No band embodies the spirit of black metal like MAYHEM. In the wake of violence and scandal, the Norwegians set the standard for the genre with their canonical 1994 debut. Other influential acts were quick to follow in their footsteps, but these iconoclasts defied convention by making a truly bold statement on “Grand Declaration Of War”.

“This record means a lot”, its chief sonic architect Blasphemer told Outburn during a recent retrospective on the band’s long since debated second album. “It built a foundation, not only for me personally, but it also built a new foundation for MAYHEM.”

Today, Season Of Mist is celebrating the album’s 25th anniversary with a special edition of “Grand Declaration Of War”, due out on December 5. Along with the original master, this sunburst colored gatefold LP includes new silver hot foil packaging, a double-sided poster and an embroidered leather patch.

“For Season Of Mist, there was a before and an after ‘Grand Declaration Of War’,” says the label’s founder and manager Michael Berberian. “This is probably the first true classic album we ever released, the one that put us on the map. And what an album. Talk about unexpected. Talk about daring.”

On “Grand Declaration Of War”, MAYHEM continued to bow down for no one — even themselves. The band were coldblooded as ever on merciless cuts like “A Time To Die”, but their arsenal of blast beats and tremolo picking was strengthened by an increase in command. Written in collaboration between newly appointed guitarist Blasphemer and vocalist Maniac, the album didn’t expand so much as it invaded territory that was then believed off-limits: spoken word (“View From Nihil”),trip-hop (“A Bloodsword And A Colder Sun”),soundscapes of doom (“Completion In Science Of Agony”).

Track listing:

01. A Grand Declaration Of War (6:23)
02. In The Lies Where Upon You Lay (5:57)
03. A Time To Die (1:48)
04. View From Nihil (Part I of II) (3:05)
05. View From Nihil (Part II of II) (1:16)
06. A Bloodsword And A Colder Sun (Part I of II) (00:33)
07. A Bloodsword And A Colder Sun (Part II of II) (4:27)
08. Crystalized Pain In Deconstruction (4:07)
09. Completion In Science Of Agony (Part I of II) (9:44)
10. To Daimonion (Part I of III) (3:26)
11. Untitled (4:54)
12. Untitled II (00:07)
13. Completion In Science Of Agony (Part II of II) (2:14)

Founded as early as 1984 in Oslo, Norway by the late and legendary frontman Øystein Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous),bassist Jørn “Necrobutcher” Stubberud and Kjetil “Manheim” Haraldsson on drums, MAYHEM took its name from the VENOM song “Mayhem With Mercy”. Continuing and renewing the black metal style heralded by the latter English trio, the band soon became the instigators of the so called second wave and were at the heart of every controversy surrounding that genre.

The suicide of misanthropic frontman Per Yngve “Dead” Ohlin, the murder of Euronymous by guest bass player “Count Grishnakh” alias the notorious Varg Vikernes, church burnings, drugs and prison sentences — MAYHEM were always at the center of the storm. Yet not even death could stop the Norwegians, who released one musical milestone after another.

The incredible rawness of the “Deathcrush” EP (1987) was followed by the still iconic and genre-defining “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas” (1994),which featured devilish drummer Jan Axel “Hellhammer” Blomberg, who had joined in 1988. The vocalist on this album was the Hungarian Attila Csihar of TORMENTOR fame, who returned later in 2004 to take over from his meantime heir, the enigmatic original singer Sven-Erik “Maniac” Kristiansen. The latter was featured on the “Wolf’s Lair Abyss” EP (1997),which was written mostly by highly talented guitarist Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen, who scored a massive artistic success with the highly controversial “Grand Declaration Of War” (2000).

Recording lineup:

Maniac – Vocals
Blasphemer – Guitars
Necrobutcher – Bass
Hellhammer – Drums

Guest musicians:

* Tore Ylwizaker – Noise on “Completion In Science Of Agony (Part I of II)”
* Øyvind Hægeland – Additional vocals on “Completion In Science Of Agony (Part I of II)”