While waiting for a release date on Jonas Åkerlund’s upcoming Lords of Chaos film based off of the controversial book about the early Norwegian black metal scene, it seems Mayhem would rather see this film disappear. The band are currently on the road playing their iconic album De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. Tickets have been selling out, especially being the first time hearing the full album live in North America.
Rolling Stone constructed an incredible piece highlighting Mayhem’s history and influence their 1994 De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas album had on black metal over the years. It was introduced with, “As Norway’s most dangerous band plays 1994’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas’ in full on tour, members reflect on the grim history that brought them here.” Metal Injection pointed out a particular part adding more controversy to Lords of Chaos. While Rolling Stone mentioned Mayhem’s legendary status occurred after the 1998 book Lords of Chaos by Michael Moynihan and Didrik Soderlind, it led to Åkerlund’s film. Mayhem bassist Necrobutcher’s comment from 2015 on how he would do everything possible to stop the film from being made, resurfaced with the following statement:
“They contacted everybody behind our backs, our crew members, all kinds of people associated with us in a very sneaky way. It’s the wrong approach. You make a movie of a band? The first people I would contact would be the band and ask for permission to use their music. Don’t come afterwards because we won’t authorize it.”
“I think all that know Norwegian black metal well know that the book was crap, and we are all skeptical and negative about it being made into a film,” Ruch says.”
The discussion on the Lords of Chaos film led to Attila Csihar’s opinion on Metallica’s music video “ManUnkind.” Rolling Stone mentioned Csihar found the video unsettling and “likened it to Mayhem making a music video that featured deceased Metallica bassist Cliff Burton.” Csihar offered his opinion on the upcoming movie with:
“The film is a bit controversial for me, because it’s a movie based on our story. Like, what the fuck?”
While Mayhem seems pissed off about the upcoming movie, it at least makes us curious.
