The main concept of the split CD has always been a double edge sword hasn’t it? On the one hand, it can serve as a good way of getting to know a new band while getting some unreleased material from another or it can be a gateway into two new bands etc… Now if both bands turn out to be worthwhile, then that’s great, but if one of them isn’t, then it can devalue the price of the disc. Why pay full price for something when you only want half of it. This is especially true in this case, since the only songs worth a damn on this CD are the last two, while you can completely do away with the first six.

THE MEADS OF ASPHODEL side of this is just bad. Not painfully bad, mind you, but still bad. The whole thing comes off as amateurish and I can’t help but wish I were back in my high school economics class instead of listening to this drivel.

Considering this, you’d probably think that the disc isn’t worth picking up, but the two classic MAYHEM tracks that appear at the end are just so damn good that not only is it worth paying the cash for the entire CD, but it’s even worth sitting through the first part to get to it. The two tracks aren’t the same ones that appeared on “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas” but were only released on an old compilation and a long out of print vinyl. The versions found on this CD are much rawer than those on DMDS and coupled with Dead’s unique vocal approach; the atmosphere created is simply untouchable by anything on the album.

Anyone who considers themselves a MAYHEM fan has to hear these songs, even if the price is listening to THE MEADS OF ASPHODEL. (Online February 12, 2004)