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This Is Black Metal isn't meant to be a history of the genre. Instead, it's a snapshot of some of the biggest artists in black metal. It includes videos, live performances and interviews.

Some of the artists on the DVD include Celtic Frost, Venom, Emperor, Morbid Angel, Satyricon and Borknagar. Former porn star Jasmin St. Claire, who has done a bunch of different metal related DVDs, does the interviews.


The interviews are a real mixed bag. Some of her questions are very insightful and elicit interesting answers from the subjects, but other questions completely miss the mark and draw strange looks or brief responses. The interview with Cronos, Mantas and Antton from Venom is the most entertaining, and the one with Ihsahn and Trym of Emperor is probably the most informative.

The extras include an interview with St. Claire and the movie Black Metal Parking Lot, a takeoff of the classic 1986 Heavy Metal Parking Lot. This one is shot at a Cradle Of Filth concert, and although there are a few interesting moments, is mostly boring. Overall, even though it has flaws, there are some worthwhile parts to This Is Black Metal, and at under 10 bucks, you can't beat the price.