Set in the early 1990s in Oslo, Norway, the narrative follows Euronymous, a talented young guitarist and self-proclaimed purist of the burgeoning true Norwegian black metal scene. Driven by a desire for notoriety, authenticity, and rebellion against commercialized society, Euronymous founds the band Mayhem. He operates out of his underground record shop, Helvete, which quickly becomes a bustling nexus for disenfranchised local teenagers seeking a dark, extreme community.Among these youths is Per Yngve Ohlin, known as Dead, a deeply troubled Swedish vocalist obsessed with morbidity, decay, and death. Dead brings genuine darkness to the band, burying his stage clothes, sniffing dead animals, and ultimately committing suicide in a
secluded cabin. Rather than mourning, Euronymous sees Dead’s tragic demise as the ultimate marketing tool for black metal’s grim ethos. He photographs the suicide scene, an image later used for a bootleg album cover, cementing the band's terrifying reputation.Soon, the scene attracts Varg Vikernes, a violent, ideological drifter who forms the one-man band Burzum. Initially looking up to Euronymous, Varg quickly surpasses him in extreme actions, seeking true notoriety through real-world violence. Frustrated by Euronymous’s supposed posing and failure to act on his radical rhetoric, Varg escalates the scene by orchestrating a wave of church burnings across Norway, plunging the community into intense media scrutiny and
police investigation.As the movement gains violent momentum, the personal dynamic between Euronymous and Varg sours into a bitter, toxic rivalry. Varg's ambition grows, fueled by ego and ideological extremism, while Euronymous, increasingly terrified of the actual bloodshed he helped inspire, attempts to distance himself from the chaos. Tensions peak when Varg discovers that Euronymous has been badmouthing him and allegedly plotting to torture him on video.Seeking to assert dominance and eliminate his rival once and for all, Varg travels to Euronymous’s apartment late at night. What begins as a tense confrontation quickly spirals into a brutal, fatal stabbing. Varg flees the crime scene, leaving Euronymous dead on the pavement. The murder ultimately shatters the Norwegian black metal scene, leading to Varg’s swift arrest and imprisonment, effectively bringing an end to the dark, destructive era of youth rebellion that Euronymous had so recklessly engineered.