Mayhem – Liturgy of Death – 2026
Label: Century Media
Mayhem is going strong for 4 decades but their albums are solid as fuck and never let us down. Perhaps some records where a bit hard to digest at first listen. But they all grew out to great records which every fan of Dark and Sinister Black Metal should have in their collection
Mayhem took my soul and turned my heart pitch black since their first EP “ Deathcrush”. A nice punky noise statement with stellar vocals of Maniac and Messiah. We all know all things turned into some awfully events and everyone knows the stories so will give no more attention to this .
Mayhem are:
Attila Csihar,
Hellhammer
Necrobutcher
Ghul
Teloch
Soundwise the band changed their sound with every studio release. More militant approach with WLA en nihilistic with “Ordo ad Chaos”. I never seen a band went in with a different approach in sound with each new record. Still they hit the right spot each time and still remain the mighty Mayhem. The previous record “Daemon” went more back to their old style from DMS. I liked the record but I missed something special and unique which each other release of Mayhem had.
Thank Satan, the boys went in a more nihilistic evil sinister approach. Mixed up with the more Classic Mayhem rifferitus we all know so wel. Attila is a bit down in the mix sometimes, but with some headphones on he is very intense and evil. Not everyone is fond of the gnarling opera approach of Attila. But goddam it fits Mayhem so well.
Guitarwise I always preferred Blasphemer and still would think it would be epic to have him on board again. But Teloch and Ghul do an stellar job. Top notch riffmagic with enough diversion in speed and style to keep the listener attention. Teloch also did a fine job on producing this album.
With “Daemon” I thought Hellhammer took a bit of standard safe approach and did not hit every song on the top level he can drum . This time around he sold his soul to the devil again. He is back with some pounding power. Hellhammer proofs he is as tight as hell in the speedy parts as well grooving in the more atmospheric stuff. Necrobutcher again is the perfect bassist for the manical rhythm section with Hellhammer.
Love how these men still go as strong when they started back in ’86. Liturgy of Death , has become an haunting beautiful record. Full hate , nihilism and occultim. Sinister to the bone and dark as hell. You like black metal? Go and buy this one!
Score :4 out 5
“Liturgy Of Death” track listing:
- Ephemeral Eternity
- Despair
- Weep For Nothing
- Aeon’s End
- Funeral Of Existence
- Realm Of Endless Misery
- Propitious Death
- The Sentence Of Absolution
- Life Is A Corpse You Drag (bonus track)
- Sancta Mendacia (bonus track)