Lords of Chaos (2019)

From Spun director Jonas Akerlund, comes Lords of Chaos, the inherently satirical real-life Goodfellas-esque bio pic, about the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem and their decent into extreme vandalism and murder in the streets and plains of Norway, burning churches down and murdering innocent people, all in the name of marketing.

Based on real events, Oystein (played by Rory Culkin) is the leader of his band Mayhem in late eighties Norway. When his lead singer commits suicide, Oystein uses this as a stepping off point to become a legend, creating the black metal scene in Norway through insinuation of murder involving his singer’s death. This opens a can of actual mayhem when “poser” Varg enters Oystein’s world as a fan, but who does literally anything to become Oystein’s disciple beyond what Oystein ever wanted; including terrorism. Creating the real life Norwegian black metal crimes of the 1990s, that plagued Norway and reinforced the “satanic panic” of that era.

Whether or not the events are portrayed accurately, Lords of Chaos responsibly dissects the intense problems of masculinity, which lead to bullying, humiliation and psychologically forced violence all to “fit in”. As well as It’s connection to the music industry, industry and marketing as a whole. Lords of Chaos isn’t afraid of expressing the humour in displaying the absurdity and ridiculousness of mixing false integrity with extreme marketing tactics to make money and to become famous within the metal scene, and especially within that era of metal. The idea of rich white kids, who eat shawarma wraps and listen to and play loud music wanting something more out of nothing, can easily lead themselves to suicide, heinous acts and Nazism, out of boredom, belonging, extreme disillusionment, capitalism and bullying. Paired with confused understandings of constant horror imagery and literature of the occult. Lords of Chaos reiterates that the Norwegian black metal scene is no different than any other music scene as far as it’s goals, and can be enjoyed as such, but when taken beyond that in order to prove something, no good can be had. Within any group, band or gang.

Jonas Akerlund’s direction darkly and viciously displays the psychosis of the boys involved in these disturbing crimes, and the confusion between their love of black metal images and sounds and terrorist attacks, with black and white flashed scenes and monstrous CGI interpretations of the devil and murder. Portraying Oystein’s cringe inducing nightmares of finding his lead singer dead, and what led him to suicide and the literal demons beneath it. All personified through the culture of Norwegian black metal genre, horror movies and Satanism. Helping us understand Oystein’s regret of creating this culture and inducting Varg. 

The casting of Rory Culkin as Oystein and Emory Cohen as Varg is inspired. As Rory’s piercing blue eyes, short stature, gaunt appearance and creepy, wispy but reassuring voice, perfectly portrays a guy who can influence someone but who also can be defeated and proven wrong easily, and feels the need to sheepishly lie to get his way but then regrets it. Emory’s self-deprecating portrayal of Varg, who eventually become villainous through bullying, is well measured and thought out, giving us a clear-cut understanding of how Varg would bluntly transition from calm, respectful loner to a forceful, Nazi obsessed tormentor terrorist, in a white toxic masculine music scene. 

By the end, Lords of Chaos becomes something of a true horror film, but not just to be gratuitous and portray the brutal reality of what happened within these crimes, but to show how certain members of the group saw the execution and self importance of what they were violently committing, opposed to what it actually looked like.

If you want a better understanding of the 1980s - 1990s era of black metal and where it all came from, and reassurance that the music industry and toxic masculinity is the same no matter where you go. Lords of Chaos explores that perfectly, with a great early 90s black metal soundtrack that is sure to please fans, and is far more deserving of a rating beyond 67% on Rotten Tomatoes. 9/10. See it.

• Maurice Jones