Mayhem, the Norwegian pioneers responsible for invigorating a global scene alongside originators such as Venom, Celtic Frost & Bathory, formed in 1984 & with a long history of tragedy, intrigue & infamy have become truly revered legends of black metal, with a large part of their legacy established in the late 80’s & early 90’s, notably when guitarist Euronymous & bassist Necrobutcher welcomed Hellhammer on drums & Dead on vocals, to help shape a new & inspired era of darkness.
Preceding this more notorious period, Mayhem’s formative years were spent honing a selection of tracks of pure brutality, eventually leading to 1987’s iconic ‘Deathcrush’ EP release – considered the launching point for the band onto the global map.
The first seed of Mayhem was, however, planted with 1986’s ‘Pure Fucking Armageddon’ demo. Featuring the trio of Manheim, Necrobutcher & Euronymous, this is a cult rehearsal space recording including now timeless tracks & staples of the Mayhem live set such as the ‘Pure Fucking Armageddon’ track itself & ‘Carnage’, plus also features a cover of Venom’s genre-defining ‘Black Metal’. With a sound delivered in its most primal, raw & chaotic form, this stands as undoubtedly an influential early classic of Norwegian extremity.
This edition of ‘Pure Fucking Armageddon’ coincides with the 40th anniversary of the band & is presented on limited white vinyl, containing the original classic cover artwork as well as a booklet with words from Necrobutcher plus rare images & featuring a recent tape source transfer.
