Lords of Chaos (2018) Review

Lords of Chaos tells the story of one of, if not the most, brutal and horrific sagas in recent musical history.

The fact that this story could have been told as a an albeit horrific documentary is one thing, but more tellingly, this story is far more primed for a horror film, as there are plenty of murder, blood and gore in this film, all delivered in explicit detail.

This is the tale of the second wave of Norwegian Black Metal, its main players and the sheer mayhem they caused and after watching Lords of Chaos, names like Dead, Euronymous and Count Grishnackh will be embedded in your brain. And by watching this film, you get to know the whole bloody story and all the gory details.

Lords of Chaos relays the history of one of the most infamous bands in history in the shape of Mayhem, master of True Norwegian Black Metal. The setup is as follows: the band’s leader and guitarist Euronymous, played by Rory Culkin (Scream 4), taking centre stage alongside the bands singer Dead, played by Jack Kilmer, and the mysterious Varg Vikernes aka Count Grishnackh, played by Emory Cohen. The Band then takes us on a journey which starts with the band’s beginnings and ends in truly tragic and acrimonious circumstances.

Even if you are not a fan of Black Metal, there is still plenty here to captivate you and the fact that this is a true story (or as stated at the beginning of the film. Based on truth, lies and what actually happened) is even more horrific, and there are some truly horrible and terrible things that happen in Lords of Chaos with murder, arson and suicide all dealt with in a brutal fashion.

The film is directed by Jonas Ackerlund (who actually served time as drummer for one of the earliest Black Metal bands in Bathory) and the film definitely carries his stylised look but it is also unflinching when dealing with its subject matter. Ackerlund obviously cares about the subject matter he is dealing with and the details that have gone into creating Norway and the Black Metal scene in the early 90s are impressive, especially when it comes to any music featured in the movie.

Lords of Chaos is ultimately a fascinating look at a time in those early 1990s when the music of Black Metal was raw, harsh and genuinely dangerous and this film captures the time and the story well, without really glorying any of the actions of those involved.

The film is captivating from start to finish and by the time it ends, you will have been taken on a rollercoaster ride to hell, the way that Mayhem and Euronymous would surely approve.

Movie Rating:

Lords of Chaos trailer