Anand Venkitachalam

New Delhi, Feb 21 (.) Black metal as a genre is not often associated with the conventional sense of musicality, but rather, as demonstrated by the majority of bands, it is one that tends to prioritise “rawness” over “songwriting,” using hardcore punk’s rawness and relentless speed, leading to unrefined atmospheric songwriting, typically resulting in some of the most suboptimal, mediocre, borderline unlistenable songs ever.

But that is not the case with Mayhem, as they displayed on their latest album ‘Liturgy of Death’. An unrelenting flurry of grizzly black metal riffs, balanced by a haunting atmosphere and technical precision — one can simply rename this album a Symphony of Evil or Cacophony of Dread, because that’s what this is: a haunting evil rendered epic and simply enchanting.

Equal parts nightmarish and deliciously malicious, ‘Liturgy of Death’ is as engrossing as it is musically impressive, as the Norwegian pioneers once again prove why they are the best in the business.

Placing songwriting at its core, ‘Liturgy of Death’ is a perfect sonic masterpiece that honours the “rawness” of black metal as it is meant to, while not being afraid to experiment with other musical elements, such as solid production and different stylistic elements, making it one amazing, albeit unsettling, experience.

From the very outset, Mayhem’s history has been one of the darkest — not just in the metal scene, but in all of music, clouded by arson, self-harm, suicide, death, depression, and the morose.

It is somewhat of a miracle that since their formation in Oslo in 1984, the band has managed to continue, given how their seminal debut ‘De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas’ is practically defined by that history.

‘Liturgy of Death’ — marking the band’s seventh album — acts as a bridge between the rawness of their previous LP ‘Daemon’ and the weird style of their more avant-garde albums like ‘Chimera’, perhaps with some progressive artfulness from ‘Grand Declaration of War’, while also possessing the evil spirit of their iconic 1994 debut.

Rather than being a reinvention that seeks to break boundaries, this album instead redefines them, blending their four-decade musical journey and almost marvelling at how they have endured, given their turbulent history and the evolution they have undergone over the years.

‘Liturgy of Death’ packs in a ton of aggression, assaulting the listener with an unrelenting barrage of thick, fast black metal riffs, razor-sharp technical precision, and hauntingly chaotic melody. Brutality is delivered with effortless grace and theatricality, blending sheer violence and darkness with an enchanting flair of bombastic, operatic grandeur.

As I write this, I find it difficult to phrase anything beyond this: the songwriting is absolutely sublime and fantastic. Tracks like ‘Weep For Nothing’ and ‘Despair’ bring sharp riffs and sheer evil. Songs such as ‘Aeon’s End’ and ‘Funeral for Existence’ evoke the image of a lonely, freezing, icy North where nothing grows and you are destined to wander forever alone in a desolate hellscape.

There is additional weight to this record due to its philosophical undertones, with the band seemingly reflecting on mortality, existence, and how one may revisit the same sights decades later and perceive them differently — or perhaps realise nothing has changed except oneself. It is a curious dichotomy, a sombre and almost unsettling paradox underscored powerfully by the black metal pioneers.

In many ways, this album feels like an extension of ‘De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas’, albeit with a more mature approach. Blazing-fast tremolo picking meets modern production, allowing every instrument — bass, guitars, drums, and vocals — to breathe, or choke the listener, depending on perception.

Mayhem makes no compromises with quality. ‘Liturgy of Death’ stands as a culmination of the band’s journey since their inception, taking listeners across a hellish, icy landscape of dread, desolation, and embittered madness, where one wanders through a malicious abyss while performing a liturgy seeking death.

A rather unpleasant description — but that is precisely what this album is: a 49-minute trek through chilling despair. Score: 10/10

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