Mayhem

Order: Heavy metal · Family: Black metal

Defining record: De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas · 1994
First sighting: 1984
Range: oslo, Norway

Field note by[Contributor name] Draft · awaiting contributor

Deep dive The full story of Mayhem 1 min read

Line of descent

Mayhem

Field marks of Black metal

Family notes by [Lead writer]

Tempo: Mid to fast, grand
Guitars: Raw, aggressive, atmospheric
Vocals: Wail, scream, dramatic
Listen for: Raw, cold atmosphere.
Habitat: Oslo, Bergen
Similar species: Doom metal, Symphonic metal

Also in this family

Burzum 1996

The story so far

Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in Oslo in 1984. They were one of the pioneers of the Norwegian black metal scene, and their music has profoundly influenced the black metal genre. Mayhem's early career was marked by several controversies, including their notorious live performances, the 1991 suicide of vocalist Per Yngve Ohlin ("Dead"), and the 1993 murder of guitarist Øystein Aarseth ("Euronymous") by former bassist Varg Vikernes ("Count Grishnackh").

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Discography

Other records

Album details from MusicBrainz; covers from the Cover Art Archive.

Not in the guide?

Let me guess, we missed off your favourite band? Tell us why they deserve to be here. We listen to every suggestion, no matter how bone-headed it may be.

Suggest a band

Argue with us