Mayhem was one of the founders of the Norwegian black metal scene and is known as the most influential black metal band of all time. Their early career was highly controversial, primarily due to their insane live performances, the 1991 suicide of their vocalist, and the 1993 murder of their guitarist by a former member of the band. They were also known to burn down multiple churches around Norway with other members of the local heavy metal scene. The group released a demo and an EP that were highly influential and gathered a loyal following before ever releasing a full album. Their band name came from the Venom song "Mayhem with Mercy".