Review MAYHEM ‘Daemonic Rites’

Introducing Mayhem is like carrying sand to the beach. The Norwegian black metal punks are nearly 40 years in business, a controversial era for the band and a defining time for an entire genre. The fact that the Norwegian extreme metal institution is still around after four decades asks for respect and shows their willpower.

With ‚Daemonic Rites‘ the next live album is ready to be released and it is the legendary live in Leipzig’ release from 1993 that still belongs to the highlights in the band’s discography. So, ‚Daemonic Rites isn‘t the first live recording of the band but it is the one that sums up decades of extreme metal. Captured during the ‚Northern Ritual MMXXII‘-tour and the ‚Thalassic Ritual‘-tour in 2023, the album features the best, Mayhem has delivered to date.

New song, like ‚Malum‘ and the opener ‚falsified and Hated‘, have been performed and these songs have to compete with the early classics. ‚Freezing Moon‘ is a song from the debut album that easily competes with the newer material and the same goes for the anarchic ‚Deathcrush‘ which takes fans back to 1987. Another classic comes from this release. ‚Pure Fucking Armageddon‘ closes the release and unfolds its entire evil in less than two minutes.

‚Daemonic Rites‘ wasn‘t planned from the beginning and songs have been recorded without a specific purpose. But after as the result sounded really promising, the band combined songs that have been played in London, Manchester, Gothenburg, Budapest, Sydney and Melbourne; resulting in a live album that captures the entire sinister energy.

What also benefits the album is the great sound with Tore Stjerna at the helm. The diabolic riffs of Telcho and Ghul, the wicked working rhythm section and Csishar who vomits out lyrics, it all defines Mayhem and is reflected in great and oppressive fashion on this release.

Mayhem fans will appreciate the album and in case there are folks not having heard anything from this infernal legend, this live album is like the gate to the diabolic sound of Mayhem.