• Fast guitars with tremolo picking
• Lyrics that take the form of Satanic, Pagan, or occult themes which blaspheme Christianity. Bands such as Slayer, Landser, Deicide, Death's Head, and Immolation overlap lyrically with black metal somewhat, but are musically defined as death metal (Immolation, Deicide), thrash metal (Death's Head, Slayer), or Rock Against Communism (RAC) (Landser, Intimidation One).

• Relatively thin guitar sound or relatively thick guitar sound, usually not in the middle.
• Limited production used intentionally as a statement against mainstream music and/or to reflect the mood of the music, to create atmosphere. This 'underproduced' effect is often achieved by cutting out low and high frequencies, leaving just the mid frequency range.
• Fast, aggressive drums, often with blast beats. At other times, the drums can take a slower role usually accompanied by a very dry and empty tone — especially for the effect of the atmosphere of the music.
• Occasional electronic keyboard use. The violin, organ, and choir settings are most common, which gives the music an orchestral feel or a cathedral-like setting. Some bands tend to use keyboards very frequently, whether it be as an instrument or even as the basis of their entire sound. They are generally placed under the symphonic black metal label.
• High-pitched/distorted screeching vocals. Contrary to popular belief, these are not essential as there have been many black metal bands old and new employing different vocal styles.
• Swift percussion.
• Cold, dark, sad, melancholy, or gloomy atmosphere.

Cover of "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" by Mayhem

An abraded, very low fidelity recording style is common in most black metal. Modern evolution of many of the older 'genre leading' bands have had a vast change in sound, and by many - and most of the times, even the band - are no longer considered black metal. Such examples include Mayhem's career that began mostly in the death/black roots, moved to almost pure black, then towards death again in their later career. Also, Satyricon who started off as black metal but now play a very industrial heavy hybrid of the music. Modern offshoots of this original black metal sound have incorporated atmospheric elements using ambient guitar and keyboard passages such as organ sounds or other miscellaneous instruments.

A distinct (but not intrinsic) feature of the black metal is the use of corpse paint, a special kind of black and white make-up which was used to make the wearer look like a decomposing corpse or plague victim. It should be noted that Immortal referred to their make-up as "war paint", not carrying the same connotation as corpse paint. Another distinct feature of black metal is the use of dark or Satanic monikers pioneered by Venom (the original line up being Cronos, Mantas & Abbadon). Examples of this are: Quorthon (Bathory), Darken (Graveland), Euronymous (Mayhem), Goat, Count Grishnackh (Burzum), Fenriz (Darkthrone), Nergal, Inferno (Behemoth), Zephyrous (Darkthrone), Frost (1349), Abbath (Immortal), Demonaz (Immortal), Horgh (Immortal), Iscariah, Hellhammer (Mayhem), Maniac (Mayhem), Necrobutcher (Mayhem), Blasphemer (Mayhem), Dead (Mayhem), Hoest, Ihsahn (Emperor), Samoth (Emperor), Faust (Emperor), Trym (Emperor), Nattefrost (Carpathian Forest), Nordavind and Tchort (Emperor), Malefic (Xasthur), Wrest (Leviathan) to name a few.

Earlier bands tended to dwell on themes of fantasy, mythology, and folklore in their songs, as well as Satanism, darkness, evil, and so on as many of their direct musical and cultural roots included these topics.