Black Order

The Black Order was an international occult group founded by Kerry Bolton and dedicated to invoking “the shadow side of Europe.” It attracted many adherents from the Black Metal scene, placing it among the occult organizations that connected with that musical subculture; the book describes the group as defunct by the time of its account.

Organization and Purpose

The Black Order’s stated purpose was to invoke “the shadow side of Europe.” The account identifies it as an international occult group, but gives no further description of its structure, practices, or activities. Its defining phrase thus points to an occult project framed in European terms, while the evidence leaves the group’s specific methods unspecified.

Kerry Bolton and the Underground

Bolton founded the Black Order after decades of involvement in underground agitation. He also published the small journal The Nexus, which had a significant Black Metal readership, and had previously assisted with editing Key of Alocer, an occult- and Black Metal-related fanzine produced in New Zealand with a substantial readership worldwide. These details place the Black Order within a wider network of underground publishing and activism, without establishing that either publication was an organ of the group.

Connection to the Black Metal Scene

The Black Order drew many adherents from the Black Metal scene. The book distinguishes it from the more prevalent Order of the Jarls of Bælder, which attracted musicians and fans, circulated information about Satanism and heathenism, and offered courses in physical fitness and “warrior arts.” Bolton also contributed to the Order of the Jarls of Bælder’s operations and regarded it as allied with his own goals. The account presents that alliance as part of Bolton’s broader activity, not as evidence that the two organizations were identical. It records the Black Order as defunct, but does not specify when it ceased operating.