Its black metal or it isn’t.

The way Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_metal ) and other sources define black metal bothers me, specifically the whole concept of the “waves” of black metal. Some of the bands typically labeled as the “first wave of black metal” include Venom, Bathory, Celtic Frost, and Merciful Fate. With the exception of Bathory, these aren’t really black metal bands. I don’t know if people are stupid or what, but it is an easy distinction to make between bands that influence a genre of music, and bands that belong to a genre of music. Bands like Venom and Merciful fate certainly influenced the black metal bands to emerge in the early 1990’s (bands that are known as the “second wave of black metal”), but they weren’t black metal bands themselves. So, having said all that, the concept of first and second “waves” of black metal is quite simply, stupid. As far as the not as common classification called “third wave” black metal, this is also stemming from plain old stupidity. To illustrate; listen to old Mayhem, Darkthrone, Gorgoroth; and then listen to some of the symphonic bands like Dimmu Borgir. Yes, there is a difference. But at its core it’s still black metal. Most good bands progress. Carpathian Forest, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor… these are all bands that have progressed musically over the years. Should we now classify them as “third wave” because they sound different than the bands whose sound hasn’t really changed much over the years? Of course not. Musical progression does not equal a new sub-genre.

And that is my, most likely pointless, two cents.