In 1994, extreme music changed forever when three pioneering Norwegian metal bands released their debut full-length albums - Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Emperor’s In the Nightside Eclipse, and Enslaved’s Vikingligr Veldi. All three monumental albums were recorded in the legendary Grieghallen Studios in Bergen.
On August 7th, 2021, black metal is coming home as a part of the Beyond the Gates X's "5 Days of Darkness in the Heart of Bergen" music festival. For the first time in history, these three acts will team up for a very special concert in the spectacular confines of Grieghallen, where these highly influential classics were born!
The show, titled "Grieghallen MCMXCIV," will see Emperor embrace three decades of imperial darkness, which was spearheaded by their Grieghallen legacy, Mayhem will perform their magnum opus, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas in its entirety, and Enslaved will revisit their debut, Vikingligr Veldi.
Never before has the public been given an opportunity to experience first-hand where the foundations of Norwegian Black Metal were laid, performed by the originators of it all.
Emperor’s Ihsahn and Samoth comment, “What we were lacking in experience back then were duly compensated by youthful courage and the urge to create something that was uncompromising and grandiose. Pytten saw all these counterpoints, and with his experience and unique way of listening, he managed to fulfill what we set out to achieve the best possible way. Even if we were teenagers at the time, he always took our musical vision seriously and facilitated extremely creative days and nights in the studio."
Adds Attila Csihar of Mayhem, “This is going to be an amazing event to do - almost 30 years after we recorded De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas in the very same hall in Grieghallen. The drums on the recording has this same acoustics and echoes of the big concert hall where they were recorded, thanks to Pytten, our producer’s genius ideas. I have many great memories of pure creativity while we were recording the vocals as well. E.g. that Euronymous ordered a huge gong, also a Moog synthesizer to add to the soundscape, and Pytten was always happy to fulfill our craziest ideas. Like I recorded the vocals in a pitch-black room with only candles around to create the right atmosphere. The window of the control room was covered with curtains so no one could see what I was doing... actually I was doing magical movements and forming mudras, even headbanging and jumping around sometime in pure ecstasy. I will never forget those memories. And now I just can’t wait to be back there again and to play the same music alive. It’s going to be pure black magic - like our destiny!”
Enslaved’s Ivar Bjørnson says, “We are very proud to be part of Beyond the Gates 2021's celebration of ‘Grieghallen 1994’ - a very powerful location on the time/space-axis of the Enslaved-universe. Working with Pytten in Grieghallen for our debut album Vikingligr Veldi was a fulfillment of a very strong-willed plan for the young Enslaved. There was an air of innovation, of dedication, of creating our own path in the then rather small network of pioneer bands that were recording in and releasing material made in Grieghallen. We will bring to the table a full rendition of one of our very favorite albums from our catalogue (we are allowed to say that with 15 albums under the belt, by the way) - 1994, Grieghallen and Enslaved all come together Beneath The Hammer: Vikingligr Veldi."
Tickets are available HERE while the full festival lineup, which is headlined by Mercyful Fate, can be found below.
Other confirmed acts for Beyond the Gates X include Opeth, Heilung, Sodom, Candlemass, Mgla, Solstafir, 1349, Gaahls WYRD, Tribulation, Me and that Man, Angel Witch, Archgoat, Vemod, Whoredom Rife, Misthyrming, Djevel, Idle Hands, Chapel of Disease, Malokarpatan, Darvaza, Possession, Drottinn, Bythos and Umbra Conscientia.
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