Artist: Mayhem
Album: Grand Declaration of War
Genre: avant-garde black metal
Year: 2000
Label: Season of Mist
Mayhem (or The Trve Mayhem) are regarded as one of the most important bands in black metal due to their debut album's significance in the second wave; however, I have chosen to explore their discography starting with their controversial sophomore album. And what a strange album it is. Grand Declaration of War is as inventive as it is absurd.
The record functions as a single unit, with each track flowing into the next. Many of the songs are broken into two or three separate tracks. This abnormal structuring matches the music perfectly. The album has a mechanical sound, with crisp, calculated drums and cold, buzzing guitars. Songs like the opening "A Grand Declaration of War" and "View from Nihil (Part I of II)" have a strict sense of martial order, filled with the rattle of war drums. "A Time to Die" is a technical whirlwind of black metal fury. The band also expand on their sound with electronic elements. "A Bloodsword and a Colder Sun (Part II of II)" sees the band wandering far from metal into trip hop territory. Towards the end of the album, the band places a series of tracks consisting of absolute silence, flirting a bit with John Cage's famous 4'33".
Mayhem's vocalist, Maniac, also pushes the limits of black metal vocals beyond the typical shrieks and rasps. He also employs processed vocals and cleans later in the album. What is most jarring about Maniac's performance is the spoken word segments, which make up about half of all the vocals on Grand Declaration of War. When coupled with the marching beats and tight production, this advances the album's militaristic feel.
Mayhem really came out of left field with Grand Declaration of War, but it seems they toned down their experimentation on future releases, sadly. Perhaps that is why this record stands out not only in Mayhem's discography, but in the realm of black metal as a whole. Give this album a listen on YouTube here.
Rating: 4 / 5
Top Tracks:
A Bloodsword and a Colder Sun (Part II of II)
A Grand Declaration of War
Completion In Science of Agony (Part I of II)
A Time to Die
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