Behemoth - The Satanist review

Band: Behemoth
Album: The Satanist
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genre: Black Metal
Country: Poland
Release Date: 3rd Feb 2014

The Polish legends have a lot to prove following the highly publicised battles they have had with the Church in their home country and of course after Adam "Nergal" Darski's personal fight with cancer - both of which they won, by the way. Not only have Behemoth proved themselves to be indestructible, but they have managed to come out of all of these trials and tribulations a stronger band than they were before. It appears that Nergal's brush with the reaper has given him a new found vigour and passion for existence. To quote the man himself "facing death made me embrace life with more purpose".

Ever since the mighty Emperor hung up their blackened cloaks, the extreme metal world has waited eagerly for a band to step up and fill the gaping void that they left behind. Well, the wait is well and truly over. Behemoth have stepped up in jaw-dropping style. This is the album the band has always been threatening to drop, but has fallen frustratingly short of in the past.

The Satanist sees Behemoth raising the bar in every conceivable way. Everything that made 2009's Evangelion a good (but not great) album has been improved upon and honed to absolute black metal perfection. The songs are perfectly crafted and never overstay their welcome, the string arrangements more subtle and the riffs sharper, colder and more vicious than ever before.

Brimming with all of the confidence befitting a band that knows it is the most important band active in the sub-genre today, this is not 'merely' the best album in Behemoth's 23 year career, but it one of the best albums the sub-genre has ever produced. A true classic which rivals anything released by the Norwegian masters of yesteryear. It is nothing short of an open challenge to the rest of the extreme metal world to up their game. The new kings are here. Put simply, this is Black Metal: Redefined.

Total Playing Time: 44:18

Overall: 9.5/10

Tracklist:

Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel
Furor Divinus
Messe Noire
Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer
Amen
The Satanist
Ben Sahar
In The Absence Of Light
O Father O Satan O Sun!

Official website: http://behemoth.pl