The Satanist (album)

The Satanist is the tenth studio album by Polish extreme metal band Behemoth. The album was announced on 31 May 2013[5] and released on 3 February 2014, through Nuclear Blast and on 4 February in Poland via Metal Blade Records and Mystic Production, respectively.[6] Release was preceded by digital download single "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel" and 12" EP under the same title released on 4 December 2013.[7][8]

The Satanist
Cover art (containing Nergal's blood) by Denis Forkas[1]
Studio album by
Behemoth
Released3 February 2014
RecordedFebruary – June 2013
StudioHertz Studio (Białystok, Poland), RG Studio (Gdańsk, Poland)
Genre
Length44:17
Language
Label
Producer
Behemoth chronology
Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel
(2013)		 The Satanist
(2014)		 Live Barbarossa
(2014)
Behemoth studio album chronology
Evangelion
(2009)		 The Satanist
(2014)		 I Loved You at Your Darkest
(2018)
Singles from The Satanist
  1. "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel"
    Released: 4 December 2013
  2. "Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer"
    Released: 3 December 2014[3]
  3. "Messe Noire"
    Released: 8 April 2015[4]
Alternative cover
Alternative LP edition cover art

Background and history

The Satanist was recorded between February and June 2013 in Hertz Studio in Białystok, and RG Studio in Gdańsk, both in Poland, produced by Behemoth, Daniel Bergstrand, and the Wiesławscy Brothers.[9] The album was mixed by Matt Hyde at Hydeaway Studios in Los Angeles, and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in New York City. Colin Richardson was the initial producer for the album, but stepped down after four weeks due to creative differences.[10]

A music video was shot for the song "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel" which was produced and directed by Grupa 13, and Dariusz Szermanowicz.[11] The video premiered on the Behemoth YouTube channel on 3 December 2013.

On 7 January 2014, Behemoth released the first part of their video prologue for this album.[12] Subsequently, the second part was released on January, 14, the third part was released on January, 21, and the fourth part was released on January, 29.[13][14] Earlier, on 28 January, the official lyric video for the song "Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer" was released.[15]

The song "In the Absence ov Light" contains a spoken word quote from the Witold Gombrowicz drama The Marriage (pol. Ślub) which states:

I reject all order, all ideas / I trust no abstraction, no doctrine / I don't believe in god, nor in mind / Forget all gods! I don't believe in God. Give me man! / May he be like me, troubled and immature / confused and incomplete, dark and obscure so that I can dance with him!/ Pretend to him! Ingratiate myself with him! / And rape him, love him and forge myself / Anew from him, so I can grow through him, and in / that way / Celebrate my marriage in the sacred human church!.[16]

Critical reception and legacy
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic92/100[17]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Exclaim![18]
The Guardian[19]
Loudwire[20]
Pitchfork8.2/10[21]
PopMatters[22]
Rock Sound[23]
Spin[24]
Teraz Rock[25]
Terrorizer[26]

The Satanist received acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 92, which indicates "universal acclaim", based on 10 reviews.[17] Joe DiVita of Loudwire noted that the album "sees the band shed away that skin as they simultaneously get back to some of their blackened roots while exploring new areas with… dynamic songwriting". The album claimed the top spot on Loudwire's list of the best metal albums of 2014, with Loudwire hailing it "a masterpiece from beginning to end, with absolutely no filler".[27]

Grayson Currin of Pitchfork wrote: "The Satanist is a terrific coil of most everything Behemoth have ever done well, a strangely hopeful vision of hell wrested away from its very grip."[21] The editorial staff of Dutch webzine Lords of Metal named it the third best album of 2014,[28] after a score of 93/100 for the initial album review.[29]

In 2019 the album was voted the "Best Metal Album of the Decade" by publications such as Loudwire, Consequence of Sound and others.[30][31]

"It's a really intense album," observed comedian Bill Bailey. "And the music is so orchestral, almost: the guitars layered on and this sort of tornado of drums… It's epic. I listen to it when I'm cycling."[32]

Track listing

All music composed by Nergal. All arrangements by Behemoth. All lyrics written by Nergal, except where noted.

No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel" 4:25
2."Furor Divinus" 3:06
3."Messe Noire"
  • Nergal
  • Krzysztof Azarewicz
4:04
4."Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer"
  • Nergal
  • Azarewicz
5:35
5."Amen" 3:49
6."The Satanist" 5:33
7."Ben Sahar" 5:34
8."In the Absence ov Light" 4:58
9."O Father O Satan O Sun!"
  • Nergal
  • Azarewicz
7:13
Total length:44:17
Australian bonus track
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
10."Ludzie Wschodu" (Siekiera cover)Tomasz AdamskiAdamski4:11
Japanese bonus tracks
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
10."Ludzie Wschodu" (Siekiera cover)Tomasz AdamskiAdamski4:11
11."Chant for Ezkaton 2000 E.V."Krzysztof Azarewicz 5:10
12."Qadosh"Azarewicz 5:00
Special edition DVD (Live Barbarossa – Behemoth 26 September 2012, Ekaterinburg, Russia)
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Intro" (instrumental) 2:44
2."Ov Fire and the Void"Nergal4:38
3."Demigod"Nergal4:11
4."Moonspell Rites"Nergal7:20
5."Conquer All"Nergal4:09
6."Christians to the Lions"Nergal5:05
7."The Seed ov I"
  • Nergal
  • Krzysztof Azarewicz
5:40
8."Alas, Lord is Upon Me"Nergal3:59
9."Decade ov Therion"Azarewicz3:46
10."At the Left Hand ov God"
  • Nergal
  • Azarewicz
5:11
11."Slaves Shall Serve"Azarewicz3:37
12."Chant for Ezkaton 2000 E.V."Azarewicz6:50
13."23 (The Youth Manifesto)"Nergal4:33
14."Lucifer"Tadeusz Miciński9:34
15."The Satanist: Oblivion" (documentary) 25:04

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.

Release history
Region Date Label
Europe 3 February 2014 Nuclear Blast
United States February 4, 2014 Metal Blade
Poland Mystic
Japan 5 February 2014 JVC Kenwood Victor
Australia 7 February 2014 EVP
CIS 18 February 2014[33] New Aeon Musick/Фоно/Metal Star

Charts
Chart (2014) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[34] 78
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[35] 24
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[36] 88
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[37] 74
Canadian Albums Chart[38] 46
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[39] 14
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[40] 34
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[41] 70
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[42] 7
French Albums (SNEP)[43] 52
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[44] 11
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[45] 86
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[46] 1
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[47] 45
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[48] 33
UK Albums (OCC)[49] 57
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[50] 4
US Billboard 200[51] 34
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[52] 6
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[53] 9
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[54] 4
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[55] 3

References
  1. "BEHEMOTH Unveil The Incredible Artwork To The Satanist". 6 January 2014.
  2. "THE BEST METAL ALBUMS FROM 40 SUBGENRES". Loudwire. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  3. "BEHEMOTH "Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer" Music Video". 3 December 2014.
  4. "BEHEMOTH: 'Messe Noire' Video Released". 8 April 2015.
  5. "Behemoth Announce New Album 'The Satanist'". www.metalhammer.co.uk. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  6. "BEHEMOTH's NERGAL: 'The Satanist' Is 'More Human Than Any Other Record We've Made'". www.blabbermouth.net. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  7. "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel – Single – Behemoth". itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  8. "BEHEMOTH: Third 'Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel' Teaser Posted Online". www.blabbermouth.net. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  9. Heaney, Gregory (4 February 2014). "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". Allmusic. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  10. "Behemoth: 'The Satanist' Cover Painting To Include NERGAL's Blood". 2014-02-05. www.blabbermouth.net. 12 September 2013.
  11. "BEHEMOTH: 'Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel' Video Released". www.blabbermouth.net. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  12. "Behemoth: First 'The Satanist' Trailer". www.blabbermouth.net. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  13. "Behemoth: Third 'The Satanist' Trailer". www.blabbermouth.net. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  14. "Behemoth: Fourth 'The Satanist' Trailer". www.blabbermouth.net. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  15. "Behemoth: 'Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer' Lyric Video Released". www.blabbermouth.net. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  16. For original quote in Polish: Behemoth, The Satanist, Nuclear Blast, Catalogue No. 27361 31040, NB 3104-0, Europe, 2014
    For translation: Shallcross, Bożena (2002). Framing the Polish home: postwar cultural constructions of hearth, nation, and self. Ohio University Press. p. 71, ISBN 9780821414361
  17. "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  18. Kitteringham, Sarah (31 January 2014). "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". Exclaim!. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  19. Lawson, Dom (30 January 2014). "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  20. DiVita, John (4 February 2014). "Behemoth, The Satanist Album Review". Loudwire. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  21. Currin, Grayson (26 February 2014). "Behemoth The Satanist Album Reviews Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  22. Brown, Dean (4 February 2014). "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". PopMatters. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  23. Stewart-Panko, Kevin (26 January 2014). "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  24. Kelly, Kim (5 February 2014). "Behemoth, The Satanist Review". Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  25. Babula, Jordan. "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". Teraz Rock (in Polish). Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  26. Dare, Tom (4 February 2014). "Behemoth The Satanist Stream and Album Review Terrorizer". Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  27. "20 Best Metal Albums of 2014". Loudwire. 15 December 2014.
  28. Evil Dr. Smith. "The Lords Of Metal Top 30 – 2014". Lords of Metal. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  29. Vera. "Behemoth – 'The Satanist' review". Lords of Metal. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  30. "The 66 Best Metal Albums of the Decade: 2010 - 2019". Loudwire. 7 September 2022.
  31. "Top 25 Metal Albums of the 2010s". 8 November 2019.
  32. Glass, Polly (January 2018). "Q&A: Bill Bailey". Classic Rock. No. 244. p. 24.
  33. "Behemoth – The Satanist". folkcd.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  34. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 17 February 2014" (PDF) (1251). Australian Recording Industry Association. Australian Web Archive. 17 February 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  35. "Austriancharts.at – Behemoth – The Satanist" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  36. "Ultratop.be – Behemoth – The Satanist" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  37. "Ultratop.be – Behemoth – The Satanist" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  38. "BEHEMOTH's "The Satanist" debuts at #34 on the Billboard Top 200". www.metalblade.com. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  39. "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 07.Týden 2014 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  40. "Danishcharts.dk – Behemoth – The Satanist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  41. "Dutchcharts.nl – Behemoth – The Satanist" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  42. "Behemoth: The Satanist" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  43. "Lescharts.com – Behemoth – The Satanist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  44. "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  45. "Oricon: Behemoth" (in Japanese). www.oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  46. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
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  48. "Swisscharts.com – Behemoth – The Satanist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  49. "Behemoth | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  50. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  51. "Behemoth Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  52. "Behemoth Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
  53. "Behemoth Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard.
  54. "Behemoth Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard.
  55. "Behemoth Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard.
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