If Mephistopheles lived among us, he would look a hell of a lot like Adam Darski from Behemoth. A sense of style in everything, radical views on religion and social life - this is about the group and its leader.
Behemoth carefully thinks through their shows, and the release of the album becomes an occasion for unusual art experiments.
History in brief
The history of the Polish gang Behemoth began in 1991 the first year. As is often the case, a teenage passion for music has grown into a life's work.
The team was assembled by 14 year old schoolchildren from Gdansk: Adam Darski (guitar, vocals) and Adam Murashko (drums). The group until 1992 was called Baphomet, and its members were hiding behind the pseudonyms Holocausto, Sodomizer.
Already in 1993, the group was named Behemoth, and its founding fathers changed their pseudonyms most suitable for black metal. Adam Darski became Nergal and Adam Murashko became Baal.
The guys released their first album The Return of the Northern Moon in 1993. At the same time, new members came to the team: bassist Baeon von Orcus and second guitarist Frost.
The second studio album Grom was released in 1996. All tracks on it are designed in the style of black metal. Having completed the composition, the group begins to perform.
In the same year, the Pandemonic Incantations album saw the light of day. A different composition is taking part in its recording. Bassist Mafisto joins Nergal, and Inferno (Zbigniew Robert Promiński) takes the place of drummer.
The first success and the new sound of the band Begemot
In 1998, Satanica saw the light of day, and Behemoth's sound from typical black metal was closer to black/death metal. The themes of the occult, the ideas of Aleister Crowley came into the lyrics of the group.
The composition of the group has undergone another change. Mafisto was replaced by Marcin Novy Nowak. Also the guitarist Mateusz Havok Smizhchalski joined the band.
In 2000, Thelema.6 was released. The album became an event in the world of heavy music, bringing Behemoth worldwide recognition. Until now, many fans consider the album the best in the history of the band.
In 2001, the Poles released another release of Zos Kia Cultis. And the tour to support him took place not only in Europe, but in the USA. The next disc Demigod consolidated the success. It took the 15th position in the Polish TOP-best albums of the year.
The composition of the group once again changes the composition of the group. Tomasz Wróblewski Orion becomes the bass player, and Patrik Dominik Styber Set becomes the second guitarist.
Behemoth reached a new level in 2007 with the album The Apostasy. The combination of aggression and gloomy atmosphere, the use of piano and ethnic musical instruments brought the band praise from critics and even more love from fans. In 2008, following the tour with The Apostasy, the live album At the Arena ov Aion was released.
With the next release of Evangelion, the team pleased the listeners in 2009. It was him that Adam called his favorite at the moment.
Through the circles of hell to new heights
2010 is a success far beyond Poland. At home, they have long been recognized as the best in their genre. Neither lawsuits nor attempts to disrupt performances stop the band.
In August 2010, everything hung in the balance and Behemoth could become a cult band ahead of schedule, joining the ranks of teams with a tragic history along with Death. Adam Darski was diagnosed with leukemia.
The musician was treated in the hematological center of his native city. After several courses of chemotherapy, it became clear that bone marrow transplantation was indispensable. Family, friends and doctors began looking for a donor. He was found in November.
In December, Darksky underwent surgery, and for about a month he was undergoing rehabilitation at the clinic. In January 2011, he was discharged, but a couple of weeks later, due to the onset of infectious inflammation, the musician had to return to the hospital.
The return to the stage took place in March 2011. Nergal joined Fields Of The Nephilim in Katowice, performing Penetration with the band.
The return of Behemoth took place in the fall of 2011. The team gave several concerts of single concerts. Already in the spring of 2012, a small tour of Europe was planned. He started from Hamburg.
Nergal: “Our first concert…. we played it, despite the fact that in front of him, on time and after I was ready to spit out my lungs. Then we played two more, and I counted the days to the end .... The tension began to subside only towards the middle of the tour. I felt it was my natural environment."
The Satanist and Behemoth's scandalous tour
The next studio album Behemoth was released in 2014. The evil and merciless The Satanist became the quintessence of personal experiences of Adam, who defeated a serious illness.
The record debuted at number 34 on the Billboard 200. And the team went on another tour.
The provocative title of the album made itself felt. The team faced difficulties in their native Poland and Russia. So concert in Poznan 2.10. 2014 was cancelled. And in May 2014 Behemoth's Russian tour was interrupted. The group was detained in Yekaterinburg, allegedly for violating the visa regime. And after the trial, the musicians were deported to Poland, and a five-year ban was imposed on the entry of the group into the country.
Nergal: “The whole situation seemed set up, because we collected all the necessary documents, went to the Russian embassy in Warsaw. They checked the documents and gave us a visa. And for this visa, given to us by the Russian government, we were arrested.”
Behemoth's videos have always been imaginative. So the work of O Father O Satan O Sun! sends viewers to Alice Crowley and Thelema.
I Loved You at Your Darkest
After several years of silence and Adam's solo album as part of the Me And That Man project, Behemoth's 2018th studio album was released in October 11. The record I Loved You at Your Darkest received critical acclaim from fans and critics.
The album can safely be called experimental, with the familiar wall of sonic fury inherent in black/death metal, acoustic guitar parts and organ inserts intertwined. Glowing is combined with Nergal's clean vocals and children's choir parts.
The CD and vinyl records of I Loved You at Your Darkest were released with a special artbook, an allusion to the masterpieces of Christian painting. And the lyrics continue the ideas raised on the previous release of The Satanist, but denounced in a less radical form. The main idea of the album: in general, a person does not really need God, he himself is able to manage his own life.
The group literally showed their attitude to the Catholic Church in the video Behemoth - Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica
Collaborations and plans for the future
After the release of the record I Loved You at Your Darkest, the band has been touring extensively. At the beginning of 2019 Behemoth perform in European countries (France, Belgium, the Netherlands). In March, Nergal and Kº travel to Australia and New Zealand for the Download Festival. They share the stage with metal veterans Judas Priest, Slayer, Antrax. The line-up also included Alice in Chains, Ghost. After a short break, Behemoth continue their European tour.
The summer turned out to be hot for the members of Behamot: Orion is working on the side project Black River, Nergal is working on a solo album as part of Me And That Man. The band actively performs at European metal festivals. The band participates in the Polish segment of Slayer's farewell tour, opening for them in Warsaw.
One of the most beautiful and complex video Behemoth Bartzabel refers to the Eastern culture and traditions of the dervishes.
At the end of July - August, Behemoth is held in the USA. They participate in the traveling festival Knot Fest with Slipknot, Gojira. In September, the Baltic segment of the tour will start in support of I Loved You at Your Darkest. Within its framework, the team will play in their native Poland and the Baltic countries. And in November, the tireless Behemoth will have a Mexican tour as part of Knot Fest. Joint European performances with the Iowa Madmen Slipknot are scheduled for early 2020.
On his Instagram, Adam mentioned that the group is ready to tour Russia. So far, two shows are planned for 2020 in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In addition, unexpectedly for the fans, the group announced the release of a new album. It will not see the light until 2021.
