Black metal act MAYHEM have unleashed the third track from their sixth studio album, Daemon, which arrives on October 25. You can stream the new song “Falsified and Hated” above.
When it comes to the definitive history of black metal, only one name
has survived all the sensationalism. Through the church burnings,
murder, imprisonments and myopic teenage nationalism, only Mayhem has
been able to channel the circus like atmosphere, which surrounded a core
of fanatical bands, into a sustained musical career, in the studio and
more importantly, on stage.
In ’84 in the cold darkness of sunless winters, Mayhem was born! The
unholy trinity of Euronymous (guitar/vox), Manheim (drums) and
Necrobutcher (bass/vox) perfected their black art away from prying eyes
of metal scrutiny. In ’86, after a single demo, the modestly entitled
“Pure Fucking Armageddon”, the band enlisted Maniac as a full time
vocalist. His debut was a re-working of the demo material, christened
“Deathcrush”.
What should have been a triumphant time, directly after that first
recording as a quartet, turned into a dark chapter, not only for the
band, but for the burgeoning underground scene as well. A series of
events from which many have never completely recovered. Following the
release, Manheim and Maniac left the band, to be replaced by Dead on
vocals and the band’s current drum deity, Hellhammer. While that line-up
could only muster a pair of studio compilations, Dead does appear on
“Live in Leipzig”, regarded by many as the first live black metal
recording ever. It heralded something of a new era, as many of the
fledging Norwegian artists disdained live performances, let alone an
actual tour outside the homeland. After the tour Dead commits suicide.
As a twosome, Euronymous and Hellhammer recruited the infamous Count
Grishnackh (Burzum) to play bass and Atilla to handle the tortured
vocals on the debut, “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas”, which was unleashed on
an unsuspecting world in 1993.
After the murder of Euronymous and the subsequent arrest of Count
Grishnackh, the details of which remain sketchy to this day, Hellhammer
decided to continue Mayhem. Both Necrobutcher and Maniac rejoin the
band, and Blasphemer was chosen as the new guitarist. After several
years of silence, a follow-up studio album was finally recorded. In 1997
the five tracks “Wolf Lair Abyss” hits the market. The MCD was the
answer to “Deathcrush”, Raw, Brutal and Evil. In 1999, “Mediolanum Capta
Est”, the second live CD, albeit the first with the new and current
line-up, was released.
More Stories
EX DEO – Debut New Single & Lyric Video
IN FLAMES – Adds More US Shows
ORDER OF NOSFERAT – New Album Announced