As far as creating intrigue and legend in the underground of Metal, Mayhem is the top of the pops. The story is great if for no other reason then the wonderful irony of their singer's stage name...Dead. Then he fulfilled the prophecy by eating a shotgun. As tribute the band did no less than eat part of his brain in a stew (the guitarist was the first to find him, he too pictures, part of the brain, and skull chunks to be made into jewelry), and use pictures of his corpse as the cover of one of their cd's.
The whole thing along with all the intrigue in the 'scene' at the time created a 'gimmick' that is depraved, and livable.
Not to mention the band makes some of the most incredible music out there.
Their guitarist got stabbed 23 times by a cohort in said 'scene' but that's for another thread....