Blog

This week’s “Dark Wave,” hosted by Matt Sebastian, featured music by The Fall, Danielle Dax, 45 Grave, Love and Rockets, Nine Inch Nails and more.

It wasn’t just another Grammy night. For decades, one band as been the soundtrack to entire emotional lifetimes.

The post Legendary Rock Band Makes History at 2026 Grammy Awards After Tragedy appeared first on Audio Ink Radio.

The post Delusions of February 2026 – Part 1 appeared first on Still in Rock.

Like Roger Daltrey, Simon Townshend is a huge fan and supporter of Arsenal Football Club. For those of you who are not familiar with soccer, Arsenal, known to their fans as The Gunners, are based in Islington, in North London. They compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.

And to celebrate his love of the game and his favourite team, Simon has written and recorded this new song called ‘The High’, a nod to the Gunners former stadium, Highbury. Since 2006 the Gunners now have a new stadium called the Emirates Stadium in Holloway. Enjoy ‘The High’ and watch this great video shot by Simon. Oh, and singing backing vocals is the fabulous Isabella Coulstock – The Who’s special guest on several of our UK shows in 2023.

Simon Townshend ~  “This song is about the euphoria and the rush of adrenaline you get going to a major live event. For me it’s rock concerts and football. I’ve based the theme on my updated website (www.DualMono.com) around the football club in the UK that I support and love, Arsenal FC and I hope all football supporters of all clubs enjoy it.”

“Come on you Gunners!!”

‘The High’ by Dual Mono featuring Simon Townshend is out on Monday 2 February 2026.

https://www.dualmono.com/

https://www.arsenal.com/

 

The post Simon Townshend’s new single ‘The High’ appeared first on The Who.

As most of you know by now, the “Rock” and “Metal” categories for the Grammy Awards is no longer something that is a part of the lengthy broadcast that will … Continue reading Presenting The 68th Grammy Award Winners for Rock and Metal →

Soen records usually land with a familiar problem for the band and for the fans. People hear growth, then argue about which era they want more of. Martin López is fully aware of that push and pull, and he talks about Reliance like someone who has already watched those reactions form in real time.

“Yesterday we had some kind of event because we also have a short documentary coming out,” he tells Rodrigo Altaf during their recent chat about the album’s arrival, “and I got the opportunity to reach out and see what people actually thought about the album. It’s good, man.” Then he puts the split in plain terms: “Because of the progression or the evolution we have made, there are, of course, people who want us to go back, and there are people who only want to listen to the new stuff. It’s always interesting to hear what people feel about the album.”

When the conversation turns to what Reliance is actually about, he meets a broad interpretation with a grounded answer. “We never go for a theme,” Martin says, “but we always end up talking about the things that we feel matter.” He ties that to the world outside the rehearsal room, too. “The environment of the planet right now, it’s giving us more lyrics than we have songs.”

That same “feel it first” approach shows up in the lineup talk, especially with bassist Stefan Stenberg back in the fold. Martin describes the return in a way that sounds more like a band chemistry fix than a reunion headline. “Stefan is, even when he left the band, he’s always been very close to us as a friend,” he says, and he frames his playing as part of what people recognize when Soen hit.

“The sound that he has, the way that he plays is part of the soul and identity somehow.” He credits Slavoj Žižek too, calling him “a fantastic bass player,” then circles back to the intangible part. “With certain musicians, you just have a chemistry that is the magic of music.” For him, you can hear the difference: “I think you can really hear it in this album,” because “the album is just less mechanical. It’s kind of bigger and grooves differently.”

Even their habit of one-word titles comes from the same instinct to let the listener do some work. Martin says it grew out of lyric writing sessions where the band tried to summarize songs too neatly. “We were writing lyrics,” he explains, “and trying to explain in a title what the lyrics were about.” Then the decision landed. “We just thought, look, man, we’re not giving a chance to the actual lyric.” The fix was simple, and it stuck: “Let’s just give it a title and let people dive in there and find themselves what they feel we’re talking about.” He laughs at how permanent it has become. “From then on, we just went for it. And now we can’t change it.”

The most pointed stretch of the interview comes when Martin talks about technology and the song “Primal.” Asked by Rodrigo if he feels trapped by the phone, he answers without hesitation. “Of course.”

He goes straight to the part that hits home. “It’s also the worry that my kids have these phones.” Then he describes how quickly the algorithm can steer young people into something ugly. “I have two boys in that age where they start looking at a football game and then some gym stuff,” he says, “and then suddenly there’s some weird self-proclaimed alpha male telling them how they need to live life to be happy.” He spells out the message he hates seeing slide into their feed. “You shouldn’t be vulnerable, and you’re going to be strong, and you don’t need anyone,” and “when you are strong and have money, all the girls will come running after you.” The part that lands like a punch is how personal it feels. “And it’s like, fuck me. That is in my house. And I can’t stop it.” Then he names the fear without dressing it up. “That’s the technology that I’m scared of, man.”

When the talk moves to “Indifferent,” you can hear Martin shift from societal anxiety to the quieter weight of performance. He describes the studio as a place where a song’s emotion becomes real when the vocal finally goes down for good. “That’s kind of the fun of being in the studio,” he says, “all these different emotions that you go through when you really start putting down the emotions on the songs.” He explains the gap between having a demo and committing fully. “I write the song, and you can say, oh, this part is heavy, and this one is emotional,” then “you really have to step into character to do your 100 percent.”

He remembers the room during the vocal take. “I was there, and the producer Alexander was there, and it was quiet, man.” He repeats it because the mood mattered. “It was quiet, and it was beautiful and extremely sad.” Even after living with the track for years, the moment still hit hard. “When Joel goes for it, it really moves you.” He is already thinking ahead to playing it live, too. “I’m waiting to see how that is going to work live,” because “I think it’s going to be hopefully one too many tears.”

“Mercenary” brings him back to the album’s bigger questions, especially that line in the lyrics about bleeding for belief. Martin says the band played with the discomfort on purpose. “That’s a little bit of what we’re playing with there.” He ties it to upbringing and identity. “How we’ve been raised, with politics or religion,” and how “you can be born into something that you’re supposed to be ready to go all the way for.”

Then he adds the human escape hatch. “Maybe you don’t feel the same and just want an open door to run away in.” He calls the concept “very, very truthful,” and says it “makes you wonder.” When pressed on where the line is, he answers with a question of his own. “How far would you take it?” Then he flips it toward responsibility. “Because we are not extremists, but are you ready to bleed to stop the extremists?”

On the writing side, he connects that intensity to structure. “Velicor” builds and peaks in under five minutes, and he admits that kind of compression brings its own pressure. “You have less time to kind of.. to cook,” he says. “It’s a steeper ramp.” When asked if the punchier, more direct songs were planned, he kept the answer consistent with everything else he has said. “We never have any plans. We just go for writing the best possible song, whatever it costs.”

Near the end, he looks forward and keeps it practical. North America remains difficult for bands like Soen, yet he drops a simple promise. “I gotta say this, it’s not out, but we’re coming back in March, actually.” He lays out the road ahead like a working musician with a packed calendar. “We’re going to the 70 Tons boat,” then “a Scandinavian tour,” then “the tour in the US,” then festivals, and “most definitely” Europe next year, plus South America. He sums up the motivation in one line. “We want to get out there now and play these new, fresh songs, man.”

If someone asks where to start listening to Soen, he avoids the gatekeeping answer. “It depends on the kind of person that you are,” he says, because “there are different vibes on many of our albums.” His starting point stays current: “Start with the new one.” Then he points to another clear entry. “Also, Lotus is a good start. And then go from there.” He even makes it as simple as mood. “Do you like ballads? Then you can just pick your favorites from every album.”

And then he ends the whole conversation in a way that makes the band feel reachable, which fits the tone of his best answers throughout. If you show up early, he says, you can actually meet them. “We’ll be there,” and “let’s have a Fanta or something.”

The post MARTIN LOPEZ Explains Why SOEN’s New Album “Grooves Differently”, Recalls Studio Moment That Felt “Quiet… Beautiful… And Extremely Sad” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

 

FROM ASHES TO NEW’S ‘REFLECTIONS’ ALBUM DUE OUT APRIL 17th VIA BETTER NOISE MUSIC

PRE-ORDER ‘REFLECTIONS’ HERE

 

U.S. TOUR WITH BLACK VEIL BRIDES

 

For years, FROM ASHES TO NEW has captured the hearts and minds of music listeners worldwide, making impact with a distinctive amalgam of alt metal combined with songs that bracingly capture their generation’s anxieties. They’re a band that doesn’t run from the darkness but instead embrace it. The Lancaster, PA band’s streaming figures are in the billions, they’ve successfully sold-out tours, and performed alongside some of the biggest names in rock. With their next album REFLECTIONS—out April 17 via Better Noise Music—Danny Case (vocals), Matt Brandyberry (vocals), Lance Dowdle (guitar), Maty Madiro (drums), and Jimmy Bennett (guitar) have created 12 songs that brim with even more confidence and power than before. Today (January 30), they’ve released the album’s third song, the potent “Villain.”

 

On “Villain,” rather than singing from the perspective of the person who knows their partner is so bad for them that it’s toxic but they still stick around. Vocalist Matt Brandyberry flips the perspective. Here, he takes the other person’s viewpoint.

“‘Villain’ is a story about the magnetic pull between two people who know better, but dive in anyway,” says Brandyberry. “It’s the moment when desire outweighs consequences, when you choose the chaos you swear you shouldn’t want, and the ‘bad guy’ becomes the one voice you can’t quiet. The song leans into that dark, intoxicating tension where temptation feels like truth, danger feels like comfort, and the line between thrill and destruction disappears. It’s not about saving each other…it’s about surrendering to the part of yourself you pretend doesn’t exist.”

The 12-track REFLECTIONS will mark the follow-up to 2023’s BLACKOUT, which achieved the #1 spot on several iTunes and Spotify Rock and Metal charts across the globe. Two songs from REFLECTIONS were released last year: “New Disease,” an unflinching song about the dangers of trend jumping, followed by the sonically intense and lyrically harrowing “Drag Me”. The latter track is the album’s first song to go to radio and is just getting started on its run up the charts.

By late 2023, FROM ASHES TO NEW was at a creative crossroads. The group wrapped up demos for 16 songs for what was to be its fifth studio album. However, instead of sprinting towards the finish line and completing the record, the band decided to scrap those demo sessions. The process went against everything FROM ASHES TO NEW did before. Usually, they’d have a set number of songs they’d go into the studio with, record those songs, and maybe have one or two left over. Scrapping a session and mainly starting anew (they kept two songs) was liberating.

When FROM ASHES TO NEW scrapped those sessions, the band collectively knew they had to make something that remained true to their traditional sound yet broadened the tent to capture the ears and focus of a fresh audience. In this case, it means furthering the sound into alt-metal.

The band’s previous album, 2023’s BLACKOUT, was a step in getting there and one that the band is proud of. However, this time around, FROM ASHES TO NEW has loftier expectations and goals. “I wanted to take what we are good at and push it even further,” Brandyberry says. “That was the process for this whole record.” As always, the band continues to forge a strong bond with its fans. “I think it’s better to let people know we’re right there with them and feel the same way,” he continues. “Just because we have a cool job doesn’t mean that life isn’t hard.”

REFLECTIONS will be released as seven different configurations: CD, periwinkle vinyl, black/white/orchid vinyl exclusively on the band’s official webstore, urchin vinyl exclusively at various indie record stores nationwide, violet/black wave vinyl exclusively via GimmeMetal.com, silver/black vinyl exclusively via Revolver magazine’s website, and black/white/violet vinyl exclusively via Spotify Fans First.

Here’s the track listing for REFLECTIONS:

1. Drag Me
2. Forever
3. Villain
4. Die For You
5. Black Hearts
6. Upside Down
7. (Not) Psycho
8. Parasite
9. New Disease
10. Darkside
11. Falling From Heaven
12. Your Ghost

Following a successful stint returning to past glories at the Warped Tour in 2025, FROM ASHES TO NEW is ready to unleash REFLECTIONS to the world. They’ll hit the road for a 42-date U.S. tour supporting Black Veil Brides, along with TX2, and As December Falls, starting April 25 in Riverside, CA. Tickets are available today at 10am local time HERE.

Apr 25: Riverside, CA @ Municipal Auditorium ^
Apr 26: Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Resort #
Apr 28: Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo #
Apr 30: Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union ^
May 01: Denver, CO @ Fillmore ^
May 02: Omaha, NE @ ASTRO #
May 04: Dallas, TX @ House of Blues ^
May 05: Houston, TX @ House of Blues ^
May 06: San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec ^
May 08: Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle ^
May 11: Greensboro, NC @ Piedmont Hall ^
May 12: Norfolk, VA @ The Norva #
May 14: Philadelphia, PA @ Fillmore ^
May 15: Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE #
May 17: Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore ^
May 19: Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room ^
May 21: Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore ^
May 22: Chicago, IL @ Ramova Theatre ^
May 23: Madison, WI @ The Sylvee ^
May 25: Toronto, ON @ History ^
May 26: Montreal, QC @ M-Telus ^
May 28: New York, NY @ Palladium Times Square ^
May 29: Silver Spring, MD @ Fillmore ^
May 30: Worcester, MA @ The Palladium #

 

^ Promoted by Live Nation
# Not a Live Nation date

The post From Ashes To New Release New Song/Video For “Villain” appeared first on Mayhem Music Magazine.

After decades of being a constant presence in heavy music, Megadeth finally grabbed the one stat that always seemed to sit just out of reach. According to Billboard, the band’s self-titled album, Megadeth, opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 dated February 7, giving them their first chart-topper after a Billboard 200 history that started back in 1986.

Over the course of their run, they’ve placed 23 albums on the chart, and until now, their ceiling was No. 2 with 1992’s Countdown To Extinction.

This No. 1 came from fans showing up like collectors and lifers, not casual listeners. Megadeth pulled 73,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. for the week ending Jan. 29 (per Luminate), and 69,000 of that total came from pure sales. In plain terms, people bought this record. That 69,000 figure also gives the band their biggest sales week since 1999, when Risk started with 74,000 sold.

The format breakdown makes it even clearer where the fuel was. Of the 69,000 sales, physical formats (CD, vinyl, cassette) totaled 56,000, with 22,000 of that on vinyl. Billboard notes that this is Megadeth’s strongest vinyl week of the modern tracking era, dating back to when Luminate began electronically tracking sales in 1991. Streaming still contributed, just on a smaller scale compared to purchases: SEA made up 4,000 units, which Billboard equates to 4.23 million on-demand official streams of the album’s tracks, while TEA was described as negligible.

A lot of that sales power came down to how the album was offered. The release got a boost from being spread across “more than a dozen vinyl variants,” plus a Target-exclusive CD that included a bonus track, and a deluxe digital download version that arrived mid-week with another bonus track. That’s the modern playbook for a band with a dedicated fanbase, and it worked.

The timing around the release also kept attention on the band. Megadeth came out on January 23, and the documentary Megadeth: Behind the Mask hit theaters the day before. Next up is the farewell run, which starts Feb. 15 in Victoria, British Columbia.

The band also claims the top spot in Australia (highest previous position #2) and Austria (highest previous position #8). Other top five spots include #2 in Finland (+ #1 physical), Sweden (+ #1 physical; highest previous position #9), and Belgium (highest previous position: #6); #3 in both the U.K. and Germany (highest previous position: #6); #4 in the Netherlands (highest previous position: #7); and #5 in both Italy (highest previous position: #15) and New Zealand (highest chart position ever). Debuts in additional territories are still being compiled at press time.

“After 40 years of delivering Megadeth music, playing shows around the world, I have nothing but gratitude at this moment. Finding out that our last Megadeth record is also our first #1 only further validates my will to go out on top,” says Dave Mustaine, vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, and producer. “Thank you to my family, Teemu Mantasaari, James LoMenzo, Dirk Verbueren, and Chris Rakestraw, all our fans for making this possible, without you, Megadeth would not be as successful as we are. I’d also like to thank the people behind the scenes, our management, Danny Nozell, Justis Mustaine, and Steve Ross at CTK, and our label BLKIIBLK/Tradecraft.”

“This recording is a labour of love, and I hope you enjoy this as much as we do. See you on tour soon!” – Dave Mustaine

“Absolutely amazing news! Thank you and congrats to our entire extended Megadeth family!” – Teemu Mäntysaari

“I want to sincerely thank all our friends and fans who grabbed a copy, we’re over the moon!” – James LoMenzo

“It feels unbelievable to sit atop the charts with an album that’s uncompromisingly Megadeth. Huge thanks to all of you who support us- you made this happen! See you on tour!” – Dirk Verbeuren 

If anyone still wonders how Billboard converts all of this into a single number, the original article lays out the math. The Billboard 200 ranks albums by “equivalent album units” compiled by Luminate, combining album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums. One unit equals one album sale, or 10 tracks sold from the album, or 2,500 ad-supported streams, or 1,000 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams tied to the album’s songs.

One more context note from the article: 73,000 units at No. 1 is a relatively low total for the top spot, and Billboard points out it’s the lowest No. 1 sum since last May, when Sza’s SOS returned to No. 1 on the May 3-dated chart with 52,000 units. The key difference here is how Megadeth reached the top: the numbers lean heavily toward fans buying physical and digital copies.

For longtime followers, the career arc behind this moment matters. Megadeth first entered the Billboard 200 on the Oct. 25, 1986-dated chart with Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? at No. 118, later peaking at No. 76. So Far, So Good… So What! became their first top 40 album in 1988, peaking at No. 28. Then Countdown To Extinction delivered their first top 10 in 1992 and kicked off a run that includes nine top 10 albums overall.

If the studio chapter really closes here, Megadeth did it the hard way: decades of releases, years of near-misses, and then a purchase-driven No. 1 powered by the kind of fanbase metal bands live and die by.

The post MEGADETH Score First-Ever Number 1 On All-Genre Billboard 200 U.S. Chart With Farewell Album appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Michael Schenker bringt seine „My Years With UFO“-Tour nach Hamburg und viele andere deutsche Städte. Am 22. Februar 2026 steht der Gitarrenklassiker in der Großen Freiheit 36 auf der Bühne. Du erlebst Hard-Rock-Geschichte aus nächster Nähe. Fokus liegt auf den Songs seiner UFO-Ära, ergänzt durch ausgewählte Stücke aus seinem späteren Schaffen.

Michael Schenker live in Hamburg

Wenn Michael Schenker zur Gitarre greift, steht ein Abend mit Substanz auf dem Plan. Am 22. Februar 2026 spielt er in der Großen Freiheit 36 in Hamburg. Beginn ist um 20:00 Uhr. Tickets bekommst du ab 52 Euro bei KJ.de oder an allen bekannten Vorverkaufsstellen.

Der Termin gehört zur zweiten Etappe der „My Years With UFO“-Tour. Inhaltlich dreht sich alles um jene Jahre, die Schenkers Karriere und den Hard Rock entscheidend geprägt haben. Und mal ehrlich: Als Maiden-Fan bekomme ich jedesmal bei Doctor Doctor eine Gänsehaut. Und das direkt von Schenkers Michael zu hören, kann nur noch durch einen nachfolgenden Gig von Maiden getoppt werden. Aber das bleibt wohl ein Traum.

Die Jahre mit UFO

Ende 1973 stieg Michael Schenker bei UFO ein. Mit 18 Jahren prägte er den Sound der britischen Band und entwickelte sich zu einer festen Größe an der Gitarre. Zwischen 1974 und 1978 entstanden fünf stilprägende Studioalben. Darunter „Phenomenon“ und „Lights Out“. Das Livealbum „Strangers In The Night“ gilt bis heute als Referenz für energiegeladenen Hard Rock.

In dieser Phase entstanden Songs wie „Doctor Doctor“, „Rock Bottom“ oder „Only You Can Rock Me“. Sie gehören fest zum Repertoire der Szene und stehen auch im Zentrum der aktuellen Tour. Schenkers Spiel lebt von klaren Melodien, präziser Phrasierung und einem sofort erkennbaren Ton. Diese Handschrift zieht sich durch den gesamten Abend. By the way. Zuletzt durfte ich Doctor Doctor auch von UFO selbst im italienischen Verona hören. In einer Festung. Aber die Geschichte liest Du auf einer anderen Seite hier im Magazin.

Von Wacken in den Club

Im vergangenen Jahr zeigte Schenker beim Wacken Open Air, wie druckvoll dieses Material vor großem Publikum funktioniert. Die Show lieferte starke Live-Momente und prominente Gäste auf der Bühne. In Hamburg verschiebt sich der Rahmen. Die Clubgröße bringt dich näher an das Geschehen. Du hörst Details, siehst das Zusammenspiel und erlebst die Songs direkter.

Begleitet wird Schenker in Hamburg von Malvada und The Night Eternal. Die Kombination sorgt für einen durchgehend intensiven Konzertabend.

Tourstationen in Deutschland

• 18.02.2026 – Plauen, Festhalle – mit Rook Road, Malvada
• 19.02.2026 – Bremen, Modernes – mit Rook Road, Malvada
• 20.02.2026 – Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle II – mit Rook Road, Malvada, The Night Eternal
• 22.02.2026 – Hamburg, Große Freiheit 36 – mit Malvada, The Night Eternal
• 23.02.2026 – Köln, Kantine – mit Malvada, The Night Eternal
• 01.03.2026 – Ingolstadt, Eventhalle Westpark – mit Rook Road, Malvada
• 03.03.2026 – Frankfurt, ZOOM – mit Rook Road, Power State
• 05.03.2026 – Leipzig, Täubchenthal – mit Grey Attack, Power State
• 06.03.2026 – Potsdam, Waschhaus – mit Grey Attack, Power State

Was dich erwartet

Der Schwerpunkt liegt klar auf der UFO-Phase. Du hörst die Stücke, die Schenkers Ruf begründet haben. Ergänzend stehen Titel aus späteren Projekten auf der Setlist. Seine Flying V bleibt das Zentrum des Geschehens. Technik dient dem Song. Melodie steht vor Effekt.

Hamburg, Bremen und alle anderen Orte bieten dir Gelegenheiten, diese Musik unter direkten Livebedingungen zu erleben. Plane den Abend ein und sichere dir rechtzeitig dein Ticket. Der Einstiegspreis liegt bei rund 52 Euro. Du bekommst Karten bei KJ.de und die bekannten Vorverkaufsstellen.

Und bevor ich es vergesse: Seinen ehemaligen Scorpions-Bandkollegen und heutigen Nachbarn an der Britischen Küste, Hermann Rarebell hatten wir kürzlich im Rockcast-Interview. Hör mal rein über meinen Podcast – den Rockcast!

Danke für´s Lesen. Punkt!

Der Beitrag Doctor Doctor! Michael Schenker mit 50 UFO-Years on Tour erschien zuerst auf Rock-Music.net – Live, laut, legendär!.

Embrace the existential darkness

Transcending a cultural phenomenon might seem a fool’s errand, particularly one born of infamy and immortalized by a mainstream media that is, at best, ambivalent to the subject under consideration. Yet this is what Norway’s earliest and arguably most consequential purveyor of black metal, Mayhem, has been doing since the 1990s.

A winding maze of stylistic evolution, lyrical subject expansion, and lineup shifts has left this fold in the unique middle ground between upholding the grim orthodoxy that originally typified the 2^nd wave’s low fidelity production practices and chaotic execution and moving into the more polished and progressive character that the subgenre has largely embraced since becoming a worldwide expression.

Coming in just over 6 years to the day that their sixth studio LP Daemon was unleashed via Century Media Records, their seventh and latest excursion into the sonic world of existential blackness and fury, dubbed Liturgy Of Death, continues this outfit’s stride into darker yet more nuanced territory.

For those who have kept up with things since the beginning of the trifecta of modern offerings dating back to 2014’s Esoteric Warfare, the cast of diabolical characters contributing to Mayhem’s modern sound remains wholly consistent. The rhythm section, rounded out by founding member and bassist Necrobutcher and longtime drummer Hellhammer, lays a cacophonous foundation of shimmering blast beats, thundering machine gun double-kicks, and occasional respites in slower territory meshed with a murky, necrotic bottom end that often bends the boundaries of reason.

The twin guitar assault of Teloch and Ghul seamlessly fills out the middle and upper reaches of the arrangement, often achieving a comparable level of density and frostbitten dreariness to what Ihsahn and Samoth put forth on Emperor’s later studio albums, and occasionally channels some of the technical flourishes that would be more readily associated with the likes of Rotting Christ and Necrophobic. At the head of it all are the sepulchral ravings with intermitted spoken lines and operatic flourishes courtesy of Attila Csihar, painting the atmosphere even bleaker still.

In contrast to the more compact songwriting found on Daemon and Esoteric Warfare, Liturgy Of Death takes a longer and less symmetrical approach that might almost be called epic were it the handiwork of a band like Dimmu Borgir or Immortal. Things begin on a highly atmospheric and arguably cinematic note via “Ephemeral Eternity”, which grows from a haunting ambient prelude to a droning stride, and then finally an explosive blizzard of northern rage. It exists in what can be best explained in a state of moving so fast that it seems to phase while standing in place, then it pulls back to a punishingly slow stride and feels like it’s somehow covering more ground, spearheaded by a truly ghoulish performance out of Attila.

The chaotic storms of fury continue in an extended duration with the even more menacing and heavy blast of arctic night dubbed “Despair”, consisting of fewer breaks in the blinding fury and greater dissonance in the arrangement. “Weep For Nothing” rounds out the opening epic trilogy of philosophical woe with a more complex guitar display out of Teloch and Ghul, delving further into the reaches of auditory oblivion and coming out with something that is both immersive and distinctive enough to almost be considered catchy.

Curiously enough, it is when these songs pull back into more compact territory that things get especially intricate. The sub-5-minute fit of blasting fury “Aeon’s End” matches the usual mix of icy melodic motives with something fairly close to the death/thrashing riff work heard during Immortal’s peak into popularity in the late 90s through early 2000s, complete with a ripping guitar solo and a dramatic clean stint out of Atilla amid a quasi-symphonic backdrop.

“Funeral Existence” leans even harder into the thrashing side of the blackened coin during an explosive middle bridge segment that displays Hellhammer’s ability to seamlessly switch gears at the drop of a warlock’s hat, while “Realm Of Endless Misery” gives Necrobutcher a rather auspicious moment to showcase his bass chops in the midst of one of the most insanely chaotic entries on the album.

“Propitious Death” lands so close to the familiar riffing style of Abbath and the accompanying aesthetic of snow-covered mountains that only Attila’s distinctive growl keeps it from sounding like a smoothed-out lost entry from Battles In The North. The canon of this necrotic musical offering is closed in much the way that it opens, with an extended fit of theatrical blackness in “The Sentence Of Absolution”, throwing just about every decrepit element covered earlier in the album against the wall and exiting to the sound of tribal drums out of a pagan ceremony from a bygone era.

It may be a far cry from the overt occultism and crackling cult trappings that typified their sound from their mid-80s founding through the release of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, but Liturgy Of Death is best described as the quintessential expression of what black metal has been about over the past couple of decades.

More so than even the obligatory bells and whistles in the instrumental and vocal departments, the sum of this album’s parts is a generalized sentiment of darkness and sorrow that is completely becoming of the aesthetic that it carries. It will ring familiar to anyone who has kept up with Mayhem since the early 2010s, and it effectively walks the line between the rawness that most purists require and the more accessible production practices that have made the likes of Dimmu Borgir and Behemoth commercially ascendant.

It might not carry the same mystique as their seminal offerings, but Liturgy Of Death proves a highly formidable and immersive experience for those with the courage to venture into the blackened realm. It’s another brilliant sonic manifesto of existential darkness and rage, showcasing that an infamous past pales in comparison to auditory greatness expressed in the present.

Release Date: February 6th, 2026
Record Label: Century Media Records
Genre: Black Metal

Musicians:

• Attila Csihar / Vocals
• Teloch  / Guitars
• Ghul / Guitars
• Necrobutcher  / Bass guitar
• Hellhammer  / Drums

Liturgy Of Death Tracklist:

1. Ephemeral Eternity
2. Despair
3. Weep For Nothing
4. Aeon’s End
5. Funeral Of Existence
6. Realm Of Endless Misery
7. Propitious Death
8. The Sentence Of Absolution
9. Life Is A Corpse You Drag (Bonus track)
10. Sancta Mendacia (bonus track)

Order the album here.

The post MAYHEM – Liturgy Of Death (Album Review) appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.