Various Artists
Originators Of The Northern Darkness
[Avantgarde]
As you may have noticed, I do not like at all the new direction followed by this band, which I used to worship... When I first heard of that compilation tribute CD,
I was afraid, above all because I had heard that COF was supposed to make a cover track of "Freezing moon". I didn't want to hear those assholes
destroy that track, and as some other crappy bands werre supposed to take part in the project, I was really pissed off at seeing that MAYHEM had really turned into
a commercial stuff that any band can use to promote its new CD... But when I got first that compilation, I was surprised that the bands which cover MAYHEM are not all
trendy shits (even if SETH and KEEP OF KALESSIN are present on the compilation...) : on the CD you can hear cover songs by IMMORTAL, DARK FUNERAL, VADER,
BEHEMOTH, GORGOROTH, CARPATHIAN FOREST... And COF is NOT on it !! Good news...
Musically, almost all recordings are very good and/or excellent. For example, I do not like IMMORTAL new style after "Battles...", but I have to say that their cover of "From the dark past", which was released during the "At the heart..." sessions in 1999, is certainly my favourite of this CD ! Even EMPEROR's version of "Funeral fog" is great (you have to know that I hate what EMPEROR made after "In the nightside eclipse"...). The other good/excellent cover versions are those performed by DARK FUNERAL, BEHEMOTH, GORGOROTH, CARPATHIAN FOREST and ABSU. Those I think should not have been on the CD are the ones of GEHENNA, KEEP OF KALESSIN & SETH (these bastards from SETH are the only ones who decided to cover a track released AFTER the "De mysteriis dom Sathanas" CD, they play the "I am thy labyrinth" track from the "Wolf's..." MCD... They are really pathetic, they lick the new MAYHEM's members' asses as in order to become some friends of them...).
The booklet is really thick and contains many rare pictures taken from Necrobutcher, Metalion, Bard Faust & Avantgarde Music's boss' personal archives ! Some of them are completely unreleased, even if you check on the Internet, on the best sites dedicated to the True Mayhem you will not find all these pictures. There are also a letter written by Metalion from Slayer Mag & some comments by Bard Faust about MAYHEM... At least, this CD is for the fans, the label did not try to rip us off... This CD strongly reminds me about the "Nordic Metal" compilation. You can realize that Avantgarde music's boss was a great friend of Euronymous, as he invited on this compilation people that really respect and/or knew The True MAYHEM (except maybe for SETH and few other bands...). The CD is available on a limited edition leather digipak, but unfortunately this edition is more expensive than the regular jewel case CD but contains NO bonus track...
If you like MAYHEM, BUY !!!
rating : 9 / 10
© 2002 lord pesten
Musically, almost all recordings are very good and/or excellent. For example, I do not like IMMORTAL new style after "Battles...", but I have to say that their cover of "From the dark past", which was released during the "At the heart..." sessions in 1999, is certainly my favourite of this CD ! Even EMPEROR's version of "Funeral fog" is great (you have to know that I hate what EMPEROR made after "In the nightside eclipse"...). The other good/excellent cover versions are those performed by DARK FUNERAL, BEHEMOTH, GORGOROTH, CARPATHIAN FOREST and ABSU. Those I think should not have been on the CD are the ones of GEHENNA, KEEP OF KALESSIN & SETH (these bastards from SETH are the only ones who decided to cover a track released AFTER the "De mysteriis dom Sathanas" CD, they play the "I am thy labyrinth" track from the "Wolf's..." MCD... They are really pathetic, they lick the new MAYHEM's members' asses as in order to become some friends of them...).
The booklet is really thick and contains many rare pictures taken from Necrobutcher, Metalion, Bard Faust & Avantgarde Music's boss' personal archives ! Some of them are completely unreleased, even if you check on the Internet, on the best sites dedicated to the True Mayhem you will not find all these pictures. There are also a letter written by Metalion from Slayer Mag & some comments by Bard Faust about MAYHEM... At least, this CD is for the fans, the label did not try to rip us off... This CD strongly reminds me about the "Nordic Metal" compilation. You can realize that Avantgarde music's boss was a great friend of Euronymous, as he invited on this compilation people that really respect and/or knew The True MAYHEM (except maybe for SETH and few other bands...). The CD is available on a limited edition leather digipak, but unfortunately this edition is more expensive than the regular jewel case CD but contains NO bonus track...
If you like MAYHEM, BUY !!!
rating : 9 / 10
© 2002 lord pesten