How To Make A Black Metal Logo
So, you’ve decided your band needs a logo. And not just any logo, oh no. You’ve decided it needs to be black metal. Excellent choice. It’s a bold statement. A declaration. A really, really difficult way to make yourself legible.
Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat. Making a black metal logo is less about design principles and more about channeling your inner goblin. Or perhaps a bat with a really bad case of the flu. The goal is to make it look like it was etched by a drunken blacksmith on a stormy night, using only a rusty spork.
First, we need a band name. This is crucial. It needs to sound suitably grim. Think things like “Cryptic Doom Wail,” “Shadowfang Scorn,” or, if you’re feeling particularly uninspired, “Midnight Corpse Grinder.” The more syllables, the better. Bonus points if it includes a word that starts with ‘K’ or ‘Z’. They just sound more evil, don’t they?
Now, about the lettering. This is where the magic – or the madness – truly begins. Forget your neat little Helvetica or your friendly Comic Sans. Those are for birthday cards and office memos. For black metal, we need something that looks like it’s actively trying to escape the page. Think sharp angles. Lots of them. Like a hedgehog that’s just stubbed its toe.
Imagine your band name, “Infernal Frostbite.” Now, take each letter and introduce it to a pair of very, very sharp scissors. The ‘I’ can become a jagged spear. The ‘N’ can have its legs splayed out like a frightened spider. The ‘F’ can have its crossbar bent into a wicked hook. And the ‘O’? Oh, the ‘O’ needs to be a gaping maw of despair, perhaps with a tiny, screaming skull trapped inside.
This is where the art comes in. And when I say art, I mean controlled chaos. You’re not drawing letters; you’re summoning demons with ink. Each stroke should be a testament to your band’s commitment to… well, whatever it is you’re committed to. Probably darkness. And maybe a lack of sleep.
Let’s talk about the ‘S’. The ‘S’ is your playground. It can be a coiled serpent of pure malevolence. Or it can be a lightning bolt of cosmic dread. Or it can just look like a wobbly stick that’s seen too much. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s aggressive. It needs to look like it’s ready to bite the viewer.
And the umlauts! The umlauts are like the little hats that make your letters look extra fancy. Except instead of a jaunty beret, they’re tiny, evil spikes. Think of bands like Motörhead – oh wait, that’s not black metal. But you get the idea! We're talking about more dots of doom. Maybe two dots above the ‘A’ in “Abyssal Maw.” Or three dots above the ‘U’ in “Unholy Spectre.” The more, the merrier. And by merrier, I mean more likely to induce a headache.
Remember, the key is illegibility. If someone can read your band name easily at first glance, you’re doing it wrong.
Now, for the embellishments. This is where you really start to earn your black metal stripes. Think spikes. Everywhere. Coming out of the letters. Under the letters. Maybe even through the letters. Are they functional? Absolutely not. Do they look cool in a dimly lit basement? Probably.
We’re also talking about skulls. Skulls are a must. They can be incorporated into the letters. The ‘B’ could be a stylized skull with pointy ears. The ‘M’ could be two skulls facing each other, their empty eye sockets looking out with eternal gloom.
And don't forget the chains. Dangling chains. Rusted chains. Chains that look like they haven't been oiled since the invention of the wheel. They can weave through the letters, adding a touch of medieval torture to your visual identity.
The background is also important. While the logo itself is the star, the void around it should be just as impactful. Think stark black. Or maybe a hint of deep, murky red. Anything that suggests the abyss. No gradients. No happy little clouds. We’re going for pure, unadulterated darkness here.
Consider the overall shape. Is it a messy circle? A jagged rectangle? Or does it look like it was drawn on the inside of a coffin lid? The less conventional, the better. Embrace the asymmetry. Embrace the odd angles. Embrace the fact that your logo might look like a Rorschach test for crypt keepers.
And finally, the most important rule: never ever use a font generator. Unless you want your logo to look like every other generic metal band out there. This is about your unique brand of gloom. So, grab a pencil, a piece of paper, and a healthy dose of existential dread. Let your inner darkness flow. And remember, if your logo makes your grandma squint and ask, “What does that say, dear?”, you’re probably on the right track.
It's not about making something beautiful. It's about making something that screams. Or, more accurately, something that whispers darkly in your ear, promising untold horrors and possibly a really catchy riff. So go forth, you aspiring lords of darkness, and forge a logo that truly represents your… well, your thing. Whatever that thing is. Just make it look like it survived a fight with a badger. And won.