


SPECIAL RECORD STORE DAY RELEASE MARKING FORTY YEARS SINCE MAYHEM’S DEBUT LIVE PERFORMANCE IN SKI, NORWAY. PRESENTED ON LIMITED COLOURED VINYL WITH SIDE B ETCHING.
Mayhem, the Norwegian pioneers responsible for invigorating a global metal scene alongside originators such as Venom, Celtic Frost & Bathory, formed in 1984, and with a long history of tragedy, intrigue and infamy has become a truly revered legend of black metal over the subsequent four decades. A large part of the band’s lasting legacy was established in the late 80’s & early 90’s, when original members Euronymous (Guitar) & Necrobutcher (Bass) welcomed Hellhammer on drums and Dead on vocals, to help shape a new era of darkness, becoming highly influential leaders of the genre in the process; an accolade which has endured to this day.
Revisiting the very earliest incarnation of the band and marking 40 years since Mayhem’s cult debut performance, this special limited Record Store Day vinyl release features Mayhem’s April 1985 gig in Ski, Norway, where the band carve their way through cover songs of classic Venom & Celtic Frost in this rare delight for fans.
This presentation of Live in Ski comes on limited coloured vinyl, featuring an etching on Side B.
Inspired by groups such as Venom, Slayer, Motörhead and Celtic Frost, Mayhem was founded in 1984 by guitarist/vocalist Øystein Aarseth (aka Euronymous), bass guitarist Jørn Stubberud (aka Necrobutcher), and drummer Kjetil Manheim (aka Manheim). The band name is taken from the Venom song, “Mayhem with Mercy”. This lineup recorded and released the demo Pure Fucking Armageddon. After its release, Euronymous concentrated solely on guitar after recruiting first Eirik Nordheim (Messiah), then Sven Erik Kristiansen (aka Maniac) as vocalists in 1986. With Maniac, Mayhem recorded the band’s first EP, Deathcrush in 1986 and 1987, and released it through Euronymous’s newly formed label Posercorpse Music.
MAYHEM – PURE FUCKING ARMAGEDDON LTD ED 6 LP PICTURE DISC BOX SET RELEASED ON 16 SEPTEMBER
THE BEGINNINGS OF THE NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL MASTERS, PRESENTED AS A LIMITED, SIX LP PICTURE DISC SET WITH SOME PREVIOUSLY UNHEARD MATERIAL, INCLUDING LIVE DVD AND ADDITIONAL 80-PAGE BOOK CONTAINING ACCOUNTS OF THE PERIOD, PLUS RARE BAND PHOTOS, INTERVIEWS, AND IMAGES FROM NECROBUTCHER’S OWN ARCHIVE.
After honoring the Dead era with Peaceville’s ‘Cursed in Eternity’ boxset, plus the band’s own look back at the iconic ‘De Mysteriis Dom. Satanas’ album, it was time to return to the very beginning of The True Mayhem. In order to do so, Necrobutcher opened his vault of personal and never-released tape recordings and, with the help of long-time Mayhem friend Finn Håkon Rødland, constructed a special picture disc box set with the very first recordings of The True Mayhem, essential for any die-hard fan of the Norwegian legends.
The ‘Pure Fucking Armageddon’ boxset contains 6 LPs, including the cult 1986 ‘Pure Fucking Armageddon’ demo itself, plus also the final complete ‘Pure Fucking Armageddon’ rehearsal, spanning 90 minutes and featured here across 2 LPs (including talking between songs and multiple takes of tracks – nothing has been cut). In addition to these essential pieces of metal history, Mayhem’s classic April 1985 gig live in Ski is also included (LP and DVD), where they performed a selection of cover tracks.
The very first official Mayhem interview was recorded onto tape by Øyvind Ihlen for the Panic fanzine, and also features in this set (in Norwegian language, with translation in the book). This was also partly inspired by a similar interview-disc release from Venom many years ago. And last but not least, is Checker Patrol. This was the obscure metal project that Euronymous & Necrobutcher had with Metalion and their German friends during interrail trips of `86 and `87. This is the first presentation of the full collection of tracks, with songs from 1987 previously never heard.
The boxset concludes with an 80-page book with Necrobutcher’s recollections and unique pictures from the very first Mayhem photo sessions, along with interviews, and other rarities from the mid-80s. The set also contains a classic early era band poster.
The set will be released on Peaceville on the 16 September and pre-orders are available now
As a bonus .. pre-orders made through the Peaceville stores will receive a bonus cassette tape of Mayhem’s PFA demos with their order!
Mayhem release 6 picture disc vinyl box set Cursed in Eternity
“We are glad to be able to honour the Euronymous & Dead era in this comprehensive box set that Peaceville and Finn Håkon Rødland put together for the band.” Necrobutcher & Hellhammer
Marking 30 years since this particularly iconic & subsequently ill-fated union, the deluxe ‘Cursed in eternity’ set contains a full and expansive collection of work by the band during that period. This includes Mayhem’s legendary 1990 live dates in Norway and short German tour, plus the additions of the ‘Out from the Dark’ and ‘Henhouse’ rehearsal sessions. These six titles are all presented on a special limited picture disc format for this release, with the set also including a 7” single vinyl containing two studio tracks (‘Freezing Moon’ & ‘Carnage’); recorded initially for the CBR compilation, ‘Projections of a Stained Mind’ and here featuring sleeve artwork made at the time by former vocalist, Maniac.
Along with a full 92-page book recalling tales of their legendary shows & inspirational music from both band members and others from the scene & including letters and previously unseen photographs sourced from personal archives, all in collaboration with the True Mayhem Collection, ‘Cursed in Eternity’ also presents, for the first time, a DVD containing never-seen-before footage from the entire Jessheim concert, plus front of stage video from the Sarpsborg show. The DVD is completed by full footage of the Henhouse rehearsals, and overall gives a priceless insight into how these iconic shows were witnessed at the time.
As a final bonus inclusion, ‘Cursed in Eternity’ features posters from the original designs & Zeitz photo from those iconic live shows.
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MAYHEM BIOGRAPHY
Inspired by groups such as Venom, Slayer, Motörhead and Celtic Frost, Mayhem was founded in 1984 by guitarist/vocalist Øystein Aarseth (aka Euronymous), bass guitarist Jørn Stubberud (aka Necrobutcher), and drummer Kjetil Manheim (aka Manheim). The band name is taken from the Venom song, “Mayhem with Mercy”. This lineup recorded and released the demo Pure Fucking Armageddon.
After its release, Euronymous concentrated solely on guitar after recruiting first Eirik Nordheim (Messiah), then Sven Erik Kristiansen (aka Maniac) as vocalists in 1986. With Maniac, Mayhem recorded the band’s first EP, Deathcrush in 1986 and 1987, and released it through Euronymous’s newly formed label Posercorpse Music.Read More
The initial 1,000 copy release of Deathcrush quickly sold out. It was later reissued in 1993 by the newly renamed Deathlike Silence Productions as a joint venture with Euronymous’s Oslo specialist record shop Helvete.By mid-1988 both Manheim and Maniac had left the band.
The initial 1,000 copy release of Deathcrush quickly sold out. It was later reissued in 1993 by the newly renamed Deathlike Silence Productions as a joint venture with Euronymous’s Oslo specialist record shop Helvete.By mid-1988 both Manheim and Maniac had left the band.