Given that this is a remastered and partially remixed version of Mayhem’s compelling “Grand Declaration of War” opus, I will keep this one rather short and merely tell you that as much as I like the original version of said record, this remastered one is to be preferred and adds new color and depth to its compositions. While the original album version comes across as slightly clinical and thin in places, this reissue boasts a fuller and warmer sound that is way more appealing and cool to my ears.

 

On top of that, many brilliant nuances and subtle details (especially with respect to the bass) are now more present and prominent in the mix and that obviously adds to its attraction. This is still a cold and haunting album with a lot of depth to it and it can be rather difficult to digest if one is not in the right frame of mind to listen to Mayhem’s unique and forward-looking slab of experimental black metal, but those of you who find the original “Grand Declaration of War” release a fascinating listen definitely ought to check this exhilarating remaster out. Should you be new to the band or simply curious as to what makes Mayhem such an awesome entity, this is not a bad place to start either, just keep in mind that it can be a little overwhelming at first and filled with countless twists and turns that will fry your puny brain.