The question on everyone’s lips… does the world really need another Mayhem live album?
Well.. perhaps. The glut of nostalgic Mayhem live releases in recent years have almost exclusively documented recordings from 1990, the notable (yet equally nostalgic) exception being 2016s “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas Alive”, depicting a late 2015 performance of that classic debut album in full. “Daemonic Rites” therefore represents the first contemporary Mayhem live album for over two decades.
Touring in support of 2019s “Daemon” album was rudely interrupted by a little bug that reared its ugly head in 2020 (you may have heard on the news about it, COVID or something?), so this album sees the band near the end of a reinvigorated touring cycle, with 16 tracks (17 if you count the intro!) culled from a variety of shows throughout 2022 and 2023.
The first half of the album is loaded with songs from the aforementioned sixth studio album, with a smattering of tracks from its near forbearers. However, it’s likely the second half that will really whet listener’s appetites, consisting blistering performances of classic tracks from 1987s debut “Deathcrush” EP and eventual 1994 follow-up album “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas”, with a brief detour for 1990 standalone crowd-pleaser “Carnage”.
Mayhems historic trials and tribulations on-and-off stage over the decades are well documented. However, Dead and Euronymous are long departed and represent less than a quarter of the time that Mayhem have existed for; Mayhem in 2023 are a tight-knit unit that have operated without line-up changes for over a decade. Necrobutcher and Hellhammer alone are a well-honed rhythm section after over three decades of working together, whilst Attila’s blood-curdling vocals have been a consistent staple of Mayhems sound since 2004, though his history with the band obviously goes back further.
Despite this, “Live In Leipzig” is inexplicably still held up as the quintessential Mayhem live album amongst the true, grim and necro hordes, despite a sloppy performance that sounds like it was recorded on an analogue cassette dictaphone (remember those? No? Ask your dad) next to a wasps nest. It’s likely high time for this accolade to be bestowed upon something more deserving. So here you are; “Daemonic Rites” is THE essential Mayhem live document. Get over yourselves, and get it in your ear’oles.
(8/10 Doogz)
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