Esoteric Warfare

sputnikmusic

fantano

Mayhem returns with a new record and an old school black metal sound.

pitchfork

As much a brand as a band, Mayhem epitomize the intersection of fame and infamy in black metal. Esoteric Warfare isn’t as far-reaching as some of its predecessors, but it’s still an adventurous and energetic record built on stylistic explorations and enthusiastic shifts that you wouldn’t expect from a band that’s had three decades to codify its own sound.