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When you talk about black metal, you have to talk about Mayhem. Forged in the now-infamous fires of controversy, violence, and scandal, the Norwegian pioneers didn't just play the genre—they wrote its foundational text. Their canonical 1994 debut, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, was more than an album; it was a grimoire of raw, frostbitten fury that countless bands would try to replicate for decades. The path was clear: repeat the formula, sharpen the tremolo-picked riffs, and lean further into the abyss they had perfected. But Mayhem had other plans. Instead, they declared war on expectation itself.
That declaration came in the form of their second full-length album, Grand Declaration of War. It was a calculated and cold-blooded act of sonic defiance that saw the band tear down the very temple they had built. On merciless cuts like “A Time to Die”, the familiar, venomous assault was still present, a chilling reminder of their power. But this was merely a foothold in familiar territory before a full-scale invasion of the unknown. The band's arsenal exploded into territories then considered forbidden for a band of their stature. They embraced the clinical chill of the avant-garde with Maniac's jarring spoken-word tirades in “View from Nihil,” ventured into the narcotic haze and atmospheric dread of trip-hop on “A Bloodsword and a Colder Sun (Part II),” and constructed suffocating, industrial-tinged soundscapes of doom in “Completion in Science of Agony.” It wasn't just different; it was a deliberate deconstruction of their own myth.
For many fans at the time, it was a jarring and divisive move. For the album's chief sonic architect, newly appointed guitarist Blasphemer, it was a necessary revolution and a baptism by fire. Tasked with writing the follow-up to a legend, he chose not to imitate, but to innovate. "This record means a lot," he told Outburn in a recent retrospective. "It built a foundation, not only for me personally, but it also built a new foundation for Mayhem." His statement perfectly captures the album's intent: a declaration that Mayhem would bow to no one, not even the suffocating weight of their own legacy.
The album's audacious spirit wasn't just a risk for the band; it was a gamble that marked a turning point for their label, Season of Mist. "For Season of Mist, there was a before and an after Grand Declaration of War," recalls founder Michael Berberian. "This is probably the first true classic album we ever released, the one that put us on the map. And what an album. Talk about unexpected. Talk about daring." For an independent label, backing such an unpredictable artistic swerve from one of metal's most notorious names was a move that could have backfired spectacularly. Instead, it cemented both band and label as fearless entities.
Now, 25 years later, that daring statement is getting the celebration it deserves. Season of Mist is releasing a special anniversary edition of Grand Declaration of War that honors its monumental impact. This deluxe reissue features:
The original master pressed on a stunning sunburst-colored gatefold LP.
New silver hot foil packaging that gleams with defiant energy.
A double-sided poster capturing the album's iconic aesthetic.
A high-quality embroidered leather patch.
A quarter-century on, Grand Declaration of War remains a potent testament to Mayhem's fearless and uncompromising artistic will. Its legacy isn't just in the sounds it explored, but in the permission it gave others to break free from orthodoxy. It proved that the truest darkness, the most profound rebellion, isn't found in repeating the past, but in having the courage to venture into the unknown, no matter how treacherous the path.
The 25th Anniversary Edition of Grand Declaration of War arrives on December 5th via Season of Mist.
Pre-order your copy today
