Entering into their fifth decade of their existence, Mayhem ready their seventh and latest salvo, Liturgy Of Death for mass consumption. Seeing as this is their first album in nearly seven years, a lot could have changed for the band.
If you count some of their most consistent and cohesive years as a live band, then yeah, that is a welcome change. The band’s legendary black metal has always been uncompromising in terms of its extremity and at times grandeur, and none of that has gone by the wayside here.
Vocalist Attila Csihar has always balanced out his raspy delivery with one that feels more operatic given the time and place. On opener “Ephemeral Eternity” and later song “Realm of Endless Misery,” Mayhem opt for a more mid-paced setting before launching into their devilish display towards the end allowing for the evil to eek out instead of beating you over the head with it.
“Despair” is the first sign of whisper vocals seeing Attila speak over the chaos being churned up by Hellhammer’s drums the wall of guitars from Ghul and Teloch and the frantic rhythm of Necrobutcher’s bass lines, while operatic lines are all over “Weep for Nothing” being weighed against the nearly barked vocals helps to create a dichotomy that this band is famous for.
“Aeon’s End” starts with a volley launched directly at the listener, making for one of the most unhinged and shortest tracks on the entire album. “Propitious Death” makes for a similar experience. Uncompromising in their approach, these are the kinds of black metal tracks that show the band digging deeper into their career for inspiration.
Ending things with “The Sentence Of Absolution,” Mayhem begin its slow build towards the end with creepy guitar lines and Csihar’s variety of vocal techniques on full display. This is the kind of song that an entire album builds towards and this conclusion crushes.
This is about as cohesive of a record you will hear from Mayhem, who have continued to add to their legacy with this latest release. Liturgy Of Death is an album that feels as much about its past as their future, drawing inspiration from across their career. It’s a solid new entry to their long-lasting lexicon.
(released February 6, 2026 on Century Media Records)
Heavy Music HQ Rating:
Listen To Mayhem – “Realm Of Endless Misery”
