“Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult” – The restored, expanded and definitive black metal book out this November

UK-based publishing house Cult Never Dies will mark its 10th anniversary this November with the release of Dayal Patterson‘s “Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult – The Restored, Expanded & Definitive Edition“. Pre-orders are available now via Cult Never Dies (UK & ROW store / EU store). North American orders can be placed via Decibel Books. 

With the original version of the book no longer available in print, Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult is hailed as the most acclaimed book on the history of black metal, and the only one endorsed by those involved in creating the genre.

The book will be approximately 340,000 words long, including 130,000 words of new content, 25 new chapters and 48 extended and updated chapters. This will include over 150 exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the genre, including: Venom, Mercyful Fate, Bathory, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Blasphemy, Darkthrone, Behemoth, Rotting Christ, Mayhem and many more. The author also included over 70 brand new or previously unpublished interviews with the likes of Necromantia, Arcturus, Immortal, Agalloch, Destruction, Mystifier, and Winterfylleth. 

Evolution of the Cult will also have hugely improved cover art and layout by longtime Cult Never Dies artist David Thiérrée (Behemoth, Gorgoroth, Mortiis), and will include almost 600 photos, many previously unseen, including an 80-page colour/gloss section.

Silenoz of Dimmu Borgir commended the book:

“You don’t have to read between the lines anymore ’cause it’s all there, straight from the source,”

while Sakis Tolis of Rotting Christ called it

“a valuable educational piece of dark writing.”

Vorph of Samael added:

“This is a very insightful work: Without doubt the ultimate book on the subject, a testimony of black metal and a good introduction for neophytes.“

Hvall of Windir and Vreid said:

“A brilliantly written book – mandatory if you have any interest in the genre, or want to explore a new world.” 

Dayal Patterson, book author, Cult Never Dies owner and longtime music journalist, said:

“I cannot express how good it feels now that Cult Never Dies finally owns the rights to this book and are able to release it – along with Decibel in the US – in this massively improved form. The limitations placed on the original in terms of word count meant that so many chapters and parts I originally envisioned simply couldn’t be included or were not even worth completing due to a lack of space. What turned into a fairly straightforward restoration job led to about a year of 14-hour days, not only overhauling the existing chapters and layout (something we had always been unhappy with) of the book, but doing a huge number of new interviews and working with a wealth of new bands and artists. Finally, there are proper chapters celebrating bands such as Vinterland, Satyricon, Immortal, Arcturus, Mystifier and Profanatica, as well as greater explorations of black metal in Brazil, the US, the UK, Sweden, Greece, and, of course, Norway.“

Bands featured include: VENOM • MERCYFUL FATE • BATHORY • HELLHAMMER • CELTIC FROST • SODOM • DESTRUCTION • SEPULTURA • VULCANO • HOLOCAUSTO • MYSTIFIER • BLASPHEMY • SAMAEL • ROTTING CHRIST • NECROMANTIA • DEVISER • TORMENTOR • MASTER’S HAMMER • VON • MAYHEM • THORNS • DARKTHRONE • BURZUM • IMMORTAL • EMPEROR • GEHENNA • GORGOROTH • TRELLDOM • BEHERIT • IMPALED NAZARENE • CRADLE OF FILTH • DIMMU BORGIR • LES LEGIONS NOIRE • MARDUK • DISSECTION • VINTERLAND • THE BLACK • WATAIN • SHINING • STRID • FORGOTTEN WOODS • BETHLEHEM • SILENCER • FORGOTTEN TOMB • LIFELOVER • GRAVELAND • INFERNUM • BEHEMOTH • HADES • HELHEIM • ISENGARD/STORM • KAMPFAR • WINDIR • PRIMORDIAL • OCTOBER FALLS • ENSLAVED • SATYRICON • ULVER • MORTEM • ARCTURUS • FLEURETY • IN THE WOODS… • MANES • VED BUENS ENDE • DØDHEIMSGARD • SIGH • DEATHSPELL OMEGA • MYSTICUM • ABORYM • BLACKLODGE • BLACK WITCHERY • HECATE ENTHRONED • WINTERFYLLETH • FEN • AGALLOCH • ABSU • PROFANATICA and more

For a full list of the 150 interviewees, visit Cult Never Dies.