The early days of black metal legends Mayhem were defined by chaos, tragedy, and an almost mythic level of infamy. Now, decades after the release of their seminal album De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, bassist Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud is shedding light on the volatile relationships within the band and his long-held feelings about guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth.
In a candid interview with Voice Metal, Necrobutcher shared not only his thoughts on Mayhem’s more recent work, like their album Daemon, but also reflected on the dark events surrounding De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. His revelations provide a rare glimpse into the intense animosity that once gripped the band.
The Death of Dead and the Fallout
Mayhem’s downward spiral began with the tragic suicide of vocalist Per “Dead” Ohlin in 1991. Rather than treat the situation with respect, Euronymous took shocking and macabre actions, photographing Dead’s corpse at the scene. These photos would later become infamous, fueling Necrobutcher's deep resentment toward his bandmate.
"I was furious," Necrobutcher said, describing the betrayal he felt. "It wasn’t just the loss of Dead—it was what Euronymous did after. It’s something that still weighs heavily on me today."
This wasn’t the only source of friction. Shortly after, Necrobutcher was replaced in the band by Varg Vikernes (known as Count Grishnackh of the solo black metal act Burzum), a move orchestrated by Euronymous.
The "Accident" of Euronymous
By 1993, tensions between Vikernes and Euronymous reached a fatal climax when Vikernes killed Euronymous in Oslo. This event became the stuff of legend, dramatized in the controversial book Black Metal Blasphemy: A History of Third Wave Black Metal. However, Necrobutcher revealed a shocking detail — he had contemplated killing Euronymous himself.
"Honestly, I was on my way to do it," Necrobutcher admitted. "I had so much anger built up toward him for everything that had happened. When I saw the morning paper about the murder, my first thought was, ‘I need to get rid of all the weapons and drugs in my house because they’re going to think it was me.’"
What Necrobutcher didn’t know at the time was that Vikernes’ plans had already been intercepted by Norwegian police, who had bugged his phone.
"They knew what was coming," he explained. "It’s like they decided, ‘We didn’t get him for the church burnings, so let’s nail him for this.’ And that’s exactly what happened."
The Future of Mayhem
Despite the tumultuous history, Necrobutcher found a sense of healing years later. In 2006, Mayhem performed De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas live with Attila Csihar (originally of Morbid) back on vocals. For Necrobutcher, revisiting the album served as a therapeutic process.
"Playing those songs again brought closure," he said. "It allowed me to confront the past and move forward, even though the scars will always remain."
While Mayhem’s legacy is forever tied to its dark and violent past, Necrobutcher’s honesty adds a deeply human dimension to the story. Beneath the chaos and controversy lies a tale of grief, anger, and, ultimately, resilience. And also a distinct hate for the character "Euronymous" and what he ultimately stood for... posing.
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