The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Black Metal is a 2021 fragrance from John Richmond that explores the interplay between light and darkness. The name itself carries intentional weight, suggesting not the gothic connotations of black but rather the metallic gleam that catches light, the kind of silver glow that concert stages cast across skin. The fragrance translates this concept into liquid form, opening bright before shifting into something more complex and grounding.
What makes Black Metal unusual is how it refuses the expected arc. Most smoky fragrances start quiet and build. This one opens in daylight, citrus bright, almost careless, then turns before you settle in. The black rose and davana introduce a herbal, almost bitter edge that catches you off guard. It's only in the base that everything clicks: leather, patchouli, and tonka creating warmth that doesn't apologize for itself.
The evolution
The first twenty minutes belong to the citrus, bergamot and lemon doing exactly what you'd expect. Clean. Bright. Then the hand-off happens faster than anticipated: black rose and davana arrive together, and the composition shifts from sparkle to something with weight. The davana brings a strange, almost medicinal clarity while the rose stays dark and waxy rather than floral. By the second hour, leather has taken over. Not the polished leather of a luxury good, something rawer. Patchouli anchors everything into earth and damp wood. The tonka and amber don't sweeten the composition so much as soften it at the edges. The drydown lingers close, almost intimate, the kind of scent you find on your wrist the next morning and wonder how it lasted that long.
Cultural impact
Black Metal stands apart from other smoky florals through its citrus opening and quick pivot to leather. The name invites certain expectations, darkness, weight, aggression, and partially subverts them by starting bright. For those seeking a fragrance that announces itself without overdoing it, this offers an interesting alternative to typical dark florals.
