Behemoth – The Satanist (2014)

Having lost interest in Behemoth since their 2004 release “The Apostasy”, it is quite refreshing to hear they have recovered their brutality and desire to deliver the most sickening, and perfectly produced, release they could with “The Satanist”. Featuring nine tracks of Behemoth at the top of their game, this is one hell of a demolishing aural experience that no Metal fan would want to miss.

Opening with the first single of the release, “Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel”, the guitar sound is quite piercing and Nergal’s vocals are as commanding as ever. The use of choirs greatly enhances the atmosphere and gives it that “The Omen” kind of unholy vibe. The band’s aggression continues through demoralizing tracks like the punishing “Furor Divinus” and the massive “Messe Noire”, both of which are filled with pummeling drums and an intense bass guitar pounding away.

Things gradually continue to get interesting as we hit “The Satanist”, a truly haunting song with an excellent and eerie melodic nature to it. We think that the band is actually more creepy when they are not blasting away, but rather when they focus their energy in creating something slower paced and more atmospheric like the lush “In The Absence ov Light”. In this last track the band uses some acoustic guitars and cello to accompany some spoken section before blasting away with some more incisive riffs.

Completing the ritual we have the intense closer “O Father O Satan O Sun”, a piece that nicely delivers waves of aggression and furthers the band’s candidacy for album of the year. With no weak track, “The Satanist” is probably the band’s best release in the last 10 years or so. If you are into extreme Metal and never heard of Behemoth, you should definitely start with this one and work your way back through their extensive discography.

Label: Metal Blade Records

Release: February 4th, 2014

Genre: Black/Death Metal

Country: Poland