Black metal has always been a genre i have shied away from in my heavy metal journey. While i flocked to the extremities of death and thrash metal black always seamed a bit out there and not for me. Recently though i thought what the hell i'll give BM a shot and try to expand my horizons a little bit. I first listened to De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas and thought it was a pretty cool album, wasn't blown away by it but the over all feel of the music was very new and cool. I then jumped into burzum which proved to be a mistake, i listened to filosofem and really did not enjoy it at all. Emperor was next on the list and for me they were definitely the best i had listened to at this point, i really thoroughly enjoyed in the nightside eclipse and IX equilibrium, will definitely check out more of their stuff. Last band i listened to was ceremonial castings which absolutely blew my mind, the way the keyboards weaved in and out of the music was breathtaking. I don't want to limit myself to just symphonic black metal but i hope this gives a taste of the accessible entry level black sound i am looking for. I have always found that metal is a journey from the most accessible bands to larger and larger extremities. As a side note I've listened to Bathory and actively disliked it. I already love the first wave not quite black metal bands like venom and mercyful fate.
I've heard alot of good things about gorgoroth should i jump into their stuff? Ok i think this has gotten way to long winded, hope i can get some great recommendation and begin my black metal journey!

Try maybe Kataxu or Fanisk (I do not agree with the NS nature of the bands but they make fine music). You also may dig one of my personal fav's Windir, especially the later albums (just because of the cleaner production as C/Castings), their music is not as agressive as CC but some fantastic melodies and great keyboarding throughout. Another great band you might dig is Sear Bliss, again not as agressive as CC but they have great music. See what you think and I will try to rec more. Gorgoroth are good especially the older albums, but you will not find many keyboards in their music.

For the most part, I'm in the same boat as you and I really don't dive into the Black Metal pool head first. But some that come to mind...

...Hellfire by 1349, Diabolis Interium by Dark Funeral, and....if you want your face completely ripped off, Blood Must be Shed by Zyklon B. Check out YouTube for that one.

These are more towards the aggressive end of the spectrum, FYI, but supremely enjoyable. Good luck.

I'm also a beginner in black metal, but I'm getting more and more into it. My favorites belong on the more melodic side (opposite to the raw, icy, frostbitten side). Bands like Dissection, Mörk Gryning, Watain, Sorhin and Sacramentum are the ones I enjoy the most. I do find other different bands as well that I really like, old Satyricon and latest Blut Aus Nord are both very different yet very good.
If you like breakneck speed, try Marduk and 1349.

No one's mentioned Darkthrone yet. They might do it for you. The album Under a Funeral Moon is what a good chunk of black metal bands voraciously rip off.

I don't know if you like Death Metal, but if you do A Blaze in the Northern Sky has been called having Death Metal riffs played in a Black Metal style.

I also Liked the Ajattara album Äpäre when I was first getting into metal.

Symphonic black isn't really my thing, though I am a big black metal fan, so I'll give it a shot. I know you said you didn't want to limit yourself to symphonic black, but I'll go down the keyboard heavy, super melodic, symphonic route since its accessible to the new comer - though I will deviate.

Alghazanth - Wreath of Thevetat - Not too keyboard heavy, though there is definitely a good deal of keyboard influenced music. Not too fast, not too raw, accessible with deviation.

Arcturus, anyone?. Great place to start. Avant-gardé black metal with lots of atmosphere. Good deal of keyboards, experimental, accessible, light and airy, Garm at his best on vocals.

Apotheosis. Potentially, THIS could be EXACTLY what you want. Incorporates thrash, is rather traditional in terms of the guitar work (great solos, too) and vocal work - excellent experimentation. Lush keyboards.

Diabolical Masquerade - think along the same lines of Arcturus, avant-gardé, atmospheric black metal with keyboards and terrific guitar work. 'Nightwork' is a particular recommendation to you.

Sigh are essential. No matter which way you look at it, Sigh are essential. Keyboards, experimental, wonderful (and strange) vocals. Always different, always fresh. 'Hail Horror Hail' might be a good place to start.

Early, innovative bands might be worth checking out too ... Bands like Fleurety's Min Tid Skal Komme or In The Woods... epic Heart of the Ages. Anything with a bit of invention and creativity.

Though I'm not that keen on them myself (though they do have some terrific songs), bands like Summoning might be worth a shot. Epic, majestic black metal with lots of atmosphere. Some of their songs, as I said, are masterful - 'Kor', 'Dragons of Time' and 'The Loud Music of The Sky'.

Surely Limbonic Art should hit the spot?

If you're going to ease into black metal, you should listen to more and more "blackened death metal." That's what I did. Just to get used to it. Also a better Mayhem album is "Wolf's Lair Abyss." A good amount of thrash metal fans like Darkthrone so you might want to check them out, except some of their stuff is so raw that at times it gets annoying. Old Man's Child is a band that helped me ease into Black Metal more, as did Dimmu. I think you'll enjoy stuff like Marduk, 1349, etc because they don't focus as much on "atmosphere" as they do on sheer brutality. If you're going to listen to Gorgoroth, listen to "Under the Sign of Hell." If none of the above are doing it for you, Goatwhore is another option. They have a different spin on black metal, and it's pretty good. A friend of mine who only listens to death and thrash says he likes Keep Of Kalessin a lot, and though I've never really listened to much of their stuff, if an old school thrasher like himself likes it then it must have some appeal to someone of your tastes.

That sure was a longwinded reply to an equally longwinded post.

What about some black thrash? Bands like Aura Noir and IXXI's 'Assorted Armament' might be an easy transition as they focus almost entirely on catchy guitar work.

For me it was Mayhem, but seeing as you like death and thrash, you'd probably want a cleaner sound like recent Immortal or 1349.

Gorgoroth's Pentagram.

Definitely check out Dissection. "The Somberlain" and "Storm of the Light's Bane" are both equally good listens. The latter is my personal favorite.

I don't understand why Filosofem is regarded as Burzum's best record. The Aske/Burzum compilation is the best, try that.

Katharsis from Germany may be a far stretch for you, but if you're looking for extreme black metal, try them. Amazing riffs and vocals.

Darkthrone is a must. Anything before Total Death is essential, but the fact that you don't like Bathory might hinder your opinion on Darkthrone. Anyway, if your thinking about getting into black metal, you have to at least have heard some Darkthrone before so you can say whether you like it or not.

For Emperor, your best bet is to go back into their earlier stuff, basically anything Nightside Eclipse and before it. Their most recent releases are horrible and aren't black metal.

Entry Level wise, you should just spend some time dissecting the early Norwegian scene and determing what you like and what you don't like. Move on from there to lesser known bands.

Lake of blood is eazy on the ears because of there melodic aproach, the same goes for stormnatt's the crimson sacrament..

Anorexia nervosa is a really catchy symphonic black metal band, try Drudenhaus.

As for black/death try Crimson moonlight's the covenant process really great riffs, great production quality...

or Antichrist, or Under the Sign of Hell by the same band.

You should try some Emperor (Inside the Nightside Eclipse)

Maybe some Dissection (The Somberlain)

Ceremonial Castings is pretty cool too if you like death metal (Into the Black Forest of Witchery)

He mentioned Ceremonial Castings in the OP.

This is from personal experience, Destroyer 666 got me into black metal. Also you might enjoy them cause you said you were into thrash/death, and they incorporate both of those into their sound.

Listen to the first three Burzum albums, "Filosofem" is very different from them.

funeral mist - salvation

From personal experience, I started with Summoning's Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame, which basically got me into harsh vocals too, back in the day.

Definitely seconding some of Perplexed_Sjel's recs, specifically Sigh, Arcturus and Limbonic Art.

Another great gateway band would be Sear Bliss, as they have a very melodic sound combined with very tasteful, not too overdone symphonic arrangements. Their use of a trombone adds great new flavor to their music. I suggest starting with their latest, The Arcane Odyssey.

Have you tried listening to Immortal's "At the Heart of Winter"? This is an amazing album, and personally one of my favorites. I too am just starting to delve into black metal.

At the Heart of Winter is a great point to start. Also, this thread needs more Taake, especially the first three albums.

I think anything by Nifelheim might do the trick.

My first black metal band (and favourite band) is dark fortress, try whatever you like by them, its all fantastic

Seconded, awesome riffs. The vocals might turn you off a bit but I think they fit.

Venom: Welcome To Hell, Black Metal, At War With Satan
Mercyful Fate: Nuns Have No Fun, Melissa, Don't Break The Oath
Hellhammer: Apocalyptic Raids
Celtic Frost: Morbid Tales, Emperor's Return, To Mega Therion, Into The Pandemonium
Bathory: Bathory, The Return, Under The Sign Of The Black Mark, Blood Fire Death, Hammerheart
Sodom: In The Sign Of Evil
Destruction: Sentence Of Death

If you want the blueprints for the second wave of Black Metal in the 90's look no further than the above. This is where it all started.
If I had to choose just one of those that probably had the biggest influence it would be Bathory's Under The Sign Of The Black Mark.

I should probably try reading the entire OP before replying. Feel free to fuck me in the ass with a red hot metal pole with spikes on the end.