Pure Fucking Mayhem - Documentary (2009)

Pure Fucking Mayhem Is a 2009 documentary created by Stefan Rydehed which shows the inside look of a second wave Norwegian Black Metal band Mayhem. The movie includes a lot of interviews from the band members as well as some unseen pictures of an early Black Metal scene.

Any fan of black metal, especially Norwegian black metal, knows the story of Mayhem. Dead killed himself, Euronymous was murdered by Burzum/Mayhem member Varg Vikernes, church burnings, and so on. However, people have only read about these things from different sources, whether it be books, documentaries, or a movie (which is suppose to be released). Yet few have herd what happened from the mouths of those involved.

Pure Fucking Mayhem is a documentary by Stefan Rydehed, director of the first Mayhem documentary, Cult of Aggression. While Cult was alright, Pure is better in every definition. PFM is a documentary on the history of Mayhem. It features interviews from Necrobutcher, Manhiem, Occultus, and Attila Cshnir. It starts at the beginning with Necro and Euronymous forming the band for fun, to Deathcrush, the Dead era, the burning of the churches, Euronymous' murder, and to the present.

There are about five chapters to the film that discuss that time in history. Below is the list of points of history in the chapters, however I cannot remember the actual chapter names.

Chapter 1 - Formation, Messiah and Maniac, Pure Fucking Armageddon, Deathcrush.
*Chapter 2 - The joining of Dead and Hellhammer, Dead's talents and lyrics.
*Chapter 3 - Dead's suicide, Helvete, Occultus joining, Varg Joining, Attila Joining, Church Burnings, Euronymous' Murder, De Mysteriis Dom Santhanas.
Chapter 4 - Maniac re-joining, Blasphemer joining, Wolf's Lair Abyss, Grand Declaration of War, Chimera, Maniac leaving.
Chapter 5 - Attila rejoins, Ordo Ad Chado, Future, Legacy.

*Chapters 2 and 3 serve as a mini-bio on Dead.

The documentary touches upon quite a bit of history, but leaves out Blasphemer leaving, and it should have made Euronymous' murder its own chapter. Other then that, it tells the story pretty well. Unlike Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, Necro is not drunk, so that's a plus.

If you're interested in Mayhem's history or want to know more, this is a definite buy, and as the title of this review says, it's the definitive Mayhem documentary.