MAYHEM frontman Attila Csihar has shared reflections on his close friendship with the band’s late founder Øystein “Euronymous” Aarseth, offering a perspective that contrasts sharply with many of the narratives that have surrounded Euronymous in the decades since his death.
Euronymous, a central figure in the early 1990s Norwegian black metal movement, was murdered on August 10, 1993, by BURZUM mastermind Kristian “Varg” Vikernes. At the time, Vikernes had already recorded bass tracks for MAYHEM’s landmark debut album De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, but tensions between the two had escalated amid personal conflicts and disputes over influence within the scene. Euronymous’ death ultimately halted MAYHEM’s momentum and reshaped the band’s future, with a rebuilt lineup emerging years later.
Speaking recently with Scott Penfold of The Loaded Radio Podcast, Csihar was asked whether he had been close to Euronymous prior to his murder. The Hungarian-born vocalist made it clear that their relationship went far beyond a simple band association.
“Of course. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I talked to [Euronymous] for two years before I came to Norway back in the days,” Attila responded (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “And he sent me some letters, actually really cool ones, [which he wrote] with a typewriter. Very, very humble and like a gentleman kind of speak or language. He was very, very sophisticated and very nice. And then also we talked a lot by phone, and then, of course, I stayed at his place when I was in Oslo. And we shared a lot of ideas, I think. I think he was great, actually. I can’t say anything bad about him.”
Csihar also addressed the age difference between them at the time, noting how significant those few years felt in their early twenties.
“Okay, we were all a bit crazy back then, I would say. I was, like, 22 when I came to Norway. When I first heard from him, I was, like, 20. And he was, of course, also, whatever, two, three years older than me, maybe. So it’s not that big difference. I think he was born in ’68, if I’m right, so three years difference. Which matters when you are 20 and someone is 23. But we were always on the same page, and I think we respected each other a lot. He was completely into my music too. TORMENTOR, my first band, was one of his favorite bands. That’s why he invited me, actually. And also Dead [former MAYHEM singer Per ‘Dead’ Ohlin, who committed suicide in April 1991] said sometimes that I was one of his favorite vocalists, I saw in some letters. I never talked to him, though, of course. But I think both of them were fascinated by our music with TORMENTOR, and also I guess he wanted something unique too, so he invited me instead of picking up someone from Norway.
Looking back, Csihar emphasized that his personal experiences with Euronymous were entirely positive, even as others have painted more controversial portraits of the guitarist.
“But anyway, he’s been really, really cool, I think,” he said. “I never had any problem with him. I miss him still. I think it’s really sad what happened. I think now people like Varg or people — I don’t know — talk about some bulls**t. It’s cool to talk bulls**t about anyone who is not here anymore. I mean, it’s easy, so to say — not cool, but it’s easy, if someone can’t react on that. But as far as I know, he’s been cool with me all the time. Maybe he was not so cool with Varg or someone else — that I can’t really tell, what was going on with them. It was more on their personal levels. But to me and as an artist, I think he was great. He was a good guitar player, a good composer, I believe. And he had great visions too, which looked very surrealistic back then. For instance, when we recorded the album, he started to work on the tour, and I was so happy. I mean, I was, like, 20. It was like a dream coming true to be in this band. I didn’t know first — I even didn’t hear about the band when they approached me — but then I realized gradually what it was, and I was so happy. And he said, like, ‘Yeah, the first show will be at Hammersmith Odeon in London where VENOM played.’ I was, like, ‘Horns up, bro. Let’s f**king do it.’ So I can’t say anything bad about him personally. We’ve been always good friends. Even after the recording, before he got murdered, we had great talks — really good. He was so enthusiastic about the record and he seemed to be very happy and positive about the future. And, yeah, it’s too bad what happened. But anyway, it is what it is. It’s history now.”
MAYHEM are currently preparing for the release of their seventh studio album, Liturgy Of Death, which is set to arrive on February 6 via Century Media Records.
Liturgy of Death explores the philosophy of mortality with stark, uncompromising clarity. The album presents death not as an ending, but as a universal law that touches all life and exposes the fragility of human existence. This impermanence becomes a call to live with full intensity, for every gain and loss ultimately falls back into the same silence. Echoing ancient philosophies, the album portrays life as a transitional state and death as a gateway to a higher form of being, while the solemn, dark beauty of death permeates the entire work.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.