BEHEMOTH's NERGAL: 'The Satanist' Is 'More Human Than Any Other Record We've Made'

"The Satanist", the long-awaited new album from Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH, will be released on February 3 in the U.K., February 4 in North America and Poland, February 5 in Japan, and February 7 in the rest of the world.

BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski tells Decibel magazine about the writing process for the new CD: "When we started working on 'The Satanist''s first themes, we decided not to overthink or overanalyze things.

"To me, it was clear that it's the first time in my musical career that I'm gonna play only the notes that naturally come out of my system. There's gonna be no single sound on the record that is not coherent with my inner self — with my needs, aspirations, expectations.

"[2009's] 'Evangelion' was a monster of a record. I'm still very proud of it… but it's a reflection of what we were. We are way more conscious these days… and so is this record.

"Maturity, sincerity, quality — 'The Satanist'."

According to Nergal, BEHEMOTH's tenth album is their most fully realized to date and then some — in part thanks to his battle with leukemia in 2010 and early 2011.

"I remember when l left hospital and started my recovery (which took a few months),I was saying to myself, as well to my doctors and friends, 'Cancer happens for a reason,' he said.

"I was quite an aware individual before, but afterwards, I realized how much l suffered from old programming — automatic reactions that were part of my being, but wouldn't make my life any happier.

"I worked on myself a lot, mentally, spiritually and physically. But I'm happy and very much thankful for this lesson of self-awareness I was given.

"'The Satanist' is a fruit of this enhanced and expanded consciousness. It's more to the core, more carnal… more human than any other record we've made.

"I'm super proud of myself and my bandmates.

"But what I wanted to say in the first place is that l experienced this sickness so that I can come out stmnger than before. There was no other option for me in life.

"I know there are a lot of people who, after a near-death experience, they kinda hide in the shadow of life praying for every next day. I am not afraid of life, as I am not afraid of death. I'm an integral part of the Universe that surrounds me. I embrace it and make one perfect entity with it."

BEHEMOTH's video for the new single "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel" can be seen below. This visual masterpiece was produced by Grupa 13 and is one of BEHEMOTH's most unsettling and unique works to date.

"The Satanist" deluxe box, which is available in North America as an European import, includes: CD/DVD digibook in silver mirror slipcase with a high-quality 44-page booklet (with gold foil, UV gloss lamination),supersize poster flag (approx. 3.5' x 5'),wooden black inverted rosary cross, metal pin, black envelope with black communion wafers. The DVD, "Live Barbarossa", includes a professionally filmed show in Ekaterinburg, Russia, as well as 30-minute documentary about the creative process behind "The Satanist".

"The Satanist" was produced by BEHEMOTH, Wojtek and Slawek Wieslawscy and Daniel Bergstrand at Hertz Studio. The CD was mixed by Matt Hyde (SLAYER) and mastered by Ted Jensen (METALLICA, AC/DC) at Sterling Sound in New York City. The cover art for "The Satanist" was painted by renowned Russian painter and occultist Denis Forkas. The paint used included some of Nergal's own blood. Additional art and design was completed by Metastazis (PARADISE LOST) and Zbigniew Bielak (WATAIN, GHOST).

"The Satanist" track listing:

01. Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel
02. Furor Divinus
03. Messe Noire
04. Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer
05. Amen
06. The Satanist
07. Ben Sahar
08. In the Absence ov Light
09. O Father O Satan O Sun!