“Death is the center of this record” – Interview with Attila Csihar of Mayhem

With more than four decades behind them, Mayhem remain one of the most uncompromising forces in extreme music. While their legacy is often linked to chaos and controversy, the band’s modern era reveals something deeper. Today, Mayhem operate with clarity, intent, and absolute control.

Rather than revisiting the past, the band continues to push forward. Their sound is still extreme, but it is also focused and deliberate. This evolution is especially visible in the themes explored on their upcoming album.

Death as Concept, Not Shock

Just before Christmas, we sat down with vocalist Attila Csihar for an in-depth video interview. The conversation focused largely on the album’s lyrics and their central theme: death.

In Attila’s worldview, death is not used for shock value. It is not theatrical or decorative. Instead, it is an unavoidable truth that shapes consciousness and identity. Death is presented as a state of being, not simply an ending.

Throughout the interview, Attila speaks about mortality as something intimate and universal. It is a force that strips away illusion and exposes what remains underneath. These ideas form the backbone of the new material.

Lyrics Rooted in Philosophy and Ritual

The forthcoming album approaches death through philosophy, ritual, and reflection. The lyrics explore decay, dissolution, and release. Rather than relying on traditional black metal imagery, they draw from personal experience and existential thought.

Attila explains how words and sound must serve the same purpose. The music is extreme because the subject matter demands it. Nothing is softened, and nothing is accidental.

This interview took place during a quiet moment before the end of the year. That timing feels appropriate. The discussion circles around time, inevitability, and continuation.

What follows is not meant to comfort the listener. It is an invitation to confront what cannot be avoided. Through voice, words, and presence, Mayhem once again challenge the audience to look directly into the void.

If you like the content we do on Chaoszine subscribe also on our YouTube channel. You can do it here. For behind the scenes video footage and pictures from interviews check out our Instagram page here. You can start following our Twitter page here.

You can check out singles “Weep For Nothing“, “Despair” and “Life is a Corpse You Drag” released from Mayhem‘s upcoming “Liturgy of Death” album below: