Mayhem Album: “Deathcrush”

This was Mayhem's second demo, the first came out a year prior to "Deathcrush", which was a pioneering effort for it's time ('87). There had been great, heavy, black bands before Mayhem (Venom, Hellhammer, Bathory, Celtic Frost), but nothing to prepare anyone for the brutality that Mayhem would unleash with this classic. In fact, this was SO underground that in '87 very few people even knew of their existence outside of the small but burgeoning death metal scene in their native Norway. So...what you have here is 17 minutes and 29 seconds of pure unadulterated raw evil. Every track is as potent today (even after Mayhem's future-and greater- recordings) as it was when it first made the rounds to a disbelieving cult all those years ago. The sound of "Deathcrush" is the early rumblings of the greatest metal band in existence, Mayhem.

Deathcrush is frozen into the godly status of black metal. Most people think of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas when they think of Mayhem (not that it is a bad album), but Deathcrush is what started it all. Its a pretty simple album, but simplicity proves to be a virtue here. The opening riff for the title track is simple but it kicks some MAJOR a$$! This album was very contreversal in its time, and still holds up to the title of music made by black metal gods. Read the lyrics too, especally for Chainsaw Gutsf**k. Awesome blazing black metal by the legendary Mayhem.

R.I.P. Euronymous

i urge those who have this album to look for its printed lyrics. simple, straight forward and downright sick. probably the sickest ever...soundwise, there's nothing to do with the newer MayheM (the newer albums showed an infinitely better and more experienced mayhem)but it's a must. the riffs are efficient and easy to remember. and back in 1987 this was certainly the heaviest sickest and scariest stuff ever released.

the first thing that i would like to cover, this cd is NOT black metal, its more on the death metal side. i dont think that the band (at the time) was musically talented, the drums are comoplex and interesting, but especially the guitar lines, they are just very simple, its really easy to play along with the music on your guitar, the riffs are uncreative and just too simple. the production is kida raw, although thats not really a big turnoff to me. the vocals are very different than your usual death metal riffs, i like em, but i cant immaginge that anyone else would like them. it dosent sound like much time and effort was put into the album, but you know what? i absolutly love this album. its just the songs, no matter how much it appears that the band (at the time) has no talent, the songs are amaizing. they are really catchy. however this cd is only a ep, the only thing i dont really like about this albulm is that it is not really worth the price. this cd is also very different from mayhem's later works; however, i only like two cds by mayhem....this one and another one called De Mysteriis Dom Satans. DMDS is the greatest album i have ever heard, by that before you buy this.

if you like this particualare album, then i recomend you try venom, burzum, darktrhone, possesed, and celtic frost.

let me add that eronymous was not a great guitar player, he was average. hail varge\m/

Deathcrush is by far the best record Mayhem ever made, this is Black Metal the way it was supposed to be and not what the 2nd wave of Black Metal bands (and Mayhem themselves) turned it into. If you want to hear a great EP of Hellhammer / Bathory / Venom inspired evil, then grab this CD because unlike everything Mayhem has released since, this won't dissapoint.