Originally written by K. Scott Ross.
It’s been twenty years since Mayhem released De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. Twenty years since “Norwegian black metal” came and went as the favored bogey of Christian parents and conservative newscasters everywhere. The band that dubs themselves “The True Mayhem” have barely held the same lineup for two albums in a row. In twenty years, so much has changed in the world of black metal that the genre barely recognizable anymore. Whether this is a positive development or not depends on who you ask, but the fact remains that the name of “Mayhem” will always conjure up the most bizarre and sensational aspects of the black metal scene.
But from a musical standpoint, the extra-curricular activities of the band matter little in recognizing the importance of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. If all that Mayhem ever did was burn down some churches and murder themselves, they would be a historical curiosity, not a musical milestone. But this forty-six minute, eight song album is just that. And while many may disagree, to this writer De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is the ultimate black metal album.
Set in its historical context, De Mysteriis shouldn’t even have worked. It had been years since Mayhem had kicked things off with Deathcrush, but they had been unable to lay down anything else since. Half the songs on the album were old news—the Norwegian scene had been listening to Mayhem play “Freezing Moon” for four years by the time the album finally came out. Black metal had been evolving. Emperor ramped things up with In the Nightside Eclipse, Darkthrone simplified them with Transylvanian Hunger. And then the murder and the trial; how could any album overcome all that?
But it did. The once-in-a-lifetime combination of Euronymous, Hellhammer, Count Grishnackh created one of the tightest three-piece rhythm sections in black metal. More than anything else, though, Attila Csihar’s esoteric performance of Dead’s poetic reflections lifted the album out of the usual realm of “we are so evil and cool.” Whether sneering, snarling, doing his best Quorthon impression, or indulging his operatic side, Attila sells it. Normally, lyrics are the lowest priority in metal, particularly in black metal where “just songs about Satan” is a perfectly acceptable description. These aren’t just songs about Satan, though. In fact, despite being titled “Lord Satan’s Secret Rites” and having some poor Latin translations, De Mysteriis manages to handle darkness and evil in a mature and even sophisticated way that has allowed it to hold its edge through time. Compare “Life Eternal” or “Buried By Time and Dust” to the albums released by Abigor and Marduk also in 1994. “Universe of Black Divine” and “Sulphur Souls” seem cool when you’re sixteen. Mayhem’s songs are still relevant when you’re thirty-six.
It doesn’t really matter what the band called Mayhem has done since. With the death of Euronymous, the band that recorded De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas would never exist again. Other bands have changed their names for less (Windir springs to mind), but however you feel about Necrobutcher’s decision to carry on the band, this Mayhem only produced one album. In some ways, that one-time element helps to elevate De Mysteriis, as there is no follow up to compare it to.
This isn’t a review; this is a tribute. Because of the events surrounding Mayhem, their work can often be either overhyped or unfairly dismissed. Try to ignore the sensationalism and experience this album as an incredible piece of music. Whether you’re a young convert to black metal or you were there in the beginning, now is the time to crank your speakers and follow the freezing moon.
