Mayhem - Grand Declaration Of War - guest review
Mayhem - Grand Declaration Of War - guest review
Tracklist
01. A Grand Declaration Of War02. In The Lies Where Upon You Lay
03. A Time To Die
04. View From Nihil (Part I)
05. View From Nihil (Part II)
06. A Bloodsword And A Colder Sun (Part I)
07. A Bloodsword And A Colder Sun (Part II)
08. Crystalized Pain In Deconstruction
09. Completion In Science Of Agony (Part I)
10. To Daimonion (Part I)
11. To Daimonion (Part II)
12. To Daimonion (Part III)
13. Completion In Science Of Agony (Part II)
Guest review by
Markus September 21, 2003
Sadly Maniac, Hellhammer, Necrobutcher and newcomer Blasphemer were not content to leave this legacy as it was. Instead they reformed Mayhem in an attempt to recapture the glory of the past - and the money of the fans?
The new Mayhem project is laughable. Maniac may have been in the band once, but he was not in the band for a reason. Rumours suggest that Necrobutcher was going to be kicked out of the band by Euronymous only days after Euronymous was killed. And, well, Blasphemer seems to be exactly the kind of goth metal fan that Euronymous would have hated when he was alive. And yet all of these forces came together to somehow reform Mayhem? Please. The least they could have done is thought up a new name. I'm not even sure that I can call this a black metal album, truthfully.
Sonically the production on this album is superb. I especially like the mixing on the album; plenty of bass without being "bassy", enough treble that I can hear all the cymbal crashes cutting through the guitars, and vocals right up front.
Musically this album is something completely new [at least, new to me]. Songs structures are strange, if they are structured at all. Musically this is perhaps one of the most aggressive "black metal" albums I?ve heard in a long time. Guitars attack the listener with fast and heavy riffs unlike any past Mayhem album. Like many other black metal guitarists Blasphemer likes to layer tremolo-picked lines on top of his power chords, but Blasphemer's lines are unique - he follows patterns and climbs and descends various scales. As far as tremolo-picked lines go, this is perhaps my favourite album for them all.
The vocals on this album are by Maniac who is famous in black metal for not having a conventional vocal style. Rather than use evenly spaced versus and choruses Maniac often rushes his vocals. His vocals lines are not tied to the music and seem to simply float on top. Most songs integrate both harsh and clean vocals, where the clean vocals seem to be spoken rather than sung, and delivered with an authority like that of a general commanding his troops.
While each song on the album is somewhat similar, this contributes to an overall cohesive feel of the album. Listening to it really gives the impression of context; I understand why this is track 5 and that is track 2, because it simply feels like that is where they belong. That is until we reach the techno song. Yes, the Mayhem techno song. I think that's all I need to say about that - I fear if I go any further the ultra-kult black metallers reading this will have an aneurysm.
For a unique perspective on black metal or to hear what the old Mayhem guys think the band would sound like today, pick up this album. It's not perfect but it is at the very least an interesting and unique release. I do have to take points off for the abuse of the name and the techno though.
Written by Markus | September 21, 2003
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
 Posts: 647 |
Posts: 647
I actually really like this album, although it is the first Mayhem album I ever got, I really like it, it breaks free of the typical black metal genre.
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Posts: 28  |
Posts: 28
i agree, its just something different, if every Mayhem album would sound like De Mysteriis... i dont think i would listen to them anymore. In that sence Mayhem have always been revolutionary dudes, defining what black metal should, in their minds, sound like, they have done it twice before this album... and they are getting good at it too.
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 Posts: 13427 |
Posts: 13427
I'd rate this a 7. Maniac's great on this album, the concept was great, but the performance was too weak and monotone.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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 Posts: 3565 |
Posts: 3565
i dont think this review goes with the rating.
---- Kick Ass, Die Young Less is More Stay Pure Stay Poor Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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 Posts: 2563 |
Posts: 2563
This album is average in my opinion, not as well as other albums of Mayhem but it was a passable album!! I liked Maniac in Crystalized Pain In Deconstruction.
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 Posts: 13290 |
Posts: 13290
Such a bizarre review - I don't understand the point of the third paragraph saying how this Mayhem are laughable and the goth thing?? what?? Decent album, but I am not such a fan of Maniac's vocals here..
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| Byte666
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Byte666
Account deleted
This is not best, also not the most hard, but it's something new... I dont like that techno song much but other are quiet good 
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Posts: 442  |
Posts: 442
this is a stupid review, at least the statement about techno song and that it isn't true release or something...without such releases as this one, "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia", "Fuck You All!!", "Armada" , "Prometheus", "Rebel Extravaganza" this subgenre called black metal would be boring as shit...I despise such point of views I gave this album 9
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Posts: 442 |
Posts: 442
not to mention that "A bloodsword and a colder sun" has nothing to do with techno, it's trip - hop at last moron....
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Posts: 28 |
Posts: 28
Its not a techno song!!! more like electro or something... having that said, i really like the album and also the electro song, one of the coldest pieses on there, and, more importantly, it fits there really well, considdering the context of the lyrics
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 Posts: 18615 |
Posts: 18615 Written by stygian on 19.12.2008 at 13:39 It's trip-hop
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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 Posts: 2955 |
Posts: 2955 Written by LeChron James on 23.05.2008 at 09:14 I thought this too.. After the little story at the beggining of the review, i thought that he was gonna trash the album. But a 6 seem to low rate for an album with such positive points. Personally, I enjoy it in some aspects, even being completly different from old Mayhem.
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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Posts: 767  |
Posts: 767
I give this album a 9 because now only do each of the band members give an excellent performance but also because of how well this album follows the theme of War. While most bands consider a 'war' album to be a non-stop blast attack, Maniac has integrated fear, silence, apprehension, and avante-gard trip hop beats as well as moments of pure speed and anger. As for the track of mostly complete silence it goes very well with the line "After the War...is Silence". I think Maniac put more thought into this album than many will admit or notice.
---- 
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| Posts: 18615 |
Posts: 18615 Written by Got Mayhem? on 09.12.2009 at 19:37 It goes well... But that song could have been max one minute long, not five 
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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Posts: 767 |
Posts: 767 Written by X-Ray Rod on 10.12.2009 at 22:47 Haha, no argument from me there. I usually listen to the spoken word, give it a minute of consideration (because if you take a simple line and think about it long enough you can come to crazy conclusions) then move onto the next song. The 7 second track after that is even weirder, I just guessed that Manicac was trying to prove a point extra hard or something. 
----
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| Posts: 18615 |
Posts: 18615 Written by Got Mayhem? on 11.12.2009 at 01:23 I agree, Sometimes I even like when there's some silence in the middle of the songs, specially in extreme metal bands so you can breath for a while. But Maniac overdid that. I usually do just like you said, hear the line... wait some time, and if I feel like hearing more music I press the ">>" button.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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 Posts: 3471 |
Posts: 3471
"Maniac may have been in the band once, but he was not in the band for a reason. Rumours suggest that Necrobutcher was going to be kicked out of the band by Euronymous only days after Euronymous was killed." Maniac wasn't in Mayhem because he was in a mental hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown. And Necrobutcher left after Dead killed himself.
---- "I'm here to nunchuck and not wear helmets. And I'm all out of helmets." "I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples." " 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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Posts: 78  |
Posts: 78
This album is my favorite ever - used to listen to it all day. There's nothing wrong with unconventional vocal styles - maybe not everyone is so much into screaming or growling.
---- True norwegian Dimmu Burger : zero tolerance to pickles must be issued!
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 Posts: 21306 |
Posts: 21306 Written by XV535Virago on 08.05.2011 at 17:46 I don't think it's that, I think it's how his vocals are delivered. Personally I love the style, but like you said, it's not exactly a conventional or typical delivery...
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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Posts: 78 |
Posts: 78 Written by XV535Virago on 08.05.2011 at 17:46 it took me a lot of time to understand their music, still a noob when it comes to older bands. not so technical like you either, somethimes non-conventional elements are making the music more interesting.
---- True norwegian Dimmu Burger : zero tolerance to pickles must be issued!
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| Neroese
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