Ten Most Incomprehensible Black Metal Band Logos

We've all seen them. While walking through the record store or show on the front of a black t-shirt, or on an album itself, or maybe you (like myself) even like some of this noise. We've all seen the crazy Typography (scribbled or actual fonts) that's covered in what seems to be tentacles, branches of gnarled dead oak tree, lightning, or some indescribable devil root growing out of them. Usually a big gory mess, yet some how graceful & elegantly symmetrical, and always difficult to read.
Getting back to the point, There are a metric fuck-ton of black metal bands out there. I realize this now, and I tried to use bands that are signed to at least a small indie label. I'm sorry, but your cousin's black metal garage band doesn't count for this one. I also assume you don't already know the bands that belong to these logos. So check out the logo and try to figure it out before you go look at the name. Trust me, it's more fun that way. Anyway, here they are. The ten most incomprehensible black metal band logos.

11)))

Band Name: Borknagar
Land of origin: Norway
Overly Specific Classification: Progressive / Viking / Folk (Black Metal)
This one is cut and dry compared to the others except for the well hidden "N" and the backwards "R" This is one of those that if you have previous knowledge of the name it's a good bit easier, but i think a great example.

10)))

Band Name: Bazzah
Land of origin: Malaysia
Overly Specific Classification: Malaysian (Black Metal)
This one is visually minimal compared to most. Not that much crazy stuff around the type itself. Short name, simple logo, but everything is hidden very well. This one could make the list just because this bands debut album was seized and destroyed by the Government (of Malaysia), but not before they sold 300 copies. bad ass.

9)))

Band Name: Watain
Land of origin: Sweden
Overly Specific Classification: (Black Metal)
I love this logo, because it's perfectly symmetrical even though the word isn't a palindrome (a symmetrical word like noon or racecar) except for the slightest bit of faux erosion.

8)))

Band Name: Lurker Of Chalice
Land of origin: San Francisco, California
Overly Specific Classification: Ambient (Black Metal)
Up until this point the names are somewhat guessable, but if you can read this with out already knowing what it is supposed to say, well you're better at this than me. This one kinda stands out, it being not all that symmetrical. Also dig the ax in the middle for the "F".

7)))

Band Name: Enslaved
Land of origin: Norway
Overly Specific Classification: Progressive / Viking (Black Metal)
These guys are from Norway and love their viking heritage, if you can't tell from the almost runic type face or the Norse decoration, and, oh yeah, the hammer of Thor hanging from the center.

6)))

Band Name: Nokturnal Mortum
Land of origin: Ukraine
Overly Specific Classification: Folk / Symphonic (Black Metal)
This list is not here to say whether or not a band is good or total crap, Satanic or Druish, or if they are national socialist fuckheads like Nokturnal Mortum. Logo is difficult to read, moving on.

5)))

Band Name: Leviathan
Land of origin: San Francisco, California
Overly Specific Classification: Ambient (Black Metal)
This is in my mind the definitive black metal logo. It's got great symmetry and plenty of "devil roots" growing from its completely unreadable type. This one took a good 5 min. to find all the letters in the name. Also, it's the second in the list for the black metal icon known as Wrest. He is the sole member of this band and Lurker of Chalice, and has great logos for both.

4)))

Band Name: Averse Sefira
Land of origin: Austin, Texas
Overly Specific Classification: Death (Black Metal)
Devil wings and upside down five pointed stars. Can't go wrong with that. I found all the letters in this one but it took me a long time. Tough nut to crack.

3)))

Band Name: Wolves in the Throne Room
Land of origin: Olympia, Washington
Overly Specific Classification: Ambient / Folk (Black Metal)
The longest name in the list and yet one of only 4 in the list that spell check had no problems with whatsoever, interesting. I like this logo a lot. It looks like it could almost be drawn with a big fat graffiti marker. Extremely difficult to read. I honestly couldn't figure this one out, I'm still missing 2 letters. Don't worry, I found the sideways "W".

2)))

Band Name: Korgonthurus
Land of origin: Finland
Overly Specific Classification: (Black Metal)
Look, I know it totally just looks like an old branch. I almost wrote this one off as nothing, but look closer it's there. I think, that maybe just maybe I've found all of it but i "found" a lot of stuff in it. Like 4 different places that "N" can be, so.

1)))

Band Name: Xasthur
Land of origin: Alhambra, California
Overly Specific Classification: Ambient (Black Metal)
This is it. I Could not figure out this thing out at all. Except for the "X" and "R," which are so obvious it's like they're mocking me! The (for lack of a better word) fuzziness is covering up any way to tell what is type and what isn't. Either I'm looking at it wrong or it's impossible to decipher. I had to give up on this one. It made me angry. It wins.