Wolf's Lair Abyss [Import]

Wolf's Lair Abyss [Import]

Track Listings

1. Vortex Void of Inhumanity (Intro)

2. I Am the Labyrinth

3. Fall of Serephs

4. Ancient Sin

5. Symbols of Bloodswords

Tracks:

Vortex Void of Inhumanity (Intro)
I Am the Labyrinth
Fall of Serephs
Ancient Sin
Symbols of Bloodswords

Customer Reviews:

The Soul of A Serial Killer Put To Music........2007-02-09

That's what this AMAZING recording from Mayhem sounds like. As if all the violence and insanity from their past were somehow transformed into this intense Black Metal. You can talk about singers for this band all you want, in my opinion the work Maniac has done on this and Chimera will stand the test of time. I'm sure we'd all love to hear Dead on every Mayhem recording, but sadly that's not going to happen. The info I have is that Maniac will not be singing on the new one this year; big mistake.
At only 24 minutes and 42 seconds (on my counter), Wolf's Lair Abyss will invade your mind like a mental demon bent on the pure corruption of your soul. If this isn't in your collection, may you be forced to rot in an afterlife poisoned with nothing but American Idol retards for eternity.
5 STARS!!! HAIL! HAIL! HAIL! MAYHEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mayhem's declaration of HATE.......2005-03-07

Did you ever make a declaration of love? How about a declaration of hate? A declaration of hate adressed to the whole humanity? Why am I saying this? Because this album is the most eloquent acoustic expression of hate, anger and misanthropy.

Some of you are gonna tell me that I should look for the "most hatefull" album in discographies of bands like Napalm Death, Sepultura, Suffocation or Slayer. While, to those bands, the hate is the violent decomposure of violence, to Mayhem, it appears as a more intimate feeling.

I was knocked down when I first listened to this album. The 4 songs are like a hurricane...I haven't sensed so much anger spitted in humanity's face than in that short interlude from Ancient Skin, when Maniac declares with profetic, clean voice "I've captured the moment given, I denied the sickening love, turned to the purity of anger."

Al the 4 songs have an incredible weight, given by the intensity of the riffs and the heavy, very good drumming and a speed unexlored before, even by Mayhem. There is one song, Ancient Skin, in wich the band says "This is who we are". The song starts very fast, and a feeling of "deja-vu" takes place, but, after 1 minute, Hellhammer rises the tempo of the drumming, the speed reaches an unexpected high level, simultaneously with the transition to the very dense web of riffs (typical to this Wolf's Lair Abyss), preparing for Maniac's entrance. His part consist of the most violent vocals ever recorded on a black metal album.

This album fascinated me since the first audition. The intro - the breathing of a septic body and the trumpets annnouncing a new Era (in black metal), followed by the unleashing of high speed and immense brutallity and a very good instrumental technique.

This is one amazon black metal release...

Short and sweet.......2004-12-10

This CD only has 5 song on it, and the first track is just noise, so that leaves about 22 mins or so of actual music. Still, this album comes off great. The first real song, 'I Am the Labyrinth', starts off with a furious drum roll, kicking off the pace for the entire album. The guitars are razor thin and sinister, and Maniacs vocals are just totally evil, as always (check out the break down in 'Ancient Skin' for some truely inhuman and demonic sounding vocals).
As usual, there are no bad songs on this CD, though 'Ancient Skin' isn't the strongest Mayhem track. Seriously worth the money, even if its a short album. This is REAL Black Metal!

They're still going strong!.......2004-09-02

Being that this is the first Mayhem album without Euronymous, this is a fairly interesting one. This is proof that even without Mayhem's former "leader," they can still manage to pump out some blistering and worthy black metal. This isn't as raw as Deathcrush or the legendary DMDS; the production is much more clean, dry and sharp. Maniac is back on vocals, and to say the least, his style is much different than it was on Deathcrush. Instead of his former Deathcrush style screams, he's got more of a guttural and gritty shriek going on.

Many, and I mean many, will be put off by Maniac's vocals. Maniac almost sounds like he's got cicadas and beetles in his throat while he sings from his stomach. Some people may pick up on his singing right away, others may find it to be an acquired taste, and then the rest will despise his singing. At times Maniac's singing reminds me of Smeagol from Lord of the Rings, but I still manage to enjoy it when I'm not thinking of those big bug eyes and that voice that calls out for his precious. Blasphemer puts on a satisfactory performance, but his guitar sounds a little rusty and anhydrous...but it does the job decently. Some of the material sounds rather DMDS-ish (Ancient Skin, I Am Thy Labyrinth).

The drumming is rather brisk, but it's much more varied than what I expected from Mayhem - instead of the majority of just blast beats there is a lot more interchanging between double bass, snare, and cymbals. Of course this is Mayhem, so all of the songs with the exception of the opening instrumental are fast and tenacious. The opening track is a bit too long, using a clip in length of a minute or less would have done the job instead of almost two and a half minutes of thick swirling wind sounds accompanied by some static. Not only that, but this is far too short (I've seen the price on this album going for as much as a regular CD, which I find to be a tad ridiculous).

It's a worthy purchase for sure, but I have my doubts about it being worth the amount of an album, which uses up all of the space available on the CD. Get it sometime, but don't put it ahead of a kick ass full-length that you might be looking for.

Powerful comeback.......2004-02-24

This is the first release from the current Mayhem lineup (Maniac, Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Blasphemer)and it is a strong return. The production is excellent and the songs are great. Hellhammer's drumming is insane, Maniac's vocals are evil, Blasphemer's guitar style is very good and he shows more range in his skills than Euronymous. I think the length of the cd and five songs are just right, short and to the point. This is a band with alot to prove and they show plenty of anger and energy on Wolf's Lair Abyss. This is the best studio release of current lineup and I would also get the live Mediolanum Capta Est cd as well. That also has great production, they deliver the songs with the same ferocity and they're better now in concert than back in the days of Dead & Euronymous. The instruments are played better and the the band just sound so much more cohesive and together as a unit than in the past. Make it your duty to get Wolf's Lair Abyss and Mediolanum Capta Est. Listen to them both and give me a nod if you found the review helpful. If you didn't well then drop dead! =)

Average customer rating:

Total Necro
Great album!!!

Wolf's Lair Abyss
Mayhem
Manufacturer: Misanthrop
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00002649E
Release Date: 2006-03-30

Tracks:

Vortex Void of Inhumanity (Intro)
I Am the Labyrinth
Fall of Serephs
Ancient Sin
Symbols of Bloodswords

Album Description

Reissue by Swedish masters of evil scary music, mayhem. Five tracks, including 'The Vortex Void Of Inhumanity' and 'I Am Thy Labyrinth'. Digipak. 1997 release on Misanthropy.

Customer Reviews:

Total Necro.......2003-07-19

Mayhem are a band haunted by their past. Whatever they do, there will always be the debate as to whether or not they are the "true" Mayhem, should they play live, and are the current members even a shadow of ghosts long Dead?

Who knows. Who cares. The important thing should be: Is the music any good?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is yes, Mayhem are an excellent raw black metal band on record.

This is nothing more than the merest sample of the hyper-speed insanity these possibly diseased minds are capable of. And the best part of the brevity of this disc is it leaves the listener craving more, nay, more than craving, physically addicted and needing more.

Much has been said over the years of the ability of Hellhammer, Mayhem's inhumanly fast drummer. So he's fast, so what? So are lots of drummers. Few, however, are as fast and technically proficient at speed as this man, for such a sustained period. The four tracks (plus a spooky intro) all clock in at over five minutes long. This band just doesn't slow down.

The guitar sound here is total necro (or perhaps that should be the bass sound, since the bass player is called Necrobutcher), all fuzzy, buzzing mid range tones, with not a lot of bottom end. It is almost the perfect black metal sound, providing an unexpected clarity to the high velocity riffing, while retaining the raw, lo-fi power required for convincing black metal.

Maniac's vocals are almost totally indecipherable, his raspy screech losing most of it's human character, leaving just a bare demonic wail. A nice contrasting touch is a clearer melodic voice underlining some of the vocal lines, which introduces unexpected subtleties to the mix.

Forget the "true black metal" debate. Track this down, clear your mind, turn off the lights, and set "Wolf's Lair Abyss" on repeat.

Great album!!!.......2002-11-10

This album is the best release of the "New Mayhem". Total insane, brutal black metal. Only for people that like primitive raw black metal. Hellhamer plays in an incredible way, necrobutcher give an atmospheric sound to the tracks, and maniac voice is totaly inhuman. WLA is a must have.!

Average customer rating:

mayhem's absolute best
Savage and brutal
The True Mayhem reign supreme
time traveling to 30 A.D.
Mayhem Lives!

Wolf's Lair Abyss
Mayhem
Manufacturer: Misanthropy Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003SF5
Release Date: 1998-01-20

Tracks:

The Vortex Void Of Inhumanity
I Am Thy Labyrinth
Fall Of Seraphs
Ancient Skin
Symbols Of Bloodswords

Customer Reviews:

mayhem's absolute best.......2003-03-31

1997's best surprise. it has what i consider the most devastating (yet insanely technical) black metal songs i've heard so far: Ancient skin and Symbols of bloodswords. it's a shame that maniac is...lazy...keeps us waiting for years for a mayhem album. but we'll forgive him that because the music is truely worth the wait. All the stars in the north are dead...

Savage and brutal.......2002-08-26

This is a great, great cd. As the first Mayhem release with the current lineup, they came right out of the box with a masterpiece of unanticipated power. Each track is just monstrous in every way; and the production is some of the very best you'll likely ever hear on a black metal release. Note that this contains the first part of their epic full- length release "Grand Declaration Of War", so be sure to buy both. You won't be disappointed if raw, seriously dangerous metal is what you're looking for.

The True Mayhem reign supreme.......2001-08-22

Let me tell you, this is one hell of a great cd. One of the things that make this cd so awesome is the drumming of Hellhammer. This guy plays with such ferocity and intensity. The other is Necrobutcher playing bass. You can really hear the power behind it. WLA is one of myfavorite Mayhem albums. My favorite track is Fall of Seraphs. I can't wait for the new Mayhem album "Chimera". Totally recommended.

time traveling to 30 A.D........1999-12-06

Inspiring masterpieces like this one are seldom being released. Mayhem brings the listener back to the time of jesus- his preaching, introspections, and prophesies. Outstanding lyrics, great vocals, and fast music.

Mayhem Lives!.......1999-07-16

This may be my favourite Mayhem album of all. As opposed to the crude "deathcrushing" sound of their early stuff & the atmospheric shred of "De Mysteriis," this album tends more towards technical chaotic black/death metal, really unlike anything else I've heard before. Usually very fast, sometimes atmospheric (all done w/out synths, except for the ambient intro track), and always hellish - every aspect of this music is absolutely insane, and it definitely gives hope for a grim future.

Music Info:

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