The term post-black metal refers to music which is rooted in black metal, but has taken on new directions beyond the traditional aesthetics. Exemplar bands may incorporate progressive, industrial, electronic or post-punk elements or may just have experimental tendencies in general.

Although several disparate strains are commonly recognized as post-black metal, such as the post-rock and shoegaze-influenced wave or the more discernibly black metal-oriented avant-garde metal bands, the most appropriate definition of the term would be music in which the core elements of black metal are the subjects of experimentation. Alternatively, to paraphrase music critic Simon Reynolds' early definition of post-rock, "post-black metal is music in which elements of black metal are used for non-black metal purposes."