One of the things unique to black metal amongst all of the sub-genres is the prevalence of the solo act. While death metal, thrash and doom all seem to hold the idea of the band with its duelling guitars and “last gang in town” ethos as sacrosanct, black metal has provided an environment where the lone musician can craft deeply personal works without fans questioning their authenticity. Indeed from Bathory to Xasthur, the auteur style of black metal has produced some of the subgenre’s most critically acclaimed works. Read more on Last.fm