[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I fully understand if many people greet this new Mayhem release with cynicism. Their previous offering, 'Grand Declaration Of War', threw a complete curveball at people's expectations and copped a severe bagging from a lot of fans and the media. For the most part I actually didn't mind it; in a scene filled to the brim with countless crap, copycat symphonic black metal bands it was refreshing to hear a band (let alone one of the pioneers) drag it off in a new direction. Most of the criticism was levelled at the more experimental tracks, plus Maniac's vocals, so if this was your beef with 'GDOW' then read on...[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Obviously Mayhem aren't ever going to please anyone who reckons the band truly died with the passing of either Dead or Euronymous, but 'Chimera' is a serious slab of no-fucking-around modern black metal. The sound is unmistakably Mayhem, like one step back into their past, but then another step forwards in another direction. And if you thought the musicianship was fast and tight on 'GDOW', you'll be mighty impressed with Hellhammer's and Blasphemer's work on this. Chimera isn't all about speed, however, and the eight tracks presented on this album (totalling 45 minutes) are a good balance of both furious black metal and then some slower tracks. No experimental tracks to be heard here.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Maniac has made some considerable changes to his vocal style, which should hopefully satisfy quite a few. There's no pompous, quasi-militant spoken word on the album, just the odd moment of deep and haunting clean vocals, and the rest of the delivery is a savage snarl - and not like the forceless screeching heard on 'GDOW'.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The mix of the album is solid and well suited to the music, with the drums in particular sounding less tinny that before. And for added cred (or authenticity, or for whatever bloody reason) the album was apparently recorded in a mobile studio in a remote Norwegian forest.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Simply put, even if you've only got a tiny shred of faith left in Mayhem then you should really give this album a fair listen, as it proves there's still a lot of life in a band that's been through so bloody much. As I mentioned before, this album is unmistakably Mayhem, and if you're able to maintain an arguably unique sound in such a crowded genre then you're doing something right. Mayhem are back in the game, lads.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Obviously Mayhem aren't ever going to please anyone who reckons the band truly died with the passing of either Dead or Euronymous, but 'Chimera' is a serious slab of no-fucking-around modern black metal. The sound is unmistakably Mayhem, like one step back into their past, but then another step forwards in another direction. And if you thought the musicianship was fast and tight on 'GDOW', you'll be mighty impressed with Hellhammer's and Blasphemer's work on this. Chimera isn't all about speed, however, and the eight tracks presented on this album (totalling 45 minutes) are a good balance of both furious black metal and then some slower tracks. No experimental tracks to be heard here.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Maniac has made some considerable changes to his vocal style, which should hopefully satisfy quite a few. There's no pompous, quasi-militant spoken word on the album, just the odd moment of deep and haunting clean vocals, and the rest of the delivery is a savage snarl - and not like the forceless screeching heard on 'GDOW'.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The mix of the album is solid and well suited to the music, with the drums in particular sounding less tinny that before. And for added cred (or authenticity, or for whatever bloody reason) the album was apparently recorded in a mobile studio in a remote Norwegian forest.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Simply put, even if you've only got a tiny shred of faith left in Mayhem then you should really give this album a fair listen, as it proves there's still a lot of life in a band that's been through so bloody much. As I mentioned before, this album is unmistakably Mayhem, and if you're able to maintain an arguably unique sound in such a crowded genre then you're doing something right. Mayhem are back in the game, lads.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]8/10[/font]
