MAYHEM - LIVE IN LEIPZIG (1993)

On a digipack CD released on the Italian label Avantgarde Music from 1996.

This was actually the first official Black Metal live album that I ever bought in the 90’s. Remember mailordering this and Transilvanian Hunger (1994) by Darkthrone from either TPL or Dolores (clearly remember it wasn't Sound Pollution) because neither of those CD's were to be be found in my hometown at the time. Like most all other Avantgarde Music releases, so when it arrived it was a great package that's for sure.

It would also be the first time that I ever heard the legendary Dead on vocals with Mayhem. So my expectations were astronomical high on the Live In Leipzig album and especially on the vocals. This was recorded on the 26th of November in 1990 at the Eiskeller Club located in Leipzig, Germany.

Some might not like the sound quality but I had been hardened by a bunch of bootleg VHS-tapes with live recordings of Dissection, Emperor, Marduk, Dismember etc.

However the first couple of listens it actually didn’t blow me away. Sure it was great to hear songs I hadn’t heard before like the amazing Deathcrush, Carnage, Chainsaw Gutsfuck, Pure Fucking Armageddon and Necrolust etc because I didn't own a version of the Deathcrush (1987) EP back then. But soon I realized just how amazing this record was and the brilliant vocals by Dead.

I of course owned De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1994) and Attila Csihar’s performance on that record was so divided in the scene all throughout the 90’s by fans, musicians & journalists. It was almost like you had to make a choice back then.

Although Dead’s vocals were amazing the performance by Attila on De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas was (and is still) the best vocal performance I ever heard on any record.

This isn’t a Dead vs Attila post and I’m not putting down Dead. His contribution on Live In Leipzig is in fact astonishing and Dead’s impact on the scene have been well established. I mean how many releases with Mayhem live and rehearsals recordings is out by now? They wouldn't exist if it weren't an interest for the classic lineup with Dead, Euronymous, Necrobutcher and Hellhammer.

This live recording had been spread around in the scene as early as 1991. The first official release of Live In Leipzig was actually only available on LP in 1993 released on the Italian label Obscure Plasma Records that became Avantgarde Music. That release also included the only studio work by Mayhem with Dead on vocals Carnage and Freezing Moon. On the spine it was written “... The scene was DEAD...the scene is dead...”.

It was released on CD in 1994 in 3 different versions but without the studio versions of Carnage and Freezing Moon. I really like my digipack but any of those releases are on my wanted list especially the vinyl. I’m by no means an expert on Mayhem bootlegs and all their releases except for the most known ones. But I could see those CD's and also the LP  being very common for being fake ones. Or am I wrong?

Anyway this classic release is a most own album to have in any serious Black Metal collection in my opinion.