“Deep here isn’t it?” says your scribe doggy paddling out of his depth. Well, it always feels like that when someone asks for my opinion on Mayhem that involves anything after De Mysteriis… Really? Yeah actually. Kinda…listened but never really got pulled in despite friends gushing about them. And I think it’s fair to say they can divide.

So why did I get this? Well, it surprised me as it was left on the lists. And you can’t do that to Mayhem, can you? Plus, part of it did make my brain engage. This if you didn’t know is a seven track EP. Three Mayhem tracks (two new-ish previous singles and one from Daemon I think) but also four covers of punk tracks. Which did intrigue bearing in mind the sound they had waaaaaay back in the day.

So. Well ‘Voces Ab Alta’ is a classy bit of black metal with neat tempo changes and those fantastic vocals and though I suspect not the done thing but does kind of remind me of old Emperor in places. ‘Black Glass Communion’ is pretty much in the same vein; effortlessly classy, dexterous black metal with a stormy feel. ‘Everlasting Dying Flame’ too. Outstanding vocals, good arrangement, the lot. I guess every Mayhem fan already knows these, but in case I doubt you’d be disappointed if you haven’t. It’s class, looking at their roots but still with a modern feel.

Then the covers. ‘In Defence Of The Future’ (Discharge cover with Messiah drafted in on vocals) is a pretty good version. Production is too on point, mind, to get all the grit but it keeps to the basics, doesn’t tart it up and the excellent vocals are really in the spirit of the original. Nicely belligerent. ‘Hellnation’ the Dead Kennedy’s song has the glorious bonus of Maniac singing. His tone is absolutely beautifully spot on, and honestly echoes Jello neatly. The riffing is rough and manic and, ah, now this one really works so well. ‘Only Death’ is one I’m not overly familiar with, Rudimentary Peni being kind outlyers in my world but it’s pretty faithful and to the point. And they close it with the Ramones ‘Commando’ . This one I found tricky just because, well despite a spirited gabba-gabba through it and some good gang vocals it just is kinda missing that…touch. Abandon. That.

Yeah and that’s it really. Not really sure what it’s all about. Sticking to the covers, it’s fair to say only the DK one benefits from the slightly polished production and that’s mostly down to the brilliant vocals.

Ah I dunno. Maybe they were just relaxing a bit. Can’t help wondering if they’d been drunk, having just been hassled by the authorities and done it absolutely live if it might have been better…

It’s ok, too good a band not to be. 

6/10 Gizmo

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