Mayhem
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

Norway, 1994.

Øystein Aarseth, the historic guitarist of the legendary Mayhem and survivor of the recordings of one of the most famous Black Metal albums of all time, was recently killed by Varg Vikernes, member of the historic one-man band Burzum and bassist of the same Mayhem from '92 to '93. Unlike the two, the singer Dead will not be able to contribute to the album recordings as he committed suicide in 1991. He was replaced in 1993 by Attila Csihar, who would interpret the cold, dark, and obsessive lyrics of the late Dead in a manner certainly original compared to that of many other singers in the black scene. Behind the drums, we find Hellhammer again, who after joining Mayhem in 1988 (replacing former Manheim) would become a permanent member of the band. Finally, a Blackthorn on second guitar completes the lineup of "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas," a cornerstone of the Black Metal movement, a movement of which Mayhem can boast of being among the major innovators and inspirers.

With "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas," Mayhem leave behind their speed/thrash influences clearly audible in the early recordings "Pure Fucking Armageddon" or "Deathcrush" (whose tracks were later resumed in various subsequent live, collections, and releases) creating an album that, already in the early '90s, clearly defined certain aspects, standards of what would become the typical Black Metal sound, and imparting a lesson to numerous subsequent Black Metal bands. It is important to note that not all tracks were recorded for the first time in '92-'93, as some were included in releases like the demo "Out from the Dark" or "Live in Leipzig," where you can hear a vocal performance by Dead.

The role of opener is given to one of these tracks: Funeral Fog. As soon as you press play, a surge of unhealthy tremolo picking marked by Euronymous and overlaid by a fast blast-beat from Hellhammer drags us into the heart of Transylvania. Attila's voice is excellent, managing to evoke a dark and mysterious atmosphere in just a few verses. The deadly gust leaves us after almost six minutes of pure Black Metal, but hardly a moment to catch your breath and here comes another classic of the group dating back to the days of Dead: the icy Freezing Moon. An icy riff, a desperate lyric, a spine-chilling solo over a slow and dark rhythm takes us straight to the majestic Cursed in Eternity, repetitive and with dark tones, but probably a notch below the first two legendary tracks. Now it's Pagan Fears' turn, yet another masterpiece of the platter with memorable riffs and a splendid vocal performance. Life Eternal is the longest, darkest, and most cadenced track of the platter, built on a few riffs and with a very pronounced bass, where the deceased singer Dead testifies to all his inner despair: the thoughts of a future (or rather, past) suicide. From the Dark Past can be (so to speak) easily listened to and passes the baton to Buried by Time and Dust, along with the first two tracks, the oldest of the album. The task of closing the circle and putting an end to this immortal black masterpiece is given precisely to the title track, the wonderful and evocative De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, one of the best on the platter, listen to believe.

In conclusion: "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" is a timeless classic, Mayhem's masterpiece and a must for anyone who wants to get an idea of what Black Metal is or get closer to this subgenre. Suicides, murders, church burnings are just some of the tragic events that have always marked the history of this band. Their untechnical riffs, their raw and chaotic productions, their violent lyrics and attitudes, the numerous news stories revolving around their figures have contributed to creating an aura of mystery around this legendary band. Mayhem are like this, take it or leave it.

Some memories will never go away, and they will forever be here...