Mayhem is a Norwegian
black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
band formed in
Langhus
Langhus is a suburban area in the municipality of Nordre Follo in Viken, Norway. With a population of about 13,000, Langhus includes the local areas of Bøleråsen, Vevelstad and Langhus.
Transport
The village is stretched along the Østfold ...
in 1984. They were one of the founders of the
Norwegian black metal scene and their music has strongly influenced the black metal genre. Mayhem's early career was highly controversial, primarily due to their notorious live performances,
the 1991 suicide of vocalist
Per Yngve Ohlin
Per Yngve "Pelle" Ohlin (16 January 1969 – 8 April 1991), better known by his stage name Dead, was a Swedish metal musician who was best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem from 1988 until his death ...
("Dead") and the
1993 murder of guitarist
Øystein Aarseth
Øystein Aarseth (; 22 March 1968 – 10 August 1993), better known by his stage name Euronymous, was a Norwegian musician and a founder of and central figure in the early Norwegian black metal scene. He was a co-founder and guitarist of the N ...
("Euronymous") by former member
Varg Vikernes
Louis Cachet (born Kristian Vikernes; 11 February 1973), better known as Varg Vikernes (), is a Norwegian writer and retired musician best known for his early black metal albums and later crimes. His first five records, issued under the name Bur ...
("Count Grishnackh") of
Burzum
Burzum (; ) was a Norwegian music project founded by Varg Vikernes in 1991. Although Burzum never played live performances, it became a part of the early Norwegian black metal scene and is considered one of the most influential acts in black m ...
.
The group released a demo and an EP that were highly influential, and amassed a loyal following through sporadic and notorious live performances, attracting further attention through their ties to the string of
Norwegian church burnings and the incidents of violence surrounding them. Mayhem disbanded after Aarseth's murder, shortly before the release of their debut album, ''
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas'' is the first studio album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began in 1987, but due to the suicide of vocalist Per "Dead" Ohlin and the murder of guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth, the album's r ...
'', regarded as a classic of the black metal genre. Surviving former members
Jan Axel Blomberg
Jan Axel Blomberg (born 2 August 1969) is a Norwegian heavy metal drummer known professionally as Hellhammer. He is best known as the drummer of Mayhem, which he joined in 1988. In 1987 Blomberg formed the avant-garde black metal band Arcturu ...
("Hellhammer"),
Jørn Stubberud
Jørn Stubberud (born 13 April 1968) is a Norwegian musician best known as the bassist in the black metal band Mayhem under the stage name Necrobutcher. He is one of Mayhem's founding members, along with Euronymous and Manheim. He is the band' ...
("Necrobutcher") and
Sven Erik Kristiansen
Sven Erik Kristiansen (born 4 February 1969) is a Norwegian musician, best known as the former vocalist in the black metal band Mayhem under the stage name Maniac.
With Mayhem
Kristiansen joined Mayhem in 1986 after the departure of the ba ...
("Maniac") reformed the next year with
Rune Eriksen
Rune Eriksen (born 13 January 1975) is a Norwegian Spellemann award-winning musician and composer. He is best known as the former guitarist in the black metal band Mayhem under the stage name Blasphemer, which he took from a Sodom song. He jo ...
("Blasphemer") replacing Aarseth.
Attila Csihar
Attila Csihar (; born 29 March 1971), also sometimes known as Void, is a Hungarian extreme metal vocalist, best known for his vocal work in Norwegian black metal band Mayhem and American drone-doom project Sunn O))). Author Ian Christe descr ...
and
Morten Iversen ("Teloch") have since replaced Kristiansen and Eriksen, respectively. Their post-Aarseth material is characterized by increased experimentation. The 2007 album ''
Ordo Ad Chao'' received the
Spellemann Award for best heavy metal album.
History
Early years (1984–1988)
![Mayhem - Jalometalli 2008 - 19](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Mayhem_-_Jalometalli_2008_-_19.JPG)
Mayhem was founded in 1984 by guitarist
Øystein Aarseth
Øystein Aarseth (; 22 March 1968 – 10 August 1993), better known by his stage name Euronymous, was a Norwegian musician and a founder of and central figure in the early Norwegian black metal scene. He was a co-founder and guitarist of the N ...
(known initially as "Destructor", later "Euronymous"), bassist
Jørn Stubberud
Jørn Stubberud (born 13 April 1968) is a Norwegian musician best known as the bassist in the black metal band Mayhem under the stage name Necrobutcher. He is one of Mayhem's founding members, along with Euronymous and Manheim. He is the band' ...
("Necrobutcher") and drummer Kjetil Manheim, taking their band name from the
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
song "Mayhem with Mercy". The band members were mainly influenced by groups such as
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
,
Death
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
,
Kreator
Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédér ...
,
Motörhead
Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...
,
Necrodeath
Necrodeath is an Italian extreme metal band from Liguria. It is one of the first extreme metal bands originating in Italy. They take inspiration from Slayer, Dark Angel, Possessed, Venom, Kreator, Celtic Frost, Bathory and Sodom. The band is a ...
,
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
,
Slayer
Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
,
Bathory,
Sarcófago
Sarcófago was a Brazilian extreme metal band formed in 1985. They were fronted by Sepultura's original singer, Wagner Lamounier, and Geraldo Minelli.
The front cover of the band's debut album, ''I.N.R.I. (Sarcófago album), I.N.R.I.'', is reg ...
,
Sodom,
Destruction
Destruction may refer to:
Concepts
* Destruktion, a term from the philosophy of Martin Heidegger
* Destructive narcissism, a pathological form of narcissism
* Self-destructive behaviour, a widely used phrase that ''conceptualises'' certain kind ...
,
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost () was a Swiss extreme metal band from Zürich. They are known for their strong influence on the development of extreme metalBukszpan, Daniel. ''The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal''. Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2003. p.43 and avant-ga ...
,
Hellhammer
Hellhammer was a Swiss metal band from Nürensdorf, active from 1982 to 1984. Although the band's sound and style were heavily criticized and poorly reviewed during their active years, they have been widely praised in retrospect and are often re ...
[''Pure Fucking Mayhem'', dir. Stefan Rydehed, Prophecy Productions, 2008] and
Parabellum. The lineup began playing cover songs by
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
,
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
,
Motörhead
Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...
and later recorded the demo ''Pure Fucking Armageddon''. After its release, Aarseth, who used to sing lead vocals, along with Stubberud, during first demo's studio rehearsals, recruited two session vocalists, Eirik Norheim ("Messiah") and
Sven Erik Kristiansen
Sven Erik Kristiansen (born 4 February 1969) is a Norwegian musician, best known as the former vocalist in the black metal band Mayhem under the stage name Maniac.
With Mayhem
Kristiansen joined Mayhem in 1986 after the departure of the ba ...
("Maniac"), in 1986 and 1987. Norheim performed vocals only for a concert, which took place on 20 April 1985 in
Ski
A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. Substantially longer than wide and characteristically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partial ...
, and by the end of that year he had quit Mayhem. He later formed
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
band Within Range and
Oi!
Oi! is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads, and other disaffected working-class youth. The movement was ...
/
street punk band Cockroach Clan. Whereas, with Kristiansen, Mayhem recorded its first EP, ''
Deathcrush
''Deathcrush'' is the debut EP and overall first commercial release by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. It was released on 16 August 1987 by Posercorpse Music.
Background
Though influential to black metal, its lyrics and sound were largely i ...
'', in 1987, and released it through Euronymous' newly formed label
Posercorpse Music
Deathlike Silence Productions (DSP) was a Norwegian independent record label founded in Oslo in 1987 (initially as Posercorpse Music) that focused on black metal. DSP supported the black metal revival in the early 1990s. Helvete was the headq ...
. Manheim and Euronymous only played at one show on 22 March 1986 at the Ski theater as L.E.G.O. and the show was recorded on video. This was a side project about experimental music against mainstream.
The initial 1,000 copy release of ''Deathcrush'' quickly sold out. It was later reissued in 1993 by the newly renamed
Deathlike Silence Productions
Deathlike Silence Productions (DSP) was a Norwegian independent record label founded in Oslo in 1987 (initially as Posercorpse Music) that focused on black metal. DSP supported the black metal revival in the early 1990s. Helvete was the headqu ...
as a joint venture with Euronymous' Oslo specialist record shop
Helvete (
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
for "
Hell
In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...
"). Manheim and Maniac left the band in 1988.
With Dead (1988–1991)
After two brief replacements, Maniac and Manheim's positions were filled by Swedish vocalist
Pelle Yngve Ohlin ("Dead") and local drummer
Jan Axel Blomberg
Jan Axel Blomberg (born 2 August 1969) is a Norwegian heavy metal drummer known professionally as Hellhammer. He is best known as the drummer of Mayhem, which he joined in 1988. In 1987 Blomberg formed the avant-garde black metal band Arcturu ...
("Hellhammer"). With Dead, the band's concerts became notorious. For concerts, Dead went to great lengths to achieve the image and atmosphere he wished. From the beginning of his career, he was known to wear "
corpse paint
Corpse paint is a style of black and white makeup used mainly by black metal bands for concerts and band photos. The makeup is used to make the musicians appear inhuman, corpse-like, or demonic, and is perhaps "the most identifiable aspect of the ...
", which involved covering his face with black and white makeup. According to Necrobutcher, "
wasn't anything to do with the way
Kiss
A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
and
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
used makeup. Dead actually wanted to look like a corpse. He didn't do it to look cool".
[ Hellhammer claimed that Dead "was the first black metal musician to use corpse paint".] To complete his corpse-like image, Dead would bury his stage clothes and dig them up again to wear on the night of a concert.[
While performing, Dead would often cut himself with hunting knives and broken glass.] Additionally, the band often had pig or sheep heads impaled on stakes and planted at the front of their stage.
Stian Johansen ("Occultus"), who briefly took over as vocalist after Dead's suicide, made this statement about him:
"He eaddidn't see himself as human; he saw himself as a creature from another world. He said he had many visions that his blood has frozen in his veins, that he was dead. That is the reason he took that name. He knew he would die."
In 1990, the members of Mayhem moved to "an old house in the forest" near Oslo,
which was used as a place for the band to rehearse. They began writing songs for their next album, ''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas'' is the first studio album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began in 1987, but due to the suicide of vocalist Per "Dead" Ohlin and the murder of guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth, the album's r ...
''. Mayhem bassist Necrobutcher said that, after living together for a while, Dead and Euronymous "got on each other's nerves a lot" and "weren't really friends at the end".[ Hellhammer recalls that Dead once went outside to sleep in the woods because Euronymous was playing synth music that Dead hated. Euronymous then went outside and began shooting into the air with a shotgun.][''Lords of Chaos'', p. 52.] Varg Vikernes
Louis Cachet (born Kristian Vikernes; 11 February 1973), better known as Varg Vikernes (), is a Norwegian writer and retired musician best known for his early black metal albums and later crimes. His first five records, issued under the name Bur ...
claims that Dead once stabbed Euronymous with a knife.
On 8 April 1991, Dead committed suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
in the house rented by the band. He was found by Euronymous with slit wrists and a shotgun wound to the head. Dead's suicide note started with the sentence "Excuse all the blood" and included a brief explanation "nobody will ever understand this, but as a sort of explanation, I am not human, this is only a dream and soon I will awake". The full text has become public and it ended by saying "I didn't come up with this now but 17 years ago". Attached to the note, Dead left the lyrics of the song Life Eternal. When Euronymous found all this, he went to a nearby store and bought a disposable camera to photograph the corpse, after re-arranging some items.
Necrobutcher recalls how Euronymous told him of the suicide:Øystein called me up the next day ... and says, "Dead has done something really cool! He killed himself". I thought, have you lost it? What do you mean cool? He says, "Relax, I have photos of everything". I was in shock and grief. He was just thinking how to exploit it. So I told him, "OK. Don't even fucking call me before you destroy those pictures".
Euronymous used Dead's suicide to foster Mayhem's 'evil' image and claimed Dead had killed himself because black metal had become 'trendy' and commercialized. In time, rumors spread that Euronymous had made a stew
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. A stew needs to have raw ingredients added to the gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables and ...
with bits of Dead's brain and had made necklace
A necklace is an article of jewellery that is worn around the neck. Necklaces may have been one of the earliest types of adornment worn by humans. They often serve Ceremony, ceremonial, Religion, religious, magic (illusion), magical, or Funerary ...
s with bits of his skull. The band later denied the former rumor, but confirmed that the latter was true.[ Moreover, Euronymous claimed to have given these necklaces to musicians he deemed worthy,] which was confirmed by several other members of the scene, like Bård 'Faust' Eithun and Jon 'Metalion' Kristiansen. In 2018, a fragment of Dead's skull also went on sale for $3,500, along with the letter from Euronymous that it was posted with. The letter finishes with: "OK! That should be all. I’m enclosing a little piece from Dead’s cranium in case you’d like to have it. Hear from you soon!" On a 2019 interview with Loudwire and Consequence of Sound, Necrobutcher claimed to have had plans to kill Euronymous since he was disgusted by his treatment of Dead, but that Vikernes "beat imto it".
It remains a trend for fans to produce artwork using blood. One such example is actually by drummer Hellhammer himself, who wrote lyrics to Pagan Fears in his own blood as can be seen on the Instagram page for thetruemayhemcollection in a post from October 2019. Artist Maxime André Taccardi has also produced a painting of Dead using his own blood.
Murder of Euronymous, ''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas'' and breakup (1991–1994)
Dead's suicide and Euronymous's actions following it affected Necrobutcher so much that he left Mayhem, thinning the band's ranks down to two. The group rehearsed for a short time thereafter with Occultus, joining the band with plans to begin recording vocal and bass tracks for Mayhem's debut album, ''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas'' is the first studio album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began in 1987, but due to the suicide of vocalist Per "Dead" Ohlin and the murder of guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth, the album's r ...
''. However, this was short-lived; he left the band after receiving a death threat from Euronymous.[ In July 1993, '']Live in Leipzig
''Live in Leipzig'' is a live album by the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. It was recorded at the Eiskeller club in Leipzig, Germany on 26 November 1990 but not released until 1993. The songs performed during the concert were from the ''Pure ...
'' was released as the band's tribute to Dead.
In late 1992, the recording of Mayhem's upcoming album resumed; thus Aarseth engaged three more session musicians: Burzum
Burzum (; ) was a Norwegian music project founded by Varg Vikernes in 1991. Although Burzum never played live performances, it became a part of the early Norwegian black metal scene and is considered one of the most influential acts in black m ...
's Varg Vikernes
Louis Cachet (born Kristian Vikernes; 11 February 1973), better known as Varg Vikernes (), is a Norwegian writer and retired musician best known for his early black metal albums and later crimes. His first five records, issued under the name Bur ...
(stage name "Count Grishnackh"), Thorns
Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to:
Botany
* Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants
* ''Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species
Comics and literature
* Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Com ...
' Snorre W. Ruch ("Blackthorn"), who handled bass guitar and rhythm guitar respectively, and singer Attila Csihar
Attila Csihar (; born 29 March 1971), also sometimes known as Void, is a Hungarian extreme metal vocalist, best known for his vocal work in Norwegian black metal band Mayhem and American drone-doom project Sunn O))). Author Ian Christe descr ...
, of Hungarian black metal band Tormentor. Due to complaints by his parents, Euronymous closed his scene focal point record shop Helvete, claiming as reasons adverse media and police attention. Much of the album was recorded during the first half of 1993 at the Grieg Hall
Grieg Hall ( no, Grieghallen) is a 1,500 seat concert hall located on Edvard Griegs' square in Bergen, Norway.
Grieghallen was named in honor of Bergen-born composer Edvard Grieg, who served as music director of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra ...
in Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
. To coincide with the release of the album, Euronymous and Vikernes had conspired to blow up Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral ( no, Nidarosdomen / Nidaros Domkirke) is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Trøndelag county. It is built over the burial site of Olav II of Norway, King Olav II (c. 995–1030, reigned 1015–102 ...
, which appears on the album cover. Euronymous's murder in August 1993 put an end to this plan and delayed the album's release.[Martin Ledang, PÃ¥l Aasdal (2008). ''Once Upon a Time in Norway''.]
On 10 August 1993, Vikernes murdered Euronymous. On that night, Vikernes and Ruch travelled 518 km from Bergen to Euronymous' apartment in Oslo. Upon their arrival, a confrontation ensued, which ended when Vikernes fatally stabbed Euronymous. His body was found outside the apartment with twenty-three cut wounds — two to the head, five to the neck and sixteen to the back. Vikernes claims that Euronymous had plotted to torture him to death and videotape the event, using a meeting about an unsigned contract as a pretext. On the night of the murder, Vikernes claims he intended to hand Euronymous the signed contract and "tell him to fuck off", but that Euronymous attacked him first. Additionally, Vikernes also claimed that most of Euronymous' cut wounds were caused by broken glass he had fallen on during the struggle. Vikernes was arrested within days, and a few months later he was sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum sentence administered in Norway, for both the murder and church arsons; he was released from prison in 2009. Blackthorn, who waited for Vikernes downstairs and took no part in Aarseth's murder, was charged with complicity in murder and sentenced to serve 8 years in prison. With only Attila and Hellhammer remaining, Mayhem ceased to exist.
In a video interview with Consequence of Sound on 15 October 2019, Necrobutcher discussed his bitterness toward Euronymous after being replaced in the band with Varg Vikernes before the recording of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. Then he turned to the murder of Euronymous, offering an eye-opening revelation:
"OK, I can tell it right now, because I’ve been holding it in for many years, but actually I was on my way down to kill him myself. And when it happened, I saw the morning paper, thinking ‘Fuck, I gotta get home to my place and get out all the weapons and drugs and shit I had in my house, because they’re coming to my house because I’m probably going to be the No. 1 suspect for this.' But little did I know that the Norwegian police already knew that Count Grishnackh arg
Arg or ARG may refer to:
Places
*''Arg'' () means "citadel" in Persian, and may refer to:
**Arg, Iran, a village in Fars Province, Iran
**Arg (Kabul), presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan
**Arg, South Khorasan, a village in South Khorasan P ...
was going down also to kill him. Because they bugged his phone, and he actually talked about this killing before he went to Bergen so the cops already knew that he was coming, so they probably were thinking to themselves, ‘We didn’t nail this guy for the church burnings, so let’s nail him for murder, and get rid of this fucking guy in Oslo the same time.’ So that's basically what happened."
In May 1994, ''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas'' is the first studio album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began in 1987, but due to the suicide of vocalist Per "Dead" Ohlin and the murder of guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth, the album's r ...
'' was released and dedicated to Euronymous. Its release had been delayed due to complaints filed by Euronymous' parents, who had objected to the presence of bass guitar parts played by Vikernes. According to Vikernes himself, Hellhammer assured Aarseth's parents that he would re-record the bass tracks himself; being unable to play bass guitar, Hellhammer left the bass tracks unchanged, and so the album features Vikernes as bassist.
Reunion with Maniac and Necrobutcher and introduction of Blasphemer (1995–2004)
In 1995, a bootleg live recording of a 1990 Mayhem concert was released, titled ''The Dawn of the Black Hearts
''The Dawn of the Black Hearts'' (subtitled Live in Sarpsborg, Norway 28/2, 1990) is a bootleg live album by the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. The title originates from a line of lyrics Fenriz of Darkthrone wrote for the band.
Despite bei ...
''. Despite being a bootleg, the album is sometimes listed as one of the band's main albums, mainly due to the notoriety regarding the cover art, which is one of the aforementioned photographs of Dead shortly after he died from suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
.
Around that time, Hellhammer, Maniac, and Necrobutcher had reformed the band with new guitarist Rune Eriksen
Rune Eriksen (born 13 January 1975) is a Norwegian Spellemann award-winning musician and composer. He is best known as the former guitarist in the black metal band Mayhem under the stage name Blasphemer, which he took from a Sodom song. He jo ...
("Blasphemer") in place of Euronymous. Despite arousing some controversy and scepticism for reforming without founding member Euronymous, the group returned with the 1997 ''Wolf's Lair Abyss
''Wolf's Lair Abyss'' is an EP by the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem.
According to the band's website, it is the first part of ''Grand Declaration of War''. The main riff of the last track, "Symbols of Bloodswords", is used in "A Grand Decl ...
'' EP.
In this new phase, statements by Hellhammer (who spoke out against race mixing and foreigners in Norway) and the use of Nazi
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
imagery such as swastika flags in the rehearsal room, the Totenkopf
''Totenkopf'' (, i.e. ''skull'', literally "dead person's head") is the German word for the skull and crossbones symbol. The "skull and crossbones" symbol is an old international symbol for death, the defiance of death, danger, or the dead, as ...
emblem and band merchandise featuring the symbol of the military branch of Nasjonal Samling
Nasjonal Samling (, NS; ) was a Norwegian far-right political party active from 1933 to 1945. It was the only legal party of Norway from 1942 to 1945. It was founded by former minister of defence Vidkun Quisling and a group of supporters such a ...
led to controversy and accusations of neo-Nazism.
Additionally, Hellhammer stated that no member of the new line-up was a Satanist
Satanism is a group of ideological and philosophical beliefs based on Satan. Contemporary religious practice of Satanism began with the founding of the atheistic Church of Satan by Anton LaVey in the United States in 1966, although a few h ...
, and that the "Satanic stuff €¦isn't what I feel Mayhem is about today. €¦Mayhem's music is still dark, but I wouldn't say that it's Satanic."
The band's second full-length album, ''Grand Declaration of War
''Grand Declaration of War'' is the second full-length studio album by the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem, released by Season of Mist and Necropolis Records on 6 June 2000. A re-release of the album came out in December 2018, with Jaime Gomez ...
'', was released in 2000. Strongly influenced by progressive and avant-garde metal
Avant-garde metal (also known as avant-metal, experimental metal, and experimental) is a subgenre of heavy metal music loosely defined by use of experimentation and innovative, avant-garde elements, including non-standard and unconventional soun ...
, the album was concept-based, dealing with themes of war and post-apocalyptic destruction. Maniac largely abandoned the traditional black metal rasp for dramatic spoken-word monologue, with most of the songs sequencing seamlessly into one another. Because of this conceptual straying, however, the album received harsh criticism.
Mayhem made headlines in 2003 when fan Per Kristian Hagen landed in the hospital with a fractured skull after being hit by a severed sheep's head that had been thrown into the audience from the stage. Assault charges were filed, but the band considered it to have been entirely accidental.
The band released ''Chimera
Chimera, Chimaera, or Chimaira (Greek for " she-goat") originally referred to:
* Chimera (mythology), a fire-breathing monster of Ancient Lycia said to combine parts from multiple animals
* Mount Chimaera, a fire-spewing region of Lycia or Cilicia ...
'' in 2004, showing a return to their initial raw sound, but with higher production value and a progressive edge.
Later that year, Maniac left the band. According to Necrobutcher, this was due to his alcoholism induced by stage fright. Necrobutcher explained that because of this tendency, a violent encounter between the singer and Blasphemer led to the guitarist kicking Maniac down a flight of stairs, resulting in injury. Csihar was reinstated as his replacement.
Return of Csihar; ''Ordo Ad Chao'' (2004–2008)
The band's fourth full-length album, '' Ordo ad Chao'' (Latin for "Order to Chaos"), was released in April 2007. ''Ordo ad Chao'' contained a much rawer sound than the rest of the band's recent work; the drums were not equalized and the mix was notably bass-heavy against black metal convention. The album continued the band's experiments with unorthodox song structures, with "Illuminate Eliminate," at 9:40, the band's second longest track (behind ''Grand Declaration of War''’s "Completion in Science of Agony (Part I)" at 9:44). The album received strong reviews and was the band's highest-charting album, peaking at No. 12 on the Norwegian charts. In early 2008 ''Ordo Ad Chao'' won a Spellemannprisen
Spellemannprisen, often referred to as the Norwegian Grammy Awards in English, is a Norwegian music award presented to Norwegian musicians. The award was established by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organizati ...
, an award from the largest and oldest of Norway's music awards shows, for Best Metal Album of 2007.
In April 2008, Blasphemer announced his plans to leave the band, expressing a lack of desire to continue despite satisfaction with their accomplishments. He played European festival dates over the following months, with his last performance in the group coming in August. He thereafter continued work with the Portuguese band Ava Inferi
Ava Inferi was a musical group formed in Almada, Portugal, by Norwegian guitarist and songwriter Rune Eriksen (a.k.a. Blasphemer, Mayhem (band), Mayhem). Their debut album, ''Burdens (Ava Inferi album), Burdens'', was released in January 2006.
...
. This marked the departure of the musician credited with the bulk of the musical composition of the band's three most recent studio albums.
After Blasphemer's departure and ''Esoteric Warfare'' (2008–2015)
Statements of imminent touring plans were announced on the band's web page a few weeks after their final dates with Blasphemer. In October 2008, Krister Dreyer
Krister Dreyer (born 11 September 1974 in Sandefjord, Norway), commonly known as Morfeus, is a Norwegian musician, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
Morfeus is noted for his work in several bands in Norway, including Mayhem, Limbon ...
("Morfeus") of Dimension F3H and Limbonic Art
Limbonic Art is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Sandefjord.
History
Limbonic Art was formed in 1993 by Daemon, and was originally a full band featuring 3 other members. Daemon got in touch with Morfeus after the demise of the first ...
joined the group as touring guitarist for their upcoming South America Fucking Armageddon tour.
The band toured through late 2008 and 2009 with this lineup, prior to announcing Summer 2009 dates with Silmaeth, a French musician, as a second touring guitar. In November 2009, the band was arrested in Tilburg, Netherlands
Tilburg () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, in the southern province of North Brabant. With a population of 222,601 (1 July 2021), it is the second-largest city or municipality in North Brabant after Eindhoven and the seventh-larg ...
, after destroying a hotel room while on tour. Norwegian guitarist Teloch of Nidingr replaced Silmaeth, and British guitarist Charles Hedger
Charles Edward Alexander Hedger (born 18 September 1980) is a British guitarist who is known for his stint in the extreme metal band Cradle of Filth and his work with Imperial Vengeance. He currently plays with Norwegian black metal band M ...
(aka Ghul) of Imperial Vengeance
Imperial Vengeance are an English heavy metal band, from Colchester, Essex, England, formed in 2007 by former Cradle of Filth guitarist C. Edward Alexander (b. Charles Edward Alexander Hedger, 18 September 1980, Colchester, Essex/ Guitars, Voc ...
replaced Morfeus, in 2011 and 2012.
In an interview in 2012, Necrobutcher
Jørn Stubberud (born 13 April 1968) is a Norwegian musician best known as the bassist in the black metal band Mayhem under the stage name Necrobutcher. He is one of Mayhem's founding members, along with Euronymous and Manheim. He is the band' ...
revealed that Mayhem had begun work on their fifth studio album. As of November 2013, the new album was being mixed, with an early 2014 release date expected. Several months later, on 18 February 2014, it was announced that Mayhem would release a new album in May 2014, with a new song "Psywar" made available for streaming.
On 20 February 2014, the band's record label, Season of Mist, announced that the new album ''Esoteric Warfare
''Esoteric Warfare'' is the fifth full-length studio album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. It was released by Season of Mist on 6 June 2014 in Europe and Asia, and on 10 June 2014 in North America. It is the band's first album with Teloch ...
'' would be released worldwide on 27 May 2014. This marked the first Mayhem studio effort since Blasphemer's departure and Teloch's permanent status in the band.
In January 2015, Mayhem, Watain
Watain is a Swedish black metal band, formed in 1998.Eduardo Rivadavia: ''Watain Biography'' Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation. The band's name is taken from an early recording by the American black metal group Von.Ronald Ziegler''Merchandise w ...
, and Revenge
Revenge is committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Francis Bacon described revenge as a kind of "wild justice" that "does... offend the law ndputteth the law out of office." Pr ...
played together as part of the "Black Metal Warfare" tour in the United States. Mayhem and Watain toured again in the United States in November 2015 with Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ is a Greek black metal band formed in 1987. They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands within this region, as well as a premier act within the European underground metal scene. They are also responsible for creati ...
as "Part II" of the previous tour.
Live album, ''Lords of Chaos'' film and ''Daemon'' (2016–2020)
A live recording of ''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas'' (''DMDS Alive'') was released in 2016. The same year rapper Ghostemane
Eric Whitney (born April 15, 1991), known professionally as Ghostemane or Eric Ghoste, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He has released eight solo albums and three collaborative albums under his Ghostemane moniker, primarily mer ...
released the song ''Euronymous'', a reference to the band.
Later the same year, a film about the band '' Lords of Chaos'' (based on the book of the same name) premiered at the Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...
, directed by Jonas Ã…kerlund
Hans Uno Jonas Ã…kerlund (; born 10 November 1965) is a Swedish film director, screenwriter, music video director, and drummer. His video for Madonna's song "Ray of Light" won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form, and a record of fiv ...
, again propelling the group into the media spotlight. While the film received mixed reviews from both critics and fans, band members Necrobutcher and Csihar strongly objected to the movie, despite initially granting the rights to use the band's songs. In several interviews, the two argued that the film gave a one-sided perspective of the story, with particular complaints given to the failure to showcase the deteriorating relationship between Euronymous and Dead in the year before the latters suicide in April 1991. In 2018, the band released a remixed and remastered version of ''A Grand Declaration of War''.
Mayhem's sixth studio album, ''Daemon'', was released on 25 October 2019 through Century Media Records
Century Media Records is a heavy metal record label with offices in the United States, Germany and London. In August 2015, Century Media was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million.
Background
Century Media was founded by Robert Kampf and Oli ...
. Three singles: ''Worthless Abominations Destroyed'', ''Of Worms and Ruins'' and ''Falsified and Hated'' were released ahead of the album. The album is characterised by a return to the more traditional style of black metal like in De Mysteriis and contains 10 new songs with a further two bonus tracks and several covers ncluding of Dead's old band ''Morbid''in the extended album. A music video for Falsified And Hated was released on 7 November and shows what appears to be a shaking tent ritual; it also shows a heart being cut open as part of this. Ziggy Jonas Rasmusson, a graffiti artist, was involved in the design.
In 2020, it was announced that drummer Tony Laureano
Tony Laureano (born January 25, 1973) is a heavy metal drummer originally from Puerto Rico. He has played for a number of metal bands (either as a full band member or a session drummer) including Dimmu Borgir, Nile, Angelcorpse, Malevolent Crea ...
would temporarily be filling-in for Hellhammer on the Decibel Magazine Tour due to Hellhammer suffering from a shoulder injury. The tour was, however, ultimately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
''Atavistic Black Disorder / Kommando'' (2021–present)
In 2021, Mayhem was inducted into the Rockheim
Rockheim (also called ''Det nasjonale opplevelsessenteret for pop og rock'', The National Discovery Centre for Pop and Rock, and ''Det nasjonale museet for populærmusikk'', The National Museum for Popular Music) is Norway's national museum fo ...
Hall of Fame, after being nominated for the third time earlier the same year. As of 2021, they are the only black metal group to be inducted.
Mayhem announced a new EP ''Atavistic Black Disorder / Kommando'' that was released on 9 July 2021. The track listing consists of 3 outtakes from the ''Daemon'' sessions, two of which were used as bonus tracks on the deluxe edition of the album along with 4 cover songs from punk rock bands who the band cite as "laying the foundation of what was to come". The EP features guest appearances by former vocalists Messiah and Maniac
Maniac (from Greek μανιακός, ''maniakos'') is a pejorative for an individual who experiences the mood known as mania. In common usage, it is also an insult for someone involved in reckless behavior.
Maniac may also refer to:
Film
* ' ...
on one cover track each. This marks Messiah and Maniac's first studio recordings with the band since 1987's ''Deathcrush
''Deathcrush'' is the debut EP and overall first commercial release by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. It was released on 16 August 1987 by Posercorpse Music.
Background
Though influential to black metal, its lyrics and sound were largely i ...
'' and 2004's ''Chimera
Chimera, Chimaera, or Chimaira (Greek for " she-goat") originally referred to:
* Chimera (mythology), a fire-breathing monster of Ancient Lycia said to combine parts from multiple animals
* Mount Chimaera, a fire-spewing region of Lycia or Cilicia ...
'' respectively. Necrobutcher stated the two former vocalists were brought in "because of their obvious connection with punk".
Mayhem announced a 2022 United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
tour
Tour or Tours may refer to:
Travel
* Tourism, travel for pleasure
* Tour of duty, a period of time spent in military service
* Campus tour, a journey through a college or university's campus
* Guided tour, a journey through a location, directed ...
, ''The Sanguine Sodomy of North America'', that began March 7 with a show in San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
, California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
and is projected to end on April 3 after a show in Joliet, Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
. On 4 March, Watain announced that they would not be able to participate in the tour due to a United States embassy
The United States has the second most diplomatic missions of any country in the world after Mainland China, including 166 of the 193 member countries of the United Nations, as well as observer state Vatican City and non-member countries Kosovo a ...
"decid ngto launch an additional, undisclosed 'administrative process' in relation to heir
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
visa applications".
Band members
Current members
* Necrobutcher
Jørn Stubberud (born 13 April 1968) is a Norwegian musician best known as the bassist in the black metal band Mayhem under the stage name Necrobutcher. He is one of Mayhem's founding members, along with Euronymous and Manheim. He is the band' ...
– bass guitar (1984–1991, 1995–present)
* Hellhammer
Hellhammer was a Swiss metal band from Nürensdorf, active from 1982 to 1984. Although the band's sound and style were heavily criticized and poorly reviewed during their active years, they have been widely praised in retrospect and are often re ...
– drums, percussion (1987–1993, 1995–present)
* Attila Csihar
Attila Csihar (; born 29 March 1971), also sometimes known as Void, is a Hungarian extreme metal vocalist, best known for his vocal work in Norwegian black metal band Mayhem and American drone-doom project Sunn O))). Author Ian Christe descr ...
– vocals (1992–1993, 2004–present)
* Teloch
Morten Bergeton Iversen (born 19 November 1974), better known by his stage name Teloch ( ), is a Norwegian black metal musician known for being a live guitarist for Gorgoroth, God Seed and 1349. He is currently the guitarist for Mayhem.
Ca ...
– guitar (2011–present)
* Ghul
A ghoul ( ar, غول, ') is a demon-like being or monstrous humanoid. The concept originated in pre-Islamic Arabian religion, associated with graveyards and the consumption of human flesh. Modern fiction often uses the term to label a cert ...
– guitar (2012–present)
Notable former members
* Euronymous
Øystein Aarseth (; 22 March 1968 – 10 August 1993), better known by his stage name Euronymous, was a Norwegian musician and a founder of and central figure in the early Norwegian black metal scene. He was a co-founder and guitarist of the N ...
– guitar (1984–1993) (died 1993)
* Manheim – drums, percussions (1984–1987)
* Maniac
Maniac (from Greek μανιακός, ''maniakos'') is a pejorative for an individual who experiences the mood known as mania. In common usage, it is also an insult for someone involved in reckless behavior.
Maniac may also refer to:
Film
* ' ...
– vocals (1986–1988, 1995–2004)
* Dead
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
– vocals (1988–1991) (died 1991)
* Count Grishnackh
Louis Cachet (born Kristian Vikernes; 11 February 1973), better known as Varg Vikernes (), is a Norwegian writer and retired musician best known for his early black metal albums and later crimes. His first five records, issued under the name Burz ...
– bass guitar (1992–1993)
* Blackthorn – guitar (1992–1993)
* Blasphemer – guitar (1995–2008)
Discography
Studio albums
* ''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas'' is the first studio album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began in 1987, but due to the suicide of vocalist Per "Dead" Ohlin and the murder of guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth, the album's r ...
'' (1994)
* ''Grand Declaration of War
''Grand Declaration of War'' is the second full-length studio album by the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem, released by Season of Mist and Necropolis Records on 6 June 2000. A re-release of the album came out in December 2018, with Jaime Gomez ...
'' (2000)
* ''Chimera
Chimera, Chimaera, or Chimaira (Greek for " she-goat") originally referred to:
* Chimera (mythology), a fire-breathing monster of Ancient Lycia said to combine parts from multiple animals
* Mount Chimaera, a fire-spewing region of Lycia or Cilicia ...
'' (2004)
* '' Ordo ad Chao'' (2007)
* ''Esoteric Warfare
''Esoteric Warfare'' is the fifth full-length studio album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. It was released by Season of Mist on 6 June 2014 in Europe and Asia, and on 10 June 2014 in North America. It is the band's first album with Teloch ...
'' (2014)
* ''Daemon
Daimon or Daemon (Ancient Greek: , "god", "godlike", "power", "fate") originally referred to a lesser deity or guiding spirit such as the daimons of ancient Greek religion and mythology and of later Hellenistic religion and philosophy.
The word ...
'' (2019)
Videography
* ''Live in Ski'' (1986)
* Home-made rehearsal with Dead (1988)
* ''Live in Sarpsborg'' (1990)
* ''Live in Jessheim'' (1990)
* ''Live in Bischofswerda'' (1998)
* ''European Legions: Live in Marseille 2000'' (2001)
* ''Mayhem – Cult of Aggression'' (Norwegian/Swedish documentary by Stefan Rydehed) (2002)
*Live at Wacken (2004)
* Appearance in '' Metal: A Headbanger's Journey'' (2005)
* Appearance in ''BBC One World'' episode ''Death Metal Murders'' (2005)
* ''Once Upon a Time in Norway – The History of Mayhem and the Rise of Norwegian Black Metal'' (2008)
* ''Pure Fucking Mayhem
''Pure Fucking Mayhem'' is a 2008 documentary created by Stefan Rydehed which gives an inside look at the second wave Norwegian black metal band Mayhem (band), Mayhem. The movie includes interviews with the band members as well as some previously ...
'' (English documentary by Stefan Rydehed) (2008)
* ''Until the Light Takes Us
''Until the Light Takes Us'' is an American documentary film about early Norwegian black metal by directors Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell. The film premiered at the AFI Film Festival in 2008, a year before it was released in film theaters.
Feat ...
'' (American documentary by Aaron Aites/Audrey Ewell) (2008)
* ''De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas Alive'' (2016)
References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayhem
Norwegian black metal musical groups
Musical groups established in 1984
1984 establishments in Norway
Musical groups disestablished in 1993
1993 disestablishments in Norway
Musical groups reestablished in 1994
Spellemannprisen winners
Musical quintets
Musical groups from Akershus
Articles which contain graphical timelines
Obscenity controversies in music
Season of Mist artists
Scandals in Norway
Controversies in Norway