Wiki
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Release Date
24 May 1994
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Length
8 tracks
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is a studio album by the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began as early as 1990, but due to the suicide of vocalist Dead and murder of guitarist Euronymous, the album's release was delayed until May 1994.
The album is widely acclaimed as one of the masterpieces of the black metal genre, and its bleak aesthetics and lyrics have often been cited as an inspiration by other black metal groups. As most of these songs predate the recording of album by a few years, they contain lyrics written by previous member Dead and were performed live with him before his suicide. There are also a number of rehearsal recordings featuring versions of these songs.
The title De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is a Latin phrase which Euronymous misunderstood as Lord Satan's Secret Rites. However, the phrase translates more literally as Of Lord Satan's Mysteries. The album cover shows the east side of Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway.
The album featured an all-star lineup, with Euronymous on guitars, Varg Vikernes of Burzum on bass, Hellhammer on drums and Tormentor vocalist Attila Csihar on vocals. Attila Csihar is the only member in Mayhem's history who is of non-Scandinavian origin, and he was greatly admired by Euronymous for his work in Tormentor. Although he is not listed in the album credits, Snorre Ruch of Thorns assisted Euronymous with the guitar parts. After the murder of Euronymous, Varg Vikernes' bass parts were supposed to have been removed from the album, but they were actually just lowered in the mix. Attila's unusual vocal style has been met with mixed reactions by fans of previous vocalist Dead, although he has also been widely praised as one of the most unique vocalists in all of black metal.
Rough versions of many of the songs on this album were released on the Life Eternal EP by Attila Csihar's own label Saturnus Records in cooperation with Season of Mist in 2009.
Line - Up
* Attila Csihar – vocals
* Euronymous (Øystein Aarseth) – electric guitar, lyrics
* Count Grishnackh (Varg Vikernes) – bass guitar
* Hellhammer (Jan Axel Blomberg) – drums
* Dead (Per Yngve Ohlin) – lyrics
Trivia
The track "From the Dark Past" was originally titled "Materialized In Stone",but was changed upon the album's release. The title was later used by Swedish black metal band Marduk on their Album Opus Nocturne the following month.
LP released by Deathlike Silence Production in 1994 is limited to 1000 copies.
The first CD pressing DID NOT HAVE a booklet with lyrics, and it DID NOT HAVE a
bar code. Just a fold-out cover with pictures of Hellhammer and Euronymous
inside. Coloring of the building on the front is blue. Matrix code : DURECO
ANTIMOSH 06.
The 2nd pressing of the CD had a booklet with all lyrics. This release also had
the proper coloring on the front so the building appears purple, not blue.
Different (3rd??) pressing exists as well, still DSP Records, with bar code
(SPV84… number) and lyrics, but building again appears in blue.
Century Media/Century Black's CD pressing which is by far the most common one
available has no lyrics and the building on the front is blue.
- First picture LP released by Collectors Picture Disc Series in 1997 is limited
to 500 copies.
- 2001: Voices Of Hell: limited edition 666 blue LP (Bootleg)
- 2005: GMR: picture disc LP
- Re-released in 2006 by Back on Black Records. Gate fold LP
- Re-released in 2006 by Ancient Darkness Productions with gatefold cover and 40
page booklet.
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