Black metal legends Mayhem unleash hell at the Majestic in Detroit with support from the ungodly speed metal of Midnight.
The Majestic in Detroit is transformed into a site of black rites as the infamous Mayhem brings The Sanguine Sodomy of North America Tour to town. The tour has been spreading tales of evil across the United States with this stop in Detroit coming toward the end of this reign of darkness. Originally, Mayhem had planned for a co-headlining tour with Swedish black metallers Watain, but the U.S. government had another plan and denied their visas.
Drawing first blood are the abominable speed demons in Midnight. Under rueful red lights, Midnight, dressed in their familiar executioner masks, roared out with their brand of blasphemous metal music. Their extended set included a cross-section of tunes spanning their catalog including “Black Rock n Roll,” “Evil Like A Knife,” and “You Can Drag Me Through Fire.” In addition, they dropped a couple of tunes from their latest album Let There Be Witchery. With fists in the air and hair flying, the crowd showed their appreciation for the dark art of Midnight.
Fog fills the stage as the tortured groans and screams of the damned cast an aura of dreadful anticipation within the Majestic. There is a doom-laden drum marching the cadence of the dead. From under a shroud of darkness emerges the epic Norwegian band Mayhem.The flashing lights and thunderous drums of Hellhammer combined with the bombastic bass of Necrobutcher paint images of hell on earth. The guitars of Teloch and Ghul are ablaze with frenetic energy as they play “Falsified and Hated.” So begins three acts of Mayhem.
Mayhem’s first act is focused on more recent music from Daemon and Atavistic Black Disorder/Kommando. Attila growls, screams, and chants while his body spasms under the possession of evil. It is at once grotesque and fascinating. The hypnotic speed and brilliant dark harmony laced with dissonance are captivating.
The band makes a quick set change into black robes to begin Act Two. This set features classics from Mayhem’s first full-length album De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. Attila trades the inverted cross of bones for a skull which he brandishes while growling the vocals to “Pagan Fear.” The sinister black music is played with ferocity and precision.
The marching drums of Silvester Anfang signal the final act of Mayhem. The band trades in the black robes for black biker vests as they tear the living hell out of songs centered on the Deathcrush EP. The roar from the crowd is triumphant as Mayhem finish their set with the monstrous “Pure F**king Armageddon.” What a fantastic way to end a night full of blazing black metal.
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