BEHEMOTH

BEHEMOTH probably didn't elicit the reaction they were hoping for when they titled their 2025 studio album "The Shit ov God". A better choice or sequence of words would have likely saved the Polish extreme metal titans some internet ridicule. The poor title may also have distracted listeners from the fact that, yeah, "The Shit ov God" is a memorable and diverse record: the band's best since 2014's "The Satanist". Nevertheless, Nergal and company continue to push forward, this time with the eight-song "I, Scvlptor" EP, a collection of new tunes, outtakes, re-recordings and live cuts.

The opening title track and "Lord ov the Horizons" are new and are exclusive to the EP. The title track is trademark BEHEMOTH, with a hypnotic, staccato main riff and a lead melody coiled around it. It's another advancement in the band's songwriting discipline, stacked with dynamics and malevolent energy. "Lord ov the Horizons" strikes an ominous tone, laced with minor-chord melodies and sideways chord mechanics, until the song turns around with drummer Inferno's towering snare rolls before a siege of melodic tremolo picking and a blazing guitar solo from Seth.

The re-recording of "Rise of the Blackstorm of Evil" (taken from 1993's "The Return Of The Northern Moon" demo) and "In Thy Pandemaeternum" (from 1998's "Pandemonic Incantations" full-length) bring out the dynamics and orchestration that the original production jobs lacked, while "The Shit ov God" leftover "Begotten" may be the pick of the litter here; a barreling true black metal assault that is capped off by Nergal's ever-pointed and diabolical vocals. (The man remains one of extreme metal's most convincing vocalists.)

A cover of VENOM's "In League With Satan" is fun and fitting, and features guest vocals from DIMMU BORGIR's Shagrath (Nergal took part in a handful of tribute shows commemorating the 45th anniversary of "Welcome to Hell"),while a live version of BATHORY's "The Return of Darkness and Evil" and a rough mix of "Lord ov the Horizons" close out the collection.

BEHEMOTH has maintained a fairly regular release schedule that shows no signs of abating. With the touring cycle for "The Shit Ov God" largely in the books, "I, Scvlptor" is the rare worthwhile stopgap release that will no doubt tide over the hordes of fans who wait with bated breath for what Nergal and gang have up their sleeves next.