Mayhem bootleg CDs

Obviously many of the Mayhem bootlegs have had multiple pressings on various formats. As this site is more about detailing what's actually on a bootleg rather than all the pressings/variants of a particular boot, I generally don't keep up with various pressings. If you feel pertinent versions are not mentioned here, feel free to send me that info.

A Tribute To The Black Emperors Split with Morbid
Tracks 5, 8 - studio tracks 1990 Track 6 - from "Deathcrush" Demo 1987 Track 7 - from "Live In Leipzig" Tracks 1-4 - see Morbid page
Warhammer Records Lust3
37:39
	1. My Dark Subconscious - Morbid
	2. Winds Of Funera [sic] - Morbid
	3. From The Dark - Morbid
	4. Disgusting Semla - Morbid
	5. The Freezing Moon
	6. Necrolust
	7. Funeral Fog
	8. Carnage (unlisted)

At one point, arguably the most well-known and widely available Mayhem bootleg. In addition to various vinyl versions, there was an earlier CD version of this bootleg on Land of the Rising Sun Records--as that's another Bull Metal label, the Warhammer version is more of a repress than a knock-off.

Tracks 5 and 8 are the only studio tracks Mayhem did with Dead, from the 1990 promo. These have appeared on the "Projections of a Stained Mind" compilation and on several other bootlegs.

Dawn Of The Black Hearts
Tracks 1-8 - live Sarpsborg, Norway, Feb. 28, 1990 Tracks 9-11 - live Follorocken, Ski, Norway, 1986
Warhammer Records Lust 2
48:24
	1. Deathcrush
	2. Necrolust
	3. Funeral Fog
	4. Freezing Moon
	5. Carnage
	6. Buried By Time And Dust
	7. Chainsaw Gutsfuck
	8. Pure Fucking Armageddon
	9. Dance Macabre [sic] (Celtic Frost cover)/ Black Metal (Venom cover)
	10. Procreation Of The Wicked (Celtic Frost cover)
	11. Welcome To Hell (Venom cover)

Several versions of this bootleg exist, all containing the Sarpsborg gig. On vinyl, there was the original LP and a later picture disc, but I think there have also been multiple vinyl pressings since. The CD pressings include the original jewel-case pressing, a gatefold cardboard sleeve version, a later jewel-case pressing, and a pressing on the "Anti-Grishnackh" label which includes the "Pure Fucking Armageddon" demo. There are also newer 8-track versions both in jewel case and DVD-size boxes with only the Sarpsborg tracks. All versions use the same Dead suicide picture as the cover, with older ones generally using a gold color for the logo/title and newer ones using black (since there have been so many versions I'm not sure if this still applies). There are also logo size and title size/font variations among versions, so along with the differences in bonus materials, it's not really too hard to tell the multiple pressings apart.

Beginning with the cardboard sleeve CD and subsequent jewel-case CD pressings, the Ski live tracks began to be included, which are erroneously listed as being from Lillehammer (on all versions that have them, I think). I believe the CD shown here is the second jewel-case version, which in my opinion has the nicest cover in terms of picture quality and font/logo choice, but has a cheap looking back insert.

The Ski gig is supposedly the band's first ever live show from the Follorocken live competition; b/w video footage of this performance also exists. Messiah is on vocals.

"Danse Macabre" is only a minute or so long excerpt (like Frost themselves used to do at live gigs), not a full cover.

Note that "Danse Macabre" and "Black Metal" aren't listed as being together on the back insert. I know the cardboard sleeve CD lists them as seperate tracks, but I'm not sure if they're actually indexed seperately on that disc. Here, they're together in a single track.

Ultimately, there's no denying this bootleg is more revered for its historical importance and the notorious cover than what's actually on it. However, I've always found the complaints about the sound quality (from people who should probably move on from metal immediately!) of the '86 tracks to be greatly exaggerated. An awful quality tribute to the masters, perhaps, but it still doesn't descend to industrial-machinery-with-vocals or listening-from-outside-the-club levels.

From The Darkest Past
"De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" studio rehearsal May 16, 1992
Warhammer Records Lust5
43:14
	1. Freezing Moon
	2. Pagan Fears
	3. Buried By Time And Dust
	4. Life Eternal
	5. Funeral Fog
	6. Cursed In Eternity
	7. De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

Vocalless rehearsal of most of the "De Mysteriis..." album. I hate the pathetic operatic vocals on the final album, so I find this boot quite appealing. The bass is also more prominent than on the album.

Ironically, "From the Dark Past" is missing here, which would make this CD a complete rehearsal of the "De Mysteriis..." album. An instrumental version of "From the Dark Past" actually does indeed exist and is included on the "In Memorium" bootleg, which has other tracks from this same rehearsal.

There are two different disc variants of this version of the bootleg; the only difference is the printing on the discs. One has the band logo, label number, and title printed in white on a plain black disc. The other version has a picture of the band on it along with everything else.

From The Darkest Past (Digipak)
Tracks 1-7 - "De Mysteriis..." studio rehearsal, May 16, 1992 Tracks 8-9 - studio tracks 1990 Tracks 10-13 - rehearsal (Nov. 1986?)
Demonomancy Records DNR 001
65:18
	1. Freezing Moon
	2. Pagan Fears
	3. Buried By Time And Dust
	4. Life Eternal
	5. Funeral Fog
	6. Cursed In Eternity
	7. De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
	8. Freezing Moon
	9. Carnage
	10. Chainsaw Gutsfuck
	11. Necrolust
	12. Deathcrush
	13. Into The Crypt Of Rays [sic] (Celtic Frost cover)

A more recent digipak bootleg under the "From the Darkest Past" name. Tracks 1-7 are the same as on the original bootleg.

There is a small glitch at 1:32 of track 4.

Tracks 10-13 are an instrumental rehearsal listed as being from 1986. This is the same rehearsal as on the "Apokalyptik War" bootleg 7" and the "Vomit from Helvete" LP (which dates them as Nov. '86). Compared to some of the other places they appear, the tracks here have been edited down so there's a lot less background noise/chatter before and after the songs. "Chainsaw Gutsfuck" is faded out here a bit earlier before it actually ends. The Frost cover is played much faster than the original.

In Memorium
Tracks 1-7 - rehearsal 1991 Track 8 - original "Deathcrush" outro Tracks 9-13 - "De Mysteriis..." studio rehearsal, May 16, 1992 Tracks 14-15 - rehearsal with Dead (1991?)
Freezing Moon 001
72:00
	1. Pure Fucking Armageddon
	2. Funeral Fog
	3. Freezing Moon
	4. Buried By Time And Dust
	5. Deathcrush
	6. Chainsaw Gutsfuck
	7. Necrolust
	8. Intro
	9. Buried By Time And Dust
	10. Life Eternal
	11. From The Dark Past
	12. Cursed In Eternity
	13. De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
	14. Freezing Moon
	15. Funeral Fog

Warning: There's a CD-R version of this boot with a professionally printed disc and inserts. The CD-R version actually has 16 tracks, with the vocalless rehearsal version of "Pagan Fears" being included between tracks 8 and 9 above. Since the extra track is listed on the CD-R version, the tracklisting is the easiest way to tell the CD-R from the original. The inserts have red printing compared to the magenta/pink print of the original CD, and the picture quality on the cover is a bit better. Also, the CD-R will obviously be missing the correct matrix information.

While it does have a similar cover and uses the same back cover photo, this CD has nothing to do material-wise with the bootleg 7"s of the same name.

Tracks 1-7 are from a rehearsal with Dead, one of the better quality ones. These tracks were officially released on the "Out from the Dark" LP.

Track 8 is the infamous sing-along of "All the Little Flowers are (Happy)" by Cliff Richard and The Young Ones. It is listed on the bootleg as "Promo '90," although it first appeared on the original version of the "Deathcrush" demo.

Tracks 9-13 are from the same vocalless rehearsal of "De Mysteriis..." as the "From The Darkest Past" bootleg. "From The Dark Past" itself is included here.

Tracks 14-15 are listed as being a rehearsal with bass/vocals by Culto Culus/Occultus of Perdition Hearse fame, during his brief period in the band after Dead's death. However, these appear to just be somewhat low-quality reh. tracks with Dead. "Funeral Fog" has a false start.

Despite its shortcomings, I think the variety of material here makes it the best Mayhem bootleg overall.

Last Breath: (Last Recordings With DEAD) (Digipak)
Tracks 1-6, 11 - rehearsal 1988(?) Tracks 7-8 - rehearsal with Dead (1991?) Tracks 9-10 - studio tracks 1990
Northern Twilight Rec. TWILIGHT 002
46:31

Given tracklisting:	Correct tracklisting:
1. Deathcrush	1. Deathcrush
2. Necrolust	2. Necrolust
3. Freezing Moon	3. Freezing Moon
4. Chainsaw Gutsfuck	4. Pure Fucking Armageddon
5. Pure Fucking Armageddon	5. Untitled Song
6. Untitled	6. Untitled Song (cont.)
7. Funeral Fog	7. Funeral Fog/Voice Of A Tortured Skull
8. Freezing Moon	8. Freezing Moon
9. Carnage	9. Carnage
10. Freezing Moon	10. Freezing Moon
11. Untitled	11. Untitled Song

Tracks 1-6 are the same rehearsal from the "Ha-Elm Zalag" boot LP and other bootlegs, in the same horrible quality here as everywhere else. "Chainsaw Gutsfuck" was indeed played during this reh. and you can even hear someone say "chainsaw" at the end of track 3, but it's not included on this particular boot. These tracks are listed as a '91 reh. here but I think on other boots they're more consistently mentioned as being from 1988.

There's a break between the two parts of the untitled song. Track 11 (listed as a bonus) is the same recording again (in even worse quality because it's more distant sounding).

Tracks 7 and 8 are the same reh. tracks that appear on "In Memorium." For whatever reason, the "Voice of a Tortured Skull" intro from the "Pure Fucking Armageddon" demo has been added to the end of "Funeral Fog" here.

Tracks 9 and 10 are the same '90 studio tracks that appear elsewhere, only here they're at an extremely low volume.

Of Lord Satans Mysteries
Rehearsal 1991
Label unknown
29:57
	1. Buried By Time And Dust
	2. Deathcrush
	3. Chainsaw Gutsfuck
	4. Necrolust
	5. Pure Fucking Armageddon
	6. Funeral Fog
	7. The Dark And The Freezing Moon [sic]

Originally a CD-R bootleg, this is the factory-pressed version which came shortly after (I believe they both use the same inserts). There's also an LP version.

While the bootleg claims this is a spring 1989 rehearsal, this is the same rehearsal also found on the the "Out from the Dark" LP/"In Memorium" CD. While the layout is interesting since it utilizes a lot of Dead's artwork, in terms of content, there's nothing new here.

Pure Fucking Armageddon
"Pure Fucking Armageddon" Demo 1986 Tracks 1-5 - "Side Fuck" (Studio) Tracks 6-9 - "Side Off" (Unmixed)
Die Hard Anti-Mosh 666
27:46
	1. Voice Of A Tortured Skull (Intro)
	2. Carnage
	3. Ghoul
	4. Black Metal (Total Death Version) (Venom cover)
	5. Pure Fuckin' Armageddon
	6. Mayhem
	7. Ghoul
	8. Pure Fuckin' Armageddon
	9. Carnage

Bootleg of the band's 1986 demo. There are at least 3 different CD versions:

White logo/printing on black disc
Uncolored logo/info on black disc (logo and info appear silver since you see the top of the disc surface)
Newer knock-off with totally different disc print and "licensed by Century Blast" on disc. Inserts are also a bit lower quality.

Along with the intros, tracks 2, 3, and 5 are the only songs with any sort of audible "vocals." But they're only muffled grunting. I've heard that Euronymous and Necrobutcher both handled vocal duties in the earliest years of Mayhem, but it's not indicated who exactly is "singing" here.

The Venom cover is totally unrecognizeable except for the Lay Down Your Soul... post-chorus instrumental pause.

Track 6 is just an intro mostly made up of insane screaming and drumming.

The unmixed tracks are actually less muffled and the guitar is more up-front.

Easily their most Hellhammer-influenced material. I would even say it's better than "Deathcrush" to a large extent, but the lack of vocals and relatively bad sound quality make this more of a novelty CD than anything else.

The Return (Gatefold sleeve)
live Bischofswerda, Germany, June 21, 1997
December Creation Productions
55:28
	1. Intro: Silvester Anfang
	2. Ancient Skin
	3. Funeral Fog
	4. Serpent Of Eve
	5. Carnage
	6. Necrolust
	7. The Freezing Moon
	8. Buried By Time And Dust
	9. Deathcrush
	10. From The Dark Past
	11. Chainsaw Gutsfuck
	12. I Am Thy Labyrinth

CD comes in a gatefold cardboard sleeve. Most of this bootleg's appeal is historical, as this was the first live show played by the post-Euronymous lineup. Partial footage of this show was released officially as the "Live in Bischofswerda" video.

Track 4 is "Fall of Seraphs" but it's seemingly introduced as "Serpent of Eve," so that may have been a working title.

Okay sound quality. Most of the song introductions and stage banter sound clear, but during the songs themselves, the vocals tend to get buried under everything else. Interesting only for the novelty/historical factor, or for those who liked the "Wolf's Lair Abyss" mCD. This is a decent but relatively boring attempt by a band who at the time fooled themselves into thinking they could match the standard of their earlier stuff.

The True Black Split with Thou Shalt Suffer and Zemial
Tracks 1-2 - From Thou Shalt Suffer "Into The Woods Of Belial" demo 1991 Tracks 3-4 - Thou Shalt Suffer "Open The Mysteries Of Your Creation" 7" 1991 Track 5 - original "Deathcrush" outro Track 6, 8 - studio tracks 1990 Track 7 - from "Deathcrush" demo 1987 Tracks 9-10 - rehearsal 1990 Tracks 11-13 - Zemial "Sleeping Under Tartarus" 7" 1992
Label unknown
62:31
	1. Intro/Into The Woods Of Belial - Thou Shalt Suffer
	2. I Seek The Path Of Oblivion - Thou Shalt Suffer
	3. Painful Void Of Time - Thou Shalt Suffer
	4. Spectral Prophecy - Thou Shalt Suffer
	5. All The Little Flowers... - Mayhem
	6. Freezing Moon - Mayhem
	7. Necrolust - Mayhem
	8. Carnage - Mayhem
	9. Funeral Fog/Freezing Moon - Mayhem
	10. Buried By Time And Dust - Mayhem
	11. Sleeping Under Tartarus - Zemial
	12. Falling Into The Absu - Zemial
	13. Scourge Of The Kingdom - Zemial

Since the tracklisting on the bootleg is so partial and error-filled, I'm not even going to bother listing the incorrect tracklisting. Zemial is not mentioned anywhere on the bootleg. A tape version without the Zemial tracks apparently exists.

Tracks 5-8 are the same as on other bootlegs. I know the studio tracks with Dead were part of a 1990 promo, and I guess that might have included the "Deathcrush" version of "Necrolust," which is why they're often together on bootlegs.

As far as I know, the full Zemial EP has never been officially released on disc, and "Falling Into the Absu" is only available on CD on this bootleg.

Most interesting for the 1990 Mayhem rehearsal and the complete Zemial EP. Admittedly, a more appealing bootleg before the Thou Shalt Suffer material was reissued.

The True Legends In Black Split with Darkthrone
Tracks 3-9 "Deathcrush" demo 1987 (uncut version) Tracks 1-2 - see Darkthrone page
Label unknown
32:33
	1. Eon/Thulcandra - Darkthrone
	2. Archipelago - Darkthrone
	3. Silvester Anfang
	4. Deathcrush
	5. Chainsaw Gutsfuck
	6. Witching Hour
	7. Necrolust
	8. Cweirds Manheim/Pure Fucking Armageddon [sic]
	9. Outro

No track indexing numbers are given on the back insert, just a listing of the various parts. When the bootleg refers to the "original uncut version" of "Deathcrush," I assume they mean the "All the Little Flowers..." outro (track 9 here) is included. Otherwise, it doesn't sound significantly different from the CD version, maybe just slightly lower in sound quality. If you want to get really nitpicky, it sounds to me like this version might have a split-second of extra material at the very beginning, during what I guess is Maniac(?) screaming.

War And Sodomy
live Zeitz, Germany, Nov. 24, 1990
Label unknown
39:38
	1. Deathcrush
	2. Necrolust
	3. Funeral Fog
	4. The Dark Of The Freezxing Moon [sic]
	5. Carnage
	6. Buried By Time And Dust
	7. Chainsaw Gutsfuck
	8. Pagan Fears

Later CD version of the boot LP. There is apparently another CD version with a band photo and red logo on the cover, but I don't know much about it. The layout here is basically taken straight from the LP, just with graphics that are slightly darker and less crisp. The CD version also significantly darkens the lineup photo from the back of the LP, removes the text and space for numbering that were in the LP corner, and adds a Mayhem logo behind the title/tracklisting text.

Both the vinyl and CD versions state on the back that it's "live in Zeitz, East Germany." As an aside, I've wondered why the '90 German shows are always mentioned as being in "East Germany" (it's this way on "Live in Leipzig" too) on live recordings and in old interviews. "East Germany" hadn't officially existed for over a month when the November shows took place. I don't know if because of his admiration for Communism, Euronymous refused to accept the dissolution of the DDR, or whether "east-Germany" was trying to be conveyed unsuccessfully.

All tracks have breaks between them. There are a lot of artifacts at the beginning and end of each track, and minor sound oddities and occasional clicks, pops, and surface noise throughout the bootleg. There are just too many minor things for me to make a full detailed list, but the most notable ones are a pair of possible audio hiccups at 4:05 and 4:29 in "Freezing Moon," and at 2:31 in "Buried By Time and Dust," there's a soft noise (possibly surface noise from the vinyl) that repeats for about a minute.

It's interesting to compare this recording to the Leipzig--where the vocals were definitely high in the mix--and Sarpsborg--where the guitars tended to be up-front--recordings, since the drums are pretty prominent. Here the instruments tend to overpower Dead's vocals to a certain extent.

Miscellaneous

The "A Warlord's Swansong" boot is most likely a CD-R as it's extremely limited (to 100?). It supposedly contains an Attila-era rehearsal, a '95 rehearsal, and some earlier material taken from other bootlegs.

Up From The Tombs It Comes CD-R bootleg
Tracks 1-6 - rehearsal 1988 (?) Tracks 7-8 - studio tracks 1990 Track 9 - original "Deathcrush" outro Tracks 10-16 - rehearsal 1991 Tracks 17-19 - live Zeitz, Germany, Nov. 24, 1990
Label Unknown
77:27
	1. Deathcrush
	2. Necrolust
	3. Freezing Moon
	4. Chaimnsaw Gutsfuck [sic]
	5. Pure Fucking Armageddon
	6. Unreleased Track
	7. Freezing Moon
	8. Carnage
	9. Intro
	10. Pure Fucking Armageddon
	11. Funeral Fog
	12. Freezing Moon
	13. Buried By Time And Dust
	14. Deathcrush
	15. Chainsaw Gutsfuck
	16. Necrolust
	17. Deathcrush
	18. Necrolust
	19. Funeral Fog

Despite having a profesionally-printed disc and inserts, this is indeed a CD-R. This is just a compilation of material taken from other bootlegs.

Tracks 1-6 are from the "Ha-Elm Zalag" bootleg LP, supposedly a 1988 rehearsal. I haven't heard how the tracks sound on the original vinyl, but they are of nearly unlistenable quality here, as the instruments are mostly just a wall of sound. Track 6 is the untitled track from which Emperor got the intro riff to "Ye Entrancemperium."

Tracks 7-8 are the two studio tracks with Dead and track 9 is the "All the Little Flowers..." sing-along, same culprits seen elsewhere.

Tracks 10-16 are the same Dead rehearsal from the "In Memorium" CD and the official "Out From the Dark" LP.

Tracks 17-19 are the from the Zeitz gig on the "War & Sodomy" bootleg LP/CD, with the same artifact noises mentioned above.