[QUOTE="xXBuffJeffXx"]I'm not religious but I don't see any need to discourage and ridicule other's faith.BEAN_LARD_MULCH

Black Metal is an aquired taste for most. For years I was your standard metalhead, afraid to look past Priest, Maiden, and Metallica, but once I opened my mind I found ALOT of good music found in the extreme metal genres. Look past their silly image and reputation, and enjoy their music. Don't let some of the artist violent past get in the way of you listeneing to the music.

For a Black Metal noob I would recommend:

Dissection - The Somberlain/Storm of the Lights Bane

Immortal - At the Heart of Winter

Emperor - In the Nightside Eclipse

Bathory - Blood Fire Death

And if your feeling brave:

Immortal - Pure Holocaust

Mayhem - Deathcrush

Darkthrone - Transylvanian Hunger

Burzum - Filosofem

Stay away from all the commercial bullsh*t like Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir.

AndrewSuh

How typical.  Here's a much better list.

Deathspell Omega- Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice

Watain- Casus Luciferi

Belphegor- Lucifer Incestus

Leviathan- The Tenth Sub Level of Suicide

Xasthur- To Violate the Oblivious 

Groove Metal = Modern Metal = Post-Thrash
Groove Metal could also describe Death 'n Roll bands like Entombed, Desultory, etc...

as for bands like Pantera;
Exhorder
Insult II Injury
Souls at Zero
Machine Head
40 Grit
Channel Zero
Overkill (90s)
Sacred Reich (90s)
Slayer (late 90s)
Purged
Sepultura (mid 90s)
Decimation
Dejecta

zh666

You wish you knew what you were talking about.  You want groove metal?  Try Devourement.