It is hard to find a more iconic metal band than Mayhem. Not only did they invent the most notorious subgenre in alternative music, but their story is so wild, and chaotic, it has made its way to Hollywood and beyond. Their music though, is just as timeless and iconic as their story. Upon listening to their new album Liturgy Of Death, it is clear that the Norwegian five-piece still excel at velocity and atmosphere. This new album is not merely a record, it is an adventure with each song having its own identity. Proving that Mayhem are still at the very top of their game. All these decades later.
Liturgy Of Death kicks off with ‘Ephemerial Eternity.’ A track that sounds haunting from the very first riff. It does not take long for the blast beats to show up though, and after the mellow, delicate first guitar melody, this overwhelms, but introduces the listener to the concept of the record. The concept of passages. The halfway point in this song is marked by another softer section. Here the guitar duo of Ghul and Teloch shine for the first time. There is no guitar solo, but the versatility of both guitarists is evident. When the vocals return, things get amped up once more. The drums are thunderous, and the guitars even though they are still really melodic, the velocity makes the noise seem that much more intimidating. The song ends with this fast-paced section which is to be expected, as openers are normally fast-paced and energetic, and this album opener is no exception.
The following track kicks off with blast beats and ferocious guitar work instantly. This is also the first time we get introduced to the versatile vocal capabilities frontman Attila Csihar has at his disposable. He is known for his almost operatic sounding semi-clean vocals and his squeals that he can hold for extremely long periods of time. It is both of these that make their first appearance on ‘Despair.’ This song is also constantly fast- paced, showcasing just how versatile the band are when it comes to crafting each song, and making sure not one track sounds similar to any other on this record. Lead guitarist Teloch gets his chance to shine here as well, as we get the first glimpse of his improvisation skills as there is one really short solo here which once again segues into a different passage of music that is different to what came before.
‘Aeon’s End’ is the shortest song on the album, and as a result, it is by far the heaviest and fastest. Blast beats kick things off once again, and Csihar screams his heart out. The chorus here is the heaviest segment of the entire album as the different layers of guttural vocals are exceptionally produced and sound brutal as a result. The bridge includes the operatic vocals which introduce the guitar solo which is hauntingly melodic. This segues into a blast-beat driven section before the chorus wraps things up.
‘Propitious Death’ sounds as if an old school death metal song and a thrash metal track were combined and glued together by blast beats. This is one of the more creative tracks on Liturgy Of Death simply because of how many different subgenres are included. Csihar does not change his vocal style, but this is a rhythmic track, and it is evident as soon as it begins. The bridge includes a very ambient guitar melody underneath all the chaos of the drums and vocals, before the blast beats once again return, with most of the ending being rapid-paced and energetic. Just like a death metal track.
The album closer starts off melancholic and slow. When the vocals kick in, the tom led drumbeat is an indicator that this is no typical Mayhem song. About two and a half minutes in, the blast beats begin, but the guitars are not anywhere near as heavy as earlier in the record. The middle section of this song sounds very progressive as the tempo is quite unusual. The guitar solo that comes after is accompanied by blast beats and is once again extremely technical, yet rhythmical. The song, and thus the record closes with a fade-out of all the instruments, apart from the vocals and the drums. These both sound aboriginal and tribal, which is the last goosebump causing moment of the record, and closes it off in a way that is rather unexpected.
Overall, Liturgy Of Death is everything that is expected from a Mayhem album. It is mostly fast paced, packed with blast beats, and is very strong both musically and vocally. The shorter songs have a bigger impact as they are heavier which is unexpected, but the longer songs are journeys that are thoroughly enjoyable.
This is another very strong collection to the Mayhem discography. These longer tracks have an old school Mayhem feel to them which is exactly what any black metal fan wants to hear. Liturgy Of Death showcases why the original black metal band are still relevant, but more importantly, why they are as iconic as they are.
Mayhem: Liturgy of Death – Out 6 February 2026 (Century Media)
