Mayhem Ordo Ad Chao
Season of Mist SOM150 April 24, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Due to the departure of Maniac and the subsequent return of Attila, many voiced optimism about Mayhems direction for the first time in years. Could they deliver an album as fine and relevant as 1994s monumental De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas? No and no, but its not like anyone expected Hellhammer and crew to do so, or even be able to. Ordo Ad Chao is superior to 2000s odd Grand Declaration of War and 2004s lackluster Chimera, however, so some will take consolation in that alone. But again, even though their latest surpasses the two previous full-lengths, thats still not saying much.
Ordo Ad Chao, beginning with the near-instrumental A Wise Birthgiver, is definitely dark and foreboding, despite the production making it sound as if the music first travels through a thin Wall of Water prior to reaching any eardrums. In short, the production is adequate but no better. Speaking of Wall of Water, Mayhem change speed often, and on the whole, most songs on OAC do indeed run the gamut of tempo variation. Attila turns in a solid, if overblown, performance that certainly has its flaws. From his raspy whispering to his theatric shouting to his ridiculous bat-like shrieking all of which can be heard in Great Work of Ages and Deconsecrate he becomes increasingly difficult to appreciate as the album unravels.
Naturally, Hellhammer (Age of Silence, Winds) turns in a good performance like he recently did on Dimmu Borgirs In Sorte Diaboli, but its nothing to get excited about, which isnt unusual since his freelance MO has enabled him to release a record with a band once a year, if not more often, as evidenced above. The only gripe about Hellhammers work here is that, during Psychic Horns, Key to the Storms, and Anti, he utilizes a cymbal bell for several beats on end, and the succession of that specific sound is uncannily similar to what one can hear at any railroad crossing in the United States when the gates lower and the bells ring to signal an oncoming train. Its unintentionally hilarious, which understandably ruins the mood Mayhem shoot for on those tracks.
While theres no obvious Achilles heel, Ordo Ad Chao is simply unremarkable. Attilas vocals, Hellhammers drumming, and the harrowing Nachtmystium-esque nature of certain tracks makes it at least a semi-interesting listen, but in the end, though most likely to reach for it over Grand Declaration of War and Chimera, it wont be that frequent. Mayhem remain in the rut theyve been trapped in for years spinning their wheels but accomplishing little in the way of getting unstuck.
Official Mayhem Website
Official Season of Mist Website
Season of Mist SOM150 April 24, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Due to the departure of Maniac and the subsequent return of Attila, many voiced optimism about Mayhems direction for the first time in years. Could they deliver an album as fine and relevant as 1994s monumental De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas? No and no, but its not like anyone expected Hellhammer and crew to do so, or even be able to. Ordo Ad Chao is superior to 2000s odd Grand Declaration of War and 2004s lackluster Chimera, however, so some will take consolation in that alone. But again, even though their latest surpasses the two previous full-lengths, thats still not saying much.
Ordo Ad Chao, beginning with the near-instrumental A Wise Birthgiver, is definitely dark and foreboding, despite the production making it sound as if the music first travels through a thin Wall of Water prior to reaching any eardrums. In short, the production is adequate but no better. Speaking of Wall of Water, Mayhem change speed often, and on the whole, most songs on OAC do indeed run the gamut of tempo variation. Attila turns in a solid, if overblown, performance that certainly has its flaws. From his raspy whispering to his theatric shouting to his ridiculous bat-like shrieking all of which can be heard in Great Work of Ages and Deconsecrate he becomes increasingly difficult to appreciate as the album unravels.
Naturally, Hellhammer (Age of Silence, Winds) turns in a good performance like he recently did on Dimmu Borgirs In Sorte Diaboli, but its nothing to get excited about, which isnt unusual since his freelance MO has enabled him to release a record with a band once a year, if not more often, as evidenced above. The only gripe about Hellhammers work here is that, during Psychic Horns, Key to the Storms, and Anti, he utilizes a cymbal bell for several beats on end, and the succession of that specific sound is uncannily similar to what one can hear at any railroad crossing in the United States when the gates lower and the bells ring to signal an oncoming train. Its unintentionally hilarious, which understandably ruins the mood Mayhem shoot for on those tracks.
While theres no obvious Achilles heel, Ordo Ad Chao is simply unremarkable. Attilas vocals, Hellhammers drumming, and the harrowing Nachtmystium-esque nature of certain tracks makes it at least a semi-interesting listen, but in the end, though most likely to reach for it over Grand Declaration of War and Chimera, it wont be that frequent. Mayhem remain in the rut theyve been trapped in for years spinning their wheels but accomplishing little in the way of getting unstuck.
Official Mayhem Website
Official Season of Mist Website
