What do you think?
Rate this book
The Death Archives: Mayhem 1984-94
Mayhem are the most influential Black Metal band in the world, and obviously no strangers to controversy. Death Archives offer never before seen photographs and unique insight into one of music's most extreme subcultures. The Death Archives is a ravishingly illustrated first-person account of the birth of black metal in the Norwegian scene by Jorn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud, the founding member and ongoing bass player in Mayhem. During the band's ongoing career, now spanning thirty years, bass player and only surviving band member from the original line-up, Jorn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud, has collected enormous amounts of photographs, video diaries and memorabilia. In this unique documentary book, Stubberud shares the first groundbreaking years of Mayhem's existence including their first photo-sessions in full corpse regalia; recording sessions, and exclusive stills from live video footage of their earliest gigs. In Necrobutcher's Death Archives he shares rarely seen photos of the band before death of singer Pelle "Dead" Ohlin and murder of guitarist Oystein "Euronymous" Aarseth.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2015
18 people are currently reading
825 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 28, 2019
Upon completion, this book marks the final stop in my journey through the origin story of Black Metal. Several documentaries and countless blogs and articles later, I decided to read ‘The Death Archives’. There’s just something about the band Mayhem and the tragedy that surrounded them in their early years that has me fascinated. When I saw that founding member Jorn ‘Necrobutcher’ Stubberud had released his own book specifically about the first 10 years of Mayhem’s formation, I absolutely had to read it.
My take on Black Metal
So, here’s the thing before I get straight into the book. I could never call myself an avid metal fan – at least by the standards of some – and I’ve never cared to. I’ve listened to a fair amount, especially in my teenage years, but until recently, my musical taste is typically more Depeche Mode, less Metallica. Goth shit, you know? The thing that always bothered me about metal is the elitism. That, and either the twisted moral compass a lot of fans and artists possess, or complete lack thereof. Black Metal, it seems, conjures up a great deal of said elitism and horrific ethical values.
I like metal in part because it’s angry, and I’ve been very angry for a lot of my life. I suspect a lot of metal fans are angry. But when that anger becomes misplaced, it makes for the most unbelievable cocktail of Neo-Nazism, dangerous alt-right ideologies, and the edgiest performative depravity imaginable. Black Metal in particular tends to encourage this bigoted mindset so much so that NSBM – National Socialist Black Metal – has become a thing. Yikes. I suspect if you’re reading this book you’re probably aware of all of this, so I won’t get too into it. A quick google will suffice in quickly uncovering a trove of racism and other bigotry within the genre. Varg Vikernes is a goldmine of anti-Semitism and a literal murderer. Mayhem drummer Jan Axel Blomberg also sounds like a really stand up guy. Who doesn’t love a dude who has stated his dislike for black people and praises the murder of homosexuals? Oh, you.
‘The Death Archives’ Review
Ethics somewhat aside, I’ll get into the book itself. First off, the publishing is gorgeous; it’s a well put together book with a great collection of photos and an aesthetically pleasing design in general. I like the easy and simple written style that adds to the raw honesty of Stubberud’s account. I can certainly appreciate his wanting to tell the story of Mayhem himself, the media in his opinion having co-opted and exploited the tragedies that befell his band and friends. This was his story to tell and he wanted to finally put it out there however he felt fit. The photos and text were nicely balanced, and the conciseness of the writing made it a quick but engaging read.
One thing I will say about the English translation that I’m not too keen on is that it comes off as overly British; a lot of instances of ‘mates’ and ‘bloody’ sprinkled around that seemed a bit unnatural – but not enough to detract from the content itself. I understand that for the translators and editors this might have been the best way to relay Stubberud’s style of speech, but still, a small thing.
The afterword was wonderfully written, and I can appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t believe there was an inherent beauty in Pelle’s suicide; the romanticisation of depression and taking one’s life is something I abhor. I think it’s undeniable that Dead needed significant psychological intervention. As Stubberud recounts, he barely ate, engaged in self-harm and kept dead animals around so he could be surrounded by the smell of death. The stigma surrounding Mental Health is only in recent years being discussed and it is unfortunately (at least in the UK, not sure about Norway or Sweden) extremely difficult to access support, so I imagine this wouldn’t have been easy at all. I can’t help but feel sad, though Thurston Moore suggests that to do so is to ‘deny the genuine truth of a remarkable individual’s short time on Earth’. We’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Conclusion
I’m a British woman who was born in 1994. I can’t relate to being a teenage boy growing up in 1980’s Norway. I don’t want to write off the existence of Mayhem or the entire Black Metal genre as the result of unbridled teenage rage (not that I consider that an inherently bad thing). But it is hard to see it as anything else at times. Although I feel drawn to Pelle’s story, as a lot of people are, I didn’t know him and I can only glean so much from reading books and watching documentaries. No reader is entitled to all the gory details surrounding Dead and Euronymous, or any member of Mayhem, for that matter. As Stubberud points out himself:
The book did its part. It serves its purpose as Stubberud’s own personal account of his band’s origins. This doesn’t mean I have to like everything he says. Not, for example, when he describes a woman as, and I quote, ‘a solid plug of a bint’. Charming. But I didn’t come to assess his personal politics, as much as I gritted my teeth at times. I came to read an in depth and personal account about Mayhem in their definitive years, and to further my understanding of the origins of Black Metal. In that sense, it was a great read. If you have an interest in Mayhem and/or Black Metal, I would definitely recommend this book. But for those out there who, like me, despise the culture of bigotry that permeates the genre, take it with a pinch of salt.
My take on Black Metal
So, here’s the thing before I get straight into the book. I could never call myself an avid metal fan – at least by the standards of some – and I’ve never cared to. I’ve listened to a fair amount, especially in my teenage years, but until recently, my musical taste is typically more Depeche Mode, less Metallica. Goth shit, you know? The thing that always bothered me about metal is the elitism. That, and either the twisted moral compass a lot of fans and artists possess, or complete lack thereof. Black Metal, it seems, conjures up a great deal of said elitism and horrific ethical values.
I like metal in part because it’s angry, and I’ve been very angry for a lot of my life. I suspect a lot of metal fans are angry. But when that anger becomes misplaced, it makes for the most unbelievable cocktail of Neo-Nazism, dangerous alt-right ideologies, and the edgiest performative depravity imaginable. Black Metal in particular tends to encourage this bigoted mindset so much so that NSBM – National Socialist Black Metal – has become a thing. Yikes. I suspect if you’re reading this book you’re probably aware of all of this, so I won’t get too into it. A quick google will suffice in quickly uncovering a trove of racism and other bigotry within the genre. Varg Vikernes is a goldmine of anti-Semitism and a literal murderer. Mayhem drummer Jan Axel Blomberg also sounds like a really stand up guy. Who doesn’t love a dude who has stated his dislike for black people and praises the murder of homosexuals? Oh, you.
‘The Death Archives’ Review
Ethics somewhat aside, I’ll get into the book itself. First off, the publishing is gorgeous; it’s a well put together book with a great collection of photos and an aesthetically pleasing design in general. I like the easy and simple written style that adds to the raw honesty of Stubberud’s account. I can certainly appreciate his wanting to tell the story of Mayhem himself, the media in his opinion having co-opted and exploited the tragedies that befell his band and friends. This was his story to tell and he wanted to finally put it out there however he felt fit. The photos and text were nicely balanced, and the conciseness of the writing made it a quick but engaging read.
One thing I will say about the English translation that I’m not too keen on is that it comes off as overly British; a lot of instances of ‘mates’ and ‘bloody’ sprinkled around that seemed a bit unnatural – but not enough to detract from the content itself. I understand that for the translators and editors this might have been the best way to relay Stubberud’s style of speech, but still, a small thing.
The afterword was wonderfully written, and I can appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t believe there was an inherent beauty in Pelle’s suicide; the romanticisation of depression and taking one’s life is something I abhor. I think it’s undeniable that Dead needed significant psychological intervention. As Stubberud recounts, he barely ate, engaged in self-harm and kept dead animals around so he could be surrounded by the smell of death. The stigma surrounding Mental Health is only in recent years being discussed and it is unfortunately (at least in the UK, not sure about Norway or Sweden) extremely difficult to access support, so I imagine this wouldn’t have been easy at all. I can’t help but feel sad, though Thurston Moore suggests that to do so is to ‘deny the genuine truth of a remarkable individual’s short time on Earth’. We’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Conclusion
I’m a British woman who was born in 1994. I can’t relate to being a teenage boy growing up in 1980’s Norway. I don’t want to write off the existence of Mayhem or the entire Black Metal genre as the result of unbridled teenage rage (not that I consider that an inherently bad thing). But it is hard to see it as anything else at times. Although I feel drawn to Pelle’s story, as a lot of people are, I didn’t know him and I can only glean so much from reading books and watching documentaries. No reader is entitled to all the gory details surrounding Dead and Euronymous, or any member of Mayhem, for that matter. As Stubberud points out himself:
“Mayhem were never interested in exploitation. Our personal experiences did not take place in order to sell more records or gain media exposure and that won’t change now.”
The book did its part. It serves its purpose as Stubberud’s own personal account of his band’s origins. This doesn’t mean I have to like everything he says. Not, for example, when he describes a woman as, and I quote, ‘a solid plug of a bint’. Charming. But I didn’t come to assess his personal politics, as much as I gritted my teeth at times. I came to read an in depth and personal account about Mayhem in their definitive years, and to further my understanding of the origins of Black Metal. In that sense, it was a great read. If you have an interest in Mayhem and/or Black Metal, I would definitely recommend this book. But for those out there who, like me, despise the culture of bigotry that permeates the genre, take it with a pinch of salt.
September 2, 2016
Mayhem is my favorite band - but I didn't get this book when it came out cause I thought the price was too stiff "just for a photo book". It turned out to be more than that.
Jørn Stubberud AKA Necrobutcher, who's been the bassist since the start and still is, tells many stories about what the band experienced in the 80's and 90's - many small and silly stories, but I appreciated them. You feel like you really were there, which is a feeling I long for as a fan that was born in 1994.
Most of the pictures are never seen before (some weren't even developed before this book was to be made), so I'd say this is really worth it for Mayhem fans!
Jørn Stubberud AKA Necrobutcher, who's been the bassist since the start and still is, tells many stories about what the band experienced in the 80's and 90's - many small and silly stories, but I appreciated them. You feel like you really were there, which is a feeling I long for as a fan that was born in 1994.
Most of the pictures are never seen before (some weren't even developed before this book was to be made), so I'd say this is really worth it for Mayhem fans!
August 3, 2021
For a long time, I wanted to make The Death Archives mine. The beautiful archive of the most controversial Black Metal band to this date, The True Mayhem.
I truly enjoyed reading these and going though the photos. Some of those stories and pictures were totally new to me. They really are remarkable. A bunch of penniless kids and their struggles to make some unearthly music is commendable.
I suppose it’s the month of Pelle (Dead). Its the second time I was reading Dead this month. No issues, Mayhem is always a good topic to read about.
Book #36 of 2021..
Around the year in 52 books “A book with an ensemble cast”
I truly enjoyed reading these and going though the photos. Some of those stories and pictures were totally new to me. They really are remarkable. A bunch of penniless kids and their struggles to make some unearthly music is commendable.
I suppose it’s the month of Pelle (Dead). Its the second time I was reading Dead this month. No issues, Mayhem is always a good topic to read about.
Book #36 of 2021..
Around the year in 52 books “A book with an ensemble cast”
December 8, 2018
A riveting read filled with cool "behind the scenes"-tidbits of information and archived pictures. Does exactly what it promises in the forewords - no unnecessary exploitation of a tragedy but merely complementary stories about a band of mischievous kids that unintentionally kickstart the birth of a genre. Bonus points for the paper used in this book that was exceedingly pleasant to the touch.
October 25, 2016
Fantastic. This book is not there to retell the whole story of mayhem. It's mostly about the pictures and they speak volumes. Necrobutchers accompanying bits and pieces fit so well and draw a strong picture. This is a book not to judge or blame and that is good. The book creates a certain mood and a certain atmosphere that is absolutely amazing but also depressing in a way. Before this I knew much about dead, euro and varg but barely anything about necro. This changed now and I'm glad about it. I respect that he decided to publish this book, it was a great experience.
August 24, 2020
It's great to have an inside view of Mayhem that makes them look more human than the larger than life personas the sensationalist media protrays. The book feels like a narrated picture book, and it also gives some intereting details about the 10 first years of this influential band. Only downside is having to see the picture credits at the end of the book to understand them better.
January 21, 2022
Chi mi conosce bene sa che ho un'immensa passione per il black metal (Live in Leipzig è stato sostanzialmente la colonna sonora degli anni più bui della mia vita, e di ciò sarò eternamente grata), e per le vicende - non solo musicali - della second wave norvegese. Di conseguenza, qualunque cosa riguardi vita, morte e miracoli dei Mayhem non può che attrarre la mia attenzione.
E questo libro è estremamente interessante da questo punto di vista. Al di là dei fatti in sé, sono i piccoli dettagli che vengono trasmessi a renderlo così affascinante. Necrobutcher è rimasto escluso dalla maggior parte dei noti fattacci per cui la band è conosciuta dai profani, dunque quella che viene ritratta è la realtà quotidiana. Ed è perfetto così così. Se devo essere sincera mi ha trasmesso tanta malinconia.
Le pagine di testo in realtà non sono molte. Senza dubbio buona parte del valore dell'opera sta nelle foto. Gli appassionati di fotografie relative al mondo del black metal non potranno che esserne entusiasti. Alcune sono classiche e ben note (come la copertina della prima edizione di Deathcrush), altre molto meno, ma tutte davvero affascinanti.
Davvero splendido.
E questo libro è estremamente interessante da questo punto di vista. Al di là dei fatti in sé, sono i piccoli dettagli che vengono trasmessi a renderlo così affascinante. Necrobutcher è rimasto escluso dalla maggior parte dei noti fattacci per cui la band è conosciuta dai profani, dunque quella che viene ritratta è la realtà quotidiana. Ed è perfetto così così. Se devo essere sincera mi ha trasmesso tanta malinconia.
Le pagine di testo in realtà non sono molte. Senza dubbio buona parte del valore dell'opera sta nelle foto. Gli appassionati di fotografie relative al mondo del black metal non potranno che esserne entusiasti. Alcune sono classiche e ben note (come la copertina della prima edizione di Deathcrush), altre molto meno, ma tutte davvero affascinanti.
Davvero splendido.
October 21, 2020
"Dödsarkiv" is a personal look into the history of the founders of the Norwegian/Oslo black metal scene, Mayhem, by none other than the band's original basist Jörn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud. He was first part of the band from 1984 to roughly 1991 (when he left the band), then got involved in restarting the band with a new lineup in 1995. At the point of writing this review (2020), Stubberud is still touring with Mayhem.
The book mostly consists of interesting stories and a heap of old photographs that haven't been featured elsewhere before, mostly taken from Stubberud's own collection. Stubberud offers insight on various topics: the personalities of members such as guitarist "Euronymous" and vocalist "Dead", the story of why Mayhem's first incarnation was named "Musta" and why the band's European tour of 1990 ended disastrously.
As someone who is especially interested in researching the development of the different Nordic black metal scenes, I certainly find this book valuable, but I would advise that those with "overall interest" in the topic of black metal should look to books such as "Blood, Fire Death" (2012), "Black Metal: Beyond the Darkness" (2012) and "Pirunkehto" (2016) first, since this work only offers brief recaps or mentions of context, mostly assuming that the reader already knows the outlines of early black metal history.
On the other hand, for international audiences there are far too few alternatives to "Lords of Chaos" (1998/2003) out there - while being very informative, the authors of that particular book have been called out for fabricating information about the scene musicians and their actions, thus calling their entire book into question.
"Dödsarkiv" is a pure firsthand account of what transpired, and I have found Stubberud's writings to be consistent with both details he has offered in past interviews and what his colleagues (most notably Kjetil Manheim and "Hellhammer") have told about the same things.
Since the book is available in both Norwegian and English ("The Death Archives"), it might at the end of the day be one of the top options for fans and casual readers alike to choose from.
The book mostly consists of interesting stories and a heap of old photographs that haven't been featured elsewhere before, mostly taken from Stubberud's own collection. Stubberud offers insight on various topics: the personalities of members such as guitarist "Euronymous" and vocalist "Dead", the story of why Mayhem's first incarnation was named "Musta" and why the band's European tour of 1990 ended disastrously.
As someone who is especially interested in researching the development of the different Nordic black metal scenes, I certainly find this book valuable, but I would advise that those with "overall interest" in the topic of black metal should look to books such as "Blood, Fire Death" (2012), "Black Metal: Beyond the Darkness" (2012) and "Pirunkehto" (2016) first, since this work only offers brief recaps or mentions of context, mostly assuming that the reader already knows the outlines of early black metal history.
On the other hand, for international audiences there are far too few alternatives to "Lords of Chaos" (1998/2003) out there - while being very informative, the authors of that particular book have been called out for fabricating information about the scene musicians and their actions, thus calling their entire book into question.
"Dödsarkiv" is a pure firsthand account of what transpired, and I have found Stubberud's writings to be consistent with both details he has offered in past interviews and what his colleagues (most notably Kjetil Manheim and "Hellhammer") have told about the same things.
Since the book is available in both Norwegian and English ("The Death Archives"), it might at the end of the day be one of the top options for fans and casual readers alike to choose from.
January 12, 2024
I would give this 5 stars if I didn't know that Necro is a pathological liar and the reader has to take everything that's written here with a few pounds of salt.
May 8, 2023
I've explored early Norwegian black metal sporadically throughout the past 20 years. Whether it's old rehearsal tapes (Frostland Tapes or Henhouse Recordings), the never-ending stream of documentaries (definitely watch Helvete), remastered recordings (Out of the Dark) or actual literature (this book right here), it never gets old. Fascinating stuff. Necrobutcher's recollections accompanied by hundreds of photos cataloging Mayhem's origin and early phases are about as tangible as the music itself.
February 10, 2022
This such a great book! You get to hear in depth details of mayhem not just the over told stories of the album cover with deads body on it and the church burnings, a must read if you’re a mayhem fan and I absolutely love all the pictures that go with the stories, its makes it SO much better to read!
March 6, 2019
I recently watched the movie "Lords of Choas" so my husband lent me this book when I wanted to know more of the backstory. It's an intimate portrait of a band who changed music. Crazy stories about traveling on little money, getting big before the internet and how broken some people can be.
June 25, 2021
this was really hard to read at moments. what happened to oystein is awful and i can’t stop thinking about varg not being in jail anymore. i wanted to know more about the church burnings and the other acts they committed but this book isn’t about that! the detail with pictures though is amazing.
Read
October 9, 2021I wish fewer biographies contained fore- and afterwords by, somewhat, related individuals, because much too often their contribution is just useless filler, sometimes even damaging to the overall product. In short: read this book, but skip the afterword by Thurston Moore.
February 21, 2021
Kiehtova kirja!
October 20, 2021
Quite light on information but then it is more a coffee table book. An enjoyable read which provided a bit of insight into the group before all the shit kicked off.
December 10, 2021
A fascinating glimpse into the real story of one of black metals most mythological bands. Beautifuly done!
March 7, 2023
Worth reading for the day Mayhem and Napalm Death were rescued by a Sikh bus driver from Birmingham skinheads alone.
May 9, 2023
I have never ignored the capacity for teenage boys obsessed with coca-cola and death to change the world.
August 31, 2023
Excellent.
May 16, 2024
The amount of searching and bidding on eBay I had to do in order to get my hands on this book was wild.
Any black metal fan of any age would enjoy this book. Growing up listening to Mayhem, seeing interviews with Necrobutcher, "Metal - a Headbanger's Journey", and the newly released Norwegian documentary "Helvete", puts so much into perspective. Reading about the amount of work that was put into Mayhem in the early years left me really impressed simply just because I don't have the experience of knowing what it took 30+ years ago to promote your music.
I read and hear from fans how Jørn is like this, and that, as if they'd know him their entire lives.
I think that this book + "Helvete" helps in desensationalizing Per's, and even Øystein's death. Now, more than ever, are we, the fans, capable to understand that the way they died is not "kvlt", nor romantic, but just simply tragic. At the end of the day, each was someone's very young son and brother. I guess kids won't understand, I didn't either when I was 17, but all I can see now is that it was the perfect storm of 20-something year old boys (in 90's Norway when not much has happened), wanting to create something out of this world with their music, while coming up with one bad decision after the other.
Any black metal fan of any age would enjoy this book. Growing up listening to Mayhem, seeing interviews with Necrobutcher, "Metal - a Headbanger's Journey", and the newly released Norwegian documentary "Helvete", puts so much into perspective. Reading about the amount of work that was put into Mayhem in the early years left me really impressed simply just because I don't have the experience of knowing what it took 30+ years ago to promote your music.
I read and hear from fans how Jørn is like this, and that, as if they'd know him their entire lives.
I think that this book + "Helvete" helps in desensationalizing Per's, and even Øystein's death. Now, more than ever, are we, the fans, capable to understand that the way they died is not "kvlt", nor romantic, but just simply tragic. At the end of the day, each was someone's very young son and brother. I guess kids won't understand, I didn't either when I was 17, but all I can see now is that it was the perfect storm of 20-something year old boys (in 90's Norway when not much has happened), wanting to create something out of this world with their music, while coming up with one bad decision after the other.
February 12, 2017
Best book about black metal. Period. The highs, lows, joys, sorrows. Jørn tells it all.
February 9, 2017
"art by accident", "Maggie Thatcher, fu*king w*ore/ cowboy Ronnie start the war/ pure fu*king Armaggedon" and other precious moments in this one. loved it!
January 6, 2016
Greit nok så var Stubberud ute av bandet i tiden etter Ohlins selvmord (1991 til 1994). Men når Stubberud først hadde mulighet til å rydde opp i all sensasjonalismen rundt Mayhem i tiden mellom Ohlins selvmord (1991) og hans egen gjeninntreden etter Aarseths begravelse (1994), er det litt rart han hopper bukk over hele denne perioden i boka. Selv om han stod på sidelinjen, må Stubberud ha interessante betraktninger om denne perioden.
Boken gir ellers et fascinerende bilde av Mayhems historie, med fokus på bilder og tilbakeblikk fra Stubberuds synspunkt. Boka har en del gjentakelser og tidvis uklar kronologi, og kunne nok godt hatt en noe strammere redigering.
Boken gir ellers et fascinerende bilde av Mayhems historie, med fokus på bilder og tilbakeblikk fra Stubberuds synspunkt. Boka har en del gjentakelser og tidvis uklar kronologi, og kunne nok godt hatt en noe strammere redigering.
July 16, 2020
Om åren 1984-1994 i Mayhems karriär skildrat av basisten Necrobutcher (Jörn Stubberud) som var med från bandets början.
Bildmaterialet är rikt och jag gillar att fokus är på hela perioden, inte enbart på den mest mytomspunna. En del myter sticks också hål på. Jörn skildrar tiden med värdighet, djup och en viss distans.
Jag är ett stort Mayhemfan och den här boken är ett måste om man har något intresse för bandet bortom filmen Lords of chaos.
Bildmaterialet är rikt och jag gillar att fokus är på hela perioden, inte enbart på den mest mytomspunna. En del myter sticks också hål på. Jörn skildrar tiden med värdighet, djup och en viss distans.
Jag är ett stort Mayhemfan och den här boken är ett måste om man har något intresse för bandet bortom filmen Lords of chaos.
October 26, 2015
Den er jo akkurat som den skal være så da blir det fem stjerner da.
Read
September 12, 20203.5 ish
April 6, 2020
Grandioses Buch, erschreckend schöne Bilder. Werde ich sicher mehrmals lesen
May 2, 2025
Really good. Well worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews