Peter Beste – Koldbrann, Oslo – 2007

Peter Beste has spent the last eight years deeply entrenched in Norway’s Black Metal scene. Beste is set to publish his book of photographs from his eight year odyssey, True Norwegian Black Metal, on May 15th through Vice Books. An exhibition of dozens of photographs from from TNBM opened at the Steven Kasher Gallery in New York today, May 9th. The show runs through June 7th.

Peter Beste – Enzifer of Urgehal at an abandoned mental hospital outside Oslo

To most, it might seem that Beste is trying hard not to clear up any misconceptions about Black Metal with his photographs. In fact, many of the photos, like the one of Enzifer above, do much to perpetuate the notion that Norway is on the verge of total Societal collapse by way of corpsepainted, bloodthirsty church burners.

In truth, Beste’s photographs somehow manage to convey Black Metal’s Pagan connection to nature, as in his photograph of King from Gorgoroth (below).

King of Gorgoroth

For more on the true story of Black Metal, watch the VBS TV five-part doc, True Norwegian Black Metal. Gorgoroth plays the Castle Festival with Judas Priest in Belgrade, in July.

Beste’s next book, due out in 2009, focuses on his hometown of Houston, Texas, and Houston’s Rap culture. Like the photos from True, Beste brings yet another world, little-known to outsiders, into your living room. You might think it’s a 360 for Beste, but it isn’t.