The Mayhem Album Cover: A Glimpse into the Dark Side of Metal
Few album covers have been as controversial and, well, intriguing as those of the Norwegian black metal band **Mayhem**. Mayhem, with their dark, brutal music and equally extreme visuals (see the cover of any Mayhem album), ensure a suitably artistic interface to the band’s especially harsh center-filter. This is not mere shock value — these covers also tell a tale as twisted and tumultuous as the music held therein. With that said, what is it about Mayhem’s artwork which catches our attention and leaves us with a look of concern in 2021? There are their nastiest magazine covers. animake that worldafterthemhouse of painpour some heart out thereCover Story Let’s take a deep dive into the Mayhem archives and examine what lurks beneath those hallowed press clippings…
The Origin of Mayhem: Laying the Groundwork
However, before we get going on the album covers themselves, a bit of background is needed about Mayhem. Mayhem, founded in 1984 and soon thereafter one of the most legendary bands from the black metal scene. But along with that influence came a reputation for controversy — and not of the sort where you throw a TV out of an hotel window. In fact, we are talking about a band with quite the history of violence, death and everything beyond societal norms.
But the history of Mayhem is a long one, littered with constant lineup changes commingling alongside tragedy and infamy. Together with the deaths of their vocalist, Dead (Per Yngve Ohlin) in 1991 and guitarist Euronymous Perverted motherfucker (*Øystein Aarseth*) a.k.a_extent has become almost as notorious for its members’ often extremely criminal behaviorxas wellson her music. This is not the typical history of a rock band — i. e. _
And so it is in this context that you should consider the album covers for Mayhem, not merely as art but as simply snapshots of what was happening within those dark walls.
*Deathcrush* (1987) – The Cover That Started It All
We will begin with Mayhem’s debut EP, *Deathcrush*, from 1987. Cover art for DEATHCRUSH is as grim and lo-fi sounding as the music contained within it The cover with a bloody, severed hand hanging over barbed wire is just the first indication of what you’ll find within. This could not be more unmistakably black metal. _Just as a warning sign… «Enter at your peril! _
It’s simple and that is part of why it works. It’s gritty, not too polished and perfectly encapsulates the raw power of the music. That hand, the blood and that shabby wire – **_its all a voice of violence._** _** Even if it is not the most technologically rich album cover for sure (although one of my all-time favorite!)._ *But then, of course it is difficult to forget a hand when a man’s hand lies somewhere*& _
The Infamous Dawn of the Black Hearts (1995)
**Detail of the legal disclaimer on the Dawn of the Black Hearts cover taken from Mayhem…***When it comes to black metal, pockets where bands maintain a strong cultural force akin to that seen in rural environments across Europe are more common than anywhere else. Released in 1995, this unofficial live album contains the cover of what is easily one of its own horror story single…the photograph taken by Euronymous shortly after Dead suicide showcasing his body.
Yes, you read well the sentence before. _** That cover is an actual photograph of the singer after he killed himself. A decision which has generally been agreed upon pretty universally as the least empathic publicity grab of recent memory. For Mayhem however, it was right in line with their tendency to test the limits of what is acceptable and dwell within darker corners of both life and death.
You can’t really get **_Dawn of the Black Hearts_** very easily from a store, and with good cause. The controversial cover has been censored in numerous territories, and the album is frequently deemed a bootleg rather than an official release. For those who do seek it out, however, in a way its gives an striking reminder of the extremity not only of Mayhem’s art but also to dark circumstances that have shadowed played part for them throughout.
….It makes for an interesting chat with friends, that’s to say the least but probably not one you should be discussing at Sunday lunch. _
The Return to Darkness: De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1994)
Following a lot of drama and two deaths involving Dead and Euronymous, Mayhem released their debut studio album **De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas** in 1994. Instead of the previous horrific imagery a now more atmospheric and darker gothic designed cover was chosen for this album.
Displaying an ominous sky above a shadowy Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim-Norway. The cathedral, replete with its gothic arches and the towering spires besides it depict a perfect symbol of death, darkness and occultism which is what really forms perhaps some sort album about this band. It is almost as though you can hear the ancient chants echoing from those walls of stone. _
Album art: a seminal piece of black metal vistral, it! certainly fits in with the greatest collectionImages of all time —the cover-artwork from one is often looks inseparable shrined within ( ABITDOS, modern-day classicssuch historian as _De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas appeared are firmly) Lev ansetled wallpaper. It’s as dark and ominous, full of mystery, much like the album itself. This is not a load-the-dishwasher background music. ———_** Like some ethereal, will-o’-the-wisp of an album that should be listened to alone in a dark room with candles and thunder outside.
Modern Mayhem: Daemon *(2019)
In 2019, Mayhem released their sixth full-length album—DAEMON. The band had by then gone through a litany of personnel changes and alterations in both their musical palette, but the dark power strain ran hotter than ever.
Daemon has a really cool cover — one in which you can see the bones of what is effectively some technology coming out through …something! It’s on fire and surrounded by darkness, though. The figure has arms outstretched and its face is nonplussing, as if motioning for the listener to join them in an even darker place. You know, black metal band Saturday night kind of stuff. _
The cover art for Daemon was designed by Italian mastermind Daniele Valeriani, whose works are widely recognized in dark and gothic circles. His style is ideal for the album’s many themes of evil in all its guises. It’s the kind of cover that you would be happy to frame and hang up on your wall — if thats what youre into. _**
Mayhem — The Legacy Of Mayhems Album Art
The album covers of Mayhem are not just designs on a CD case, they become part and parcel of the band itself. All of them, good or bad are a representation and tell their own story; the artistic brutality that is _Deathcrush_, to scandalous cover art still shrouded in mystery like _Dawn of the Black Hearts_, to provocative visuals with hidden meanings as we all realized afterward on De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. They form part of the band’s history as much as anything to its aural side, reflecting perfectly at once order and chaos, artistry and tragedy — everything that has marked Mayhem from day one.
***Conclusion (so what do you need to know?)***
_ Well, for one thing Mayhem are not half arsed band. From their music and performances to even album covers, everything they do embodies the idea of going all-in, breaking boundaries while questioning strictures both musical as well social. They have created scandals and anarchy, but they also made innovations that showed their artistic processes.
Final Thoughts: Why Mayhem’s Album Covers Matter
The bottom line is every Mayhem album cover, while being shocking pictures in their own rights — illustration of the band mindset / attitude towards their art. They’re a sign from the universe that music is more than just sound; it’s about emotion, ambiance and sure,… some chaos. _**
**_This means that next time you dig through your record collection and stumble upon a Mayhem album, take an extra second to gaze at the cover. _** It’s more than a nice (or if you prefer, not so pretty) picture– it is metal history in physical form to this day still capturing the attention of fans worldwide.