ok, so i hope that some Haunting The Chapel folk can help me out here. i am not very knowledgeable about black metal but i enjoy other types of metal, plus indie, folk, bluegrass, hip-hop, shoegaze, blah blah i’m open-minded when it comes to music.

i am so into Drudkh. until the vocal. musically, i like this band very much, as i have several other black metal bands (although i understand this to be uncharacteristic, musically, of traditional black metal – correct me if i’m wrong).. but wow when that vocal comes in—to me—it sounds like someone just shit on my calamari. but! i understand that everyones’ tastes are different and that’s part of what makes music so great.

so my question to black metal fans: what do you find appealing about the vocals in this genre? i’m not being condescending, just asking an honest question. i find the ‘meat-throat’ style vocals to be grating and they distract me from the crafted musicianship of the band(s). also, having sampled Drudkh, i’m left with the feeling that the vocal style is the only factor that distinguishes black metal from, say, prog rock, or modern shoegaze-whatever in this case. am i wrong to think that?

i’d just love to hear how black metal fans feel about this characteristic vocal style, and what is it about the style that you respond to/are attracted to. thanks! ~mike