The Beanfield Theatre was packed to the brim to celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of Norway’s most legendary and mythical bands, Mayhem. Throughout its long, mystical, and unique career, the band has remained a staple in the extreme metal and black metal scenes.
Opening the show was New Skeletal Faces, a death-rock band from California. Their heavy goth-rock influences blended with black metal, creating a sound packed with heavy riffs. Their stage presence was undeniable, with the singer and guitarist energetically moving about. However, their set didn’t entirely connect with me, and the reception among the black metal fanatics in the crowd was mixed.
Next up was Imperial Triumphant, and I was absolutely blown away by their performance. I was mesmerized by their stage presence and personas. Their set began with a 1950s-era track playing over an old-timey commercial backdrop featuring a skeleton warning about the dangers of smoking. When the band took the stage, they wore elaborate costumes and golden masks, standing against an Art Deco-inspired set reminiscent of the Bioshock video games. They then hammered the audience with their experimental blend of black metal and avant-garde jazz.
Despite being masked figures, their characters exuded personality. They were unique, fresh, and brutally intense, yet thought-provoking. This is a band that people will undoubtedly be hearing more about in the underground scene.
Mortiis, to me, is a legend in the underground music world. After playing bass for a short stint on one of the most influential black metal EPs, Emperor’s Wrath of the Tyrant, he left the band to carve an entirely new path with his solo project. He became a pioneer of the minimalist style he coined as Dark Dungeon music, introducing an entire generation of black metal fans to a sound that maintained the genre’s dark and mystical aesthetic while transforming it into something new.
His compositions have an uncanny ability to transport listeners to other realms through his mastery of subtle and hauntingly beautiful melodies. Tonight’s performance focused on his older work, particularly the classic 1996 album Crypt of the Wizard. I was utterly entranced, watching him play his synths, allowing each note to resonate through me. He was accompanied by a percussionist, adding an extra layer to the music and the performance. I lost all sense of time as the melodies echoed through the hall, creating a timeless experience.
That said, it was a minimalist performance—watching a man play atmospheric keyboards for an hour may not be for everyone. If you weren’t already a fan, you might have found it a bit monotonous. However, his devoted fanbase undoubtedly came out to witness his magic.
Finally, it was time for the main event—a celebration of the pioneers who unleashed the plague of black metal upon the world. It’s incredible that Mayhem has endured for 40 years, considering everything that transpired in the early years of this mythical group. Tonight felt like a tribute to everything black metal represents. The crowd was a mix of old-school fans, like myself, who have followed them for over 30 years, and younger fans experiencing them for the first time. The show began with a film reel showcasing legendary photos of the band and their fallen members, eliciting great cheers when the images of Euronymous and Dead appeared on screen.
The setlist was structured as a retrospective, travelling through Mayhem’s career in chronological order. Bathed in red light, the band opened with tracks from their stellar 2019 album Daemon. The opening track, Malum, ignited a massive mosh pit as frontman Attila delivered his signature chilling, guttural vocals. Every time I see Mayhem, I am reminded of how phenomenal Attila is as a frontman. He commands the stage and the crowd with the energy of a possessed madman. His attire for this era was a crimson priest’s robe, with his face covered in occult symbols. The band then tore through highlights from their modern albums, including Esoteric Warfare, Ordo Ad Chao, and Chimera, before moving into material from Grand Declaration of War, during which Attila donned a military officer’s uniform, further adding to the theatricality of the show.
As the lights dimmed, anticipation surged through the audience. The background screen displayed photos, footage, and interviews from the era of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, one of the most influential black metal albums ever recorded. The room erupted as the instantly recognizable intro riff of Freezing Moon rang out—arguably one of the greatest black metal songs ever. The entire band was clad in black robes as they delivered more classics from this seminal album, including Life Eternal, and the title track. Afterward, a brief pause followed, and an in memoriam montage appeared on the screen, honouring the legendary vocalist Dead, who contributed to De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas but never had the chance to record it in the studio before tragically taking his own life.
The band returned to perform Funeral Fog, with Dead’s vocals played through the PA system while the background displayed images of him performing, with the lyrics projected on the screen. It was a touching tribute to a vocalist many in North America never had the opportunity to witness live. Another in memoriam followed, this time for Mayhem’s founding guitarist, Euronymous. The band then delved into their earliest material from the legendary Deathcrush EP. The raw, unfiltered intensity of Deathcrush, Chainsaw Gutfuck, Carnage, and Pure Fucking Armageddon sent the crowd into a frenzy, moshing to the primal ferocity of classic Mayhem.
Experiencing Mayhem’s entire discography in this structured manner gave me a newfound appreciation for all of their work. While I often default to listening to their groundbreaking albums, this performance reminded me of how much brilliant material exists across their entire catalogue. The show was a celebration of every era of this legendary band. I loved how it was structured, weaving through different periods while interspersing documentary-style sequences featuring old videos, photos, and interviews that showcased Mayhem’s storied history.
I have seen Mayhem every time they have come to town, but this was, without a doubt, their best show yet!
Review – Jason Maher
Photos – Steve Gerrard
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