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| Mayhem (band) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mayhem |
| Caption | Mayhem performing in 2011 |
| Background | group_or_band |
| Origin | Kirkegata, Oslo, Norway |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Labels | Deathlike Silence Productions, Candlelight Records, Season of Mist, Nuclear Blast |
| Associated acts | Emperor, Burzum, Gorgoroth, Darkthrone, Immortal |
Mayhem (band) is a Norwegian black metal band formed in Oslo in 1984. The group is noted for pioneering the second-wave black metal movement alongside Bathory, Darkthrone, Emperor, and Immortal. Mayhem's career has been marked by influential early releases, internal turmoil, criminal incidents involving members, and enduring impact on extreme metal worldwide.
Mayhem was founded by guitarist Øystein Aarseth (stage name Euronymous), bassist Jørn Stubberud (Necrobutcher), and drummer Kjetil Manheim in the mid-1980s, drawing from influences such as Venom, Bathory, Discharge, and Motörhead. Vocalist Manheim departed early and was succeeded by Per Yngve Ohlin (Dead), who joined after exposure to the burgeoning extreme scenes epitomized by Mercyful Fate, Saxon, and Kiss. The lineup solidified around Euronymous, Dead, Necrobutcher, and drummer Jan Axel Blomberg (Hellhammer) before a series of incidents in the early 1990s dramatically affected the band's trajectory.
The band's 1990 release, the EP Deathcrush, issued on Deathlike Silence Productions, established their raw aesthetic and linked them with contemporaries such as other early black metal acts and promoters like Euronymous's label. Dead's suicide in 1991 and the subsequent murder of Euronymous in 1993 by Varg Vikernes (Burzum) brought Mayhem into international notoriety, intersecting with events involving Norwegian legal proceedings, church burnings, and members of the Black Circle. Following these tragedies, Necrobutcher and Hellhammer rebuilt the group, enlisting singers including Attila Csihar (of Tormentor) and guitarists like Thor Anders Myhren (Pzizz) and Tomas "Samoth" Thormodsæter Haugen.
Throughout the late 1990s and 2000s, Mayhem released landmark albums, toured internationally, and underwent lineup changes involving musicians from Gorgoroth, Immortal, and Satyricon. The band continued recording into the 2010s and 2020s, issuing studio albums under labels including Candlelight Records and Season of Mist while maintaining ties to festivals like Bloodstock Open Air, Hellfest, and Wacken Open Air.
Mayhem's sound is characterized by tremolo-picked guitar riffs, blast-beat drumming, and shrieked vocals reflecting influences from Venom, Bathory, Mercyful Fate, and Possessed. The band's production choices and aesthetic were informed by independent labels such as Deathlike Silence Productions and scenes in Bergen, Oslo, and the wider Scandinavian extreme metal network that included Darkthrone, Emperor, and Burzum. Lyrical themes and imagery reference elements present in works associated with Aleister Crowley, satanic iconography, and Norwegian cultural touchstones documented in local folklore.
Mayhem's albums display evolution from the raw ferocity of early releases like Deathcrush to more experimental textures found on later records, incorporating avant-garde elements resonant with artists from industrial and noise scenes, and collaborations connecting to members of Arcturus and Shining.
Notable current and former members include: - Euronymous (Øystein Aarseth) – guitar (founding member; deceased) - Dead (Per Yngve Ohlin) – vocals (deceased) - Necrobutcher (Jørn Stubberud) – bass - Hellhammer (Jan Axel Blomberg) – drums - Attila Csihar – vocals - Teloch (Morten Iversen) – guitar - Blasphemer (Rune Eriksen) – guitar
The lineup over time has featured musicians also active in Burzum, Gorgoroth, Emperor, Immortal, Abbath, Satyricon, Arcturus, and Aura Noir, reflecting a networked community among Norwegian and international extreme metal artists. Several members have been subjects of high-profile legal cases involving Varg Vikernes and the 1993 trial.
Key releases include: - Deathcrush (EP, 1987) — released on Deathlike Silence Productions - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (studio album, 1994) — recorded with involvement from Varg Vikernes and featuring material written during the Euronymous era - Grand Declaration of War (studio album, 2000) - Chimera (studio album, 2004) - Ordo Ad Chao (studio album, 2007) - Esoteric Warfare (studio album, 2014) - Daemon (studio album, 2019)
These recordings were issued through labels such as Deathlike Silence Productions, Candlelight Records, Season of Mist, and Nuclear Blast and influenced releases by peers like Darkthrone, Emperor, Satyricon, and international acts including Behemoth and Watain.
Mayhem's live shows have involved theatrical elements, corpse paint popularized by artists in black metal aesthetics, and provocative stage props linked to controversies involving media outlets like The New York Times and programs on BBC documenting crimes associated with the scene. The band's association with incidents such as church burnings in Norway and the 1993 homicide generated extensive press coverage from outlets including Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, and mainstream newspapers, prompting debates in forums spanning music journalism and legal discourse in Norwegian courts.
They have performed at major festivals including Wacken Open Air, Hellfest, Roadburn Festival, and Inferno Metal Festival, often drawing both acclaim and protest due to the band's history and symbolism connected to satanic imagery and extreme ideological interpretations.
Mayhem's influence is evident across second-wave black metal acts such as Darkthrone, Emperor, Satyricon, Gorgoroth, Immortal, and international scenes including Poland's Behemoth and Sweden's Watain. The band's early recordings shaped production aesthetics that informed labels like Deathlike Silence Productions and later imprint practices at Candlelight Records and Season of Mist. Mayhem's complex legacy intersects with studies of subcultural movements examined in publications about subculture, music history texts covering heavy metal music and debates in music censorship.
Their story has been the subject of dramatizations and documentaries referencing figures like Varg Vikernes, Euronymous, and Dead, and influenced artists across extreme genres, experimental musicians, and visual artists who reference the band's imagery in exhibitions and critical studies tied to Norwegian culture and global metal historiography.
Category:Norwegian black metal musical groups