the music so seriously.Although I loved the metal bands that I listened to I never even considered that they might be describing a lifestyle or worldview.The kids in Norway and Sweden,however,took it completely seriously-to the point that they created their own form of Metal to express their own point of view.I've been able to track down some of the music that was mentioned in this book and I honestly don't know how you could tell the difference between the music of,for example,Armored Saint from the late 80s and Emporer, a black metal band that figures prominently in this book.The kids in this book used metal to express their own struggles and ideology-this wasn't a case of metal causing church-fires; instead,the kids burning churches created music to express their feelings and ideas.One note to US readers-the church burnings described in this book are not related to the burning of black churches that was happening in the US in the mid 90s.This is a very interesting book. The authors bring you along as the kids in Norway burn churches and murder each other,and finally turn to fascism. This book is definitely worth 4 stars. I recommend it to anyone interested in youth subcultures.
Rating:
Summary: A book for True Black metal Fans
Review: This book isnt for "goths" In fact black metal has nothing to do with the goth scene as quoted by some pioneers of the black metal scene. This book explains everything about the beginning of it and where it is heading. But we true black metal followers must preserve it, and not let it fall in the hands of trendy idiots. Black metal will always stand as a force to push back the Nu-metal wave and preserve the true metal scene. Hails to Immortal!
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