MAYHEM, MIDNIGHT- Austin, Texas, U.S.A. 2022

MAYHEM, MIDNIGHT – Mohawk, Austin, Texas, U.S.A. 2022 March 15, 2022 

The originators of True Norwegian Black Metal, MAYHEM returned to North American shores as part of “The Sanguine Sodomy of North America,” which kicked off March 7th in San Francisco and runs through an April 3rd show in Joliet, Illinois. I am reviewing the tour’s stop off in Austin, Texas. While the majority of show review I’ve done for Metal Centre have taken place at Come and Take It Live on Riverside, this show occurred at Mohawk on Red River. Mohawk is located in the Entertainment District in downtown Austin.

I was a bit apprehensive about going to this show since it took place during South By Southwest (SXSW), which is one of the largest festivals in the world. Film and industry mavens come from all around the world to attend live music concerts, backyard parties, movie premieres and various events in the technology world. SXSW is a bit intimidating since so many people come to. Tonight’s concert was packed, but I have seen Austin much more packed before in previous years. Maybe this was due to the hiatus put on the festival due to the COVID pandemic.

This is the fifth time I’ve seen MAYHEM play and third at this venue. The last time was in 2018 when they played a set entirely culled from their legendary debut full-length album “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas.” I also saw them in 2015 as part of Fun Fun Fun Fest Nites with WATAIN and ROTTING CHRIST. WATAIN and MAYHEM is the ultimate Black Metal concert (ROTTING CHRIST aren’t too shabby themselves), so people got excited when word spread that WATAIN and MAYHEM were touring again. Unfortunately, as Metal Centre reported, WATAIN experienced Visa issues and were unable to make this tour. The show must go on, though, and openers MIDNIGHT were able to expand their set time to 45 minutes.

With no local openers, Cleveland’s masked miscreants of speed metal, MIDNIGHT opened the show. I knew MIDNIGHT had a sound that would go over well in this town, but I didn’t realize just how well. The crowd was packed and energetic, I got pushed on quite a bit from the pit that was moving around behind me. ‘80s metal is strong in Austin, and their blend of ‘80s styles including Speed Metal, Punk Rock, NOWOBHM, and Black Metal went over extremely well. MIDNIGHT looked cool, too, with black masks and hoods. MAYHEM guitarist, Charles Hedger, told me MIDNIGHT was a great band to warm them up. He loved the fact that they’re a power trio that sound like MOTORHEAD (I added VENOM to that assessment, which Charles agreed). If you like Metal from the times when it was fun and sleazy, then check out MIDNIGHT’S new album “Let Their Be Witchery,” which was showcased as part of their set.

MAYHEM have been excellent every time I’ve seen them starting with their first North American appearance at the Milwaukee Metal Fest in 1998. Of course, the line-up back then was different with Maniac on vocals and Blasphemer playing guitar. There was no Teloch or Ghul playing guitar. Also, due to Milwaukee Metal Fest’s time constraints, MAYHEM’s first appearance on these shows was brief, only five songs. That would clearly not be the case tonight. In fact, MAYHEM’s set was the most comprehensive I’ve seen in all five concerts. Actually, it was a MAYHEM fan’s dream set list. The group played a 3-part set, which started with a mish mash of material, a dress change and a section of “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas” material and then another dress change and ending with “Death Crush” material.

I kept wanting “De Mysteriis” material in the beginning. I’ll admit I wasn’t too familiar with some of the opening material like “To Daimonion” from the “Grand Declaration of War” (my least favorite record). I had a greater appreciation for this song live, though. Don’t get me wrong,” and “My Death” were tremendous  new tracks from their last full-length “Daemon,” which was my #1 Metal album selection for 2019, but  but still I wanted “De Mysteriis” material. “Falsified and Hated” was a great new edition to their set, though from that album. “Symbols of Bloodswords” from “Wolf’s Lair Abyss” EP was the first song that really got me excited. Amazing song with diverse vocals. It was cool hearing Attila’s vocal approach to Maniac songs. He was fantastic, his shrieks were even better than Maniac, especially during the “Death Crush” material.

The group exited the stage and returned donning satanic robes they used on the “De Mysteriis”-showcased material tours. They returned with their iconic and arguably most MAYHEMic track, “Freezing Moon.” The doomed tones and robes set the stage for vamperic murder and immortal wanderings. “Diabolic shapes float by, out from the dark.” This was a fitting lyric as there was no front light to the band. There was light behind them, but with no front light the band members appeared as floating shapes, or specters if you will. When the song really kicked in, Hellhammer’s drumming was almost too fast to comprehend. Being too fast is never a bad thing, and I can’t slight my favorite black metal drummer and arguably the G.O.A.T. of black metal drumming, Hellhammer.

While “Freezing Moon” is synonymous with Dead’s “Live in Leipzig” album, “Life Eternal” was the ultimate tribute to the man who committed suicide before having the chance to record this song in studio for “De Mysteriis…”. Teloch and Ghul were like Snorre Ruch and Euronymous, their melodies joined in mournful harmony before once again the song took off  with blazing speed and hypber blasts of Hellhammer. Hellhammer fucking destroyed! This song just really gets me because I often feel this way. Black Metal doesn’t always have to be about Satan, it can be about death, depression, existentialism and even suicide. I feel Necrobutcher was trying to convey all these themes about his fallen friend, Dead, on this track. “Pagan Fears” was another welcomed track from the greatest BM album of all-time they played tonight. The tribal-pounding drums and nefarious guitar chords made this a great song to hear, one that I’ve only seen at the entire-album concert.

I’ve always felt “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas” was the superior album to MAYHEM’s “Death Crush” EP, but the highlight of the night was their stripped down, old school, jean jacket, denim and leather material from the EP. I never truly appreciated just how good this material is until tonight’s concert. Of course Hellhammer didn’t play on this recording, but his renditions were definitely better than the recording (which were quite good). The title track, “Carnage,” “Chainsaw Gutsfuck” were on point and the band really fucking brought it home ending where it all begin “Pure Fucking Armageddon.”

Again, I can’t stress enough how the shows on this tour are the ultimate dream sets for MAYHEM and Black Metal fans, overall. Sure, it would have been better with WATAIN. It might have been the Black Metal tour (I still prefer the ROTTING CHRIST line-up of 20015) of this year! “Some memories will never go away and some will

forever be here!!!!” Indeed.

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