With Liturgy of Death, Mayhem return nearly four decades into their career with a record that tightens their grip on the darkness they helped shape. The band does not look backward or soften its edges, instead delivering a focused and unrelenting album that leans fully into themes of mortality, dread, and spiritual decay.

Liturgy of Death is Mayhem’s seventh studio album and their first full-length since 2019’s Daemon. From the opening strain to the closing echo, it is an exploration of mortality and dread without filler, excess, or compromise. The production, helmed by Tore Stjerna alongside guitarist Teloch, gives the band’s assault room to breathe even when the music rushes at full tilt. That clarity highlights both the brutality and the bleak atmosphere.

Right out of the gate, the record stakes its ground. Lead single "Weep for Nothing" delivers blast beats and riffs that feel ritualistic in their precision, while "Despair" abandons all pretense of melody in favor of pure, unyielding force. The centerpiece, "Ephemeral Eternity," finds the band reaching outward, inviting Garm of Ulver for guest vocals. It is a rare collaborative moment that deepens an otherwise sealed world of sound.

Across eight tracks, with bonus material on select editions, Mayhem guide listeners through stark terrain where nothing softens the edges. Songs like "Funeral of Existence," "Realm of Endless Misery," and "The Sentence of Absolution" land with cold, metallic clarity. There is a structural confidence here that makes the album feel unified, each song operating as a chapter in a bleak liturgy examining entropy and loss without sentimentality.

Attila Csihar’s vocals remain one of Mayhem’s most defining elements, shifting between guttural roars and cavernous incantations. Backed by the twin guitars of Teloch and Ghul, Necrobutcher’s bass, and Hellhammer’s commanding drumming, the album balances aggression with deliberate pacing that allows its weight to settle.

Liturgy of Death will not convert the uninitiated. It makes no effort toward accessibility or comfort. For longtime followers, though, it delivers a focused and punishing work that feels purposeful and resolute. Mayhem continue to dwell in darkness, shaping it with intent, discipline, and an unwavering sense of identity.