The Satanist (album)

The Satanist
Cover art by Denis Forkas, which contains Nergal's blood.[1]
Studio album by Behemoth
Released	February 3, 2014
Recorded	February - June 2013; Hertz Studio in Białystok, Poland, RG Studio in Gdańsk, Poland
Genre	Black metal[2] death metal[2][3]
Length	44:17
Language	English Polish
Label	Nuclear Blast Metal Blade Mystic Victor Entertainment EVP Recordings
Producer	Behemoth Daniel Bergstrand Wojciech Wiesławski Sławomir Wiesławski
Behemoth chronology
Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel (EP) (2013) The Satanist (2014) Live Barbarossa (2014)
Singles from The Satanist
"Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel" Released: December 4, 2013 "Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer" Released: December 3, 2014[4] "Messe Noire" Released: April 8, 2015[5]
Alternative cover
alternative LP edition cover art

The Satanist is the tenth album by Polish extreme metal band Behemoth. The album was announced on 31 May 2013^[6] and released on February 3, 2014 through Nuclear Blast and on February 4 in Poland via Metal Blade Records and Mystic Production, respectively.^[7] Release was preceded by digital download single "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel" and 12" EP under the same title released on December 4, 2013.^[8][9]

Background and history

"Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer" music video.

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.^[3] 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. Release of the album was delayed due to the mixing problems, which were made by Colin Richardson who eventually dropped out from production.^[10] Behemoth considered working on the album with Josh Middleton who expected not to use a click track, thus the two parties could not agree to work together.

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

On January 7, 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 January 28, 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

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	92/100[17]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]
Exclaim!	[18]
The Guardian	[19]
Loudwire	[20]
Pitchfork	8.2/10[2]
PopMatters	[21]
Rock Sound	[22]
Spin	[23]
Teraz Rock	[24]
Terrorizer	[25]

Upon its release, The Satanist received universal acclaim reviews from music 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 would then go on to claim the top spot on Loudwire's list of the best metal albums of 2014, with Loudwire stating that "The disc is a masterpiece from beginning to end, with absolutely no filler to be skipped over".^[26]

Grayson Currin of Pitchfork said "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."^[2] The editorial staff of Dutch webzine Lords of Metal named it the third best album of 2014,^[27] after a score of 93/100 for the initial album review.^[28]

Track listing

All music composed by Nergal. All arrangements by Behemoth.

No.	Title	Lyrics	Length
1.	"Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel"	Nergal	4:25
2.	"Furor Divinus"	Nergal	3:06
3.	"Messe Noire"	Nergal, Krzysztof Azarewicz	4:04
4.	"Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer"	Nergal, Azarewicz	5:35
5.	"Amen"	Nergal	3:49
6.	"The Satanist"	Nergal	5:33
7.	"Ben Sahar"	Nergal	5:34
8.	"In the Absence ov Light"	Nergal	4:58
9.	"O Father O Satan O Sun!"	Nergal, Azarewicz	7:13
Total length:			44:17

Australian Bonus Track
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
10.	"Ludzie Wschodu" (Siekiera cover)	Tomasz Adamski	Adamski	4:11

Japanese Bonus Tracks
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
10.	"Ludzie Wschodu" (Siekiera cover)	Tomasz Adamski	Adamski	4:11
11.	"Chant for Ezkaton 2000 E.V."	Krzysztof Azarewicz		5:10
12.	"Qadosh"	Azarewicz		5:00

Special edition DVD (Live Barbarossa - Behemoth September 26, 2012, Ekaterinburg, Russia)
No.	Title	Lyrics	Length
1.	"Intro" (instrumental)		2:44
2.	"Ov Fire and the Void"	Nergal	4:38
3.	"Demigod"	Nergal	4:11
4.	"Moonspell Rites"	Nergal	7:20
5.	"Conquer All"	Nergal	4:09
6.	"Christians to the Lions"	Nergal	5:05
7.	"The Seed ov I"	Nergal, Krzysztof Azarewicz	5:40
8.	"Alas, Lord is Upon Me"	Nergal	3:59
9.	"Decade ov Therion"	Azarewicz	3:46
10.	"At the Left Hand ov God"	Nergal, Azarewicz	5:11
11.	"Slaves Shall Serve"	Azarewicz	3:37
12.	"Chant for Ezkaton 2000 E.V."	Azarewicz	6:50
13.	"23 (The Youth Manifesto)"	Nergal	4:33
14.	"Lucifer"	Tadeusz Miciński	9:34
15.	"The Satanist: Oblivion" (Documentary)		25:04

Personnel

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

Behemoth Nergal – vocals, guitars, lyrics Tomasz "Orion" Wróblewski – bass guitar Zbigniew Robert "Inferno" Promiński – drums, percussion Production Wojciech Wiesławski – producer, engineering Sławomir Wiesławski – producer, engineering Daniel Bergstrand – producer Matt Hyde – mixing Ted Jensen – mastering Urban Näsvall – drum technician Denis "Forkas" Kostromitin (Денис "Форкас" Костромитин) – cover art Metastazis (Jean-Emmanuel "Valnoir" Simoulin) – additional design Zbigniew Bielak – additional design Arkadiusz "Malta" Malczewski – mixing, mastering (DVD) Grupa 13 – producer (DVD; Documentary) Aga Krysiuk – filmmaker (DVD; Documentary) Iwo Ledwozyw – filmmaker (DVD; Documentary)

Additional musicians Patryk Dominik "Seth" Sztyber – guitars Krzysztof Azarewicz – lyrics Krzysztof "Siegmar" Oloś (Vesania) – samples Michał Łapaj (Riverside) – hammond organ on "O Father O Satan O Sun!" and "The Satanist" Jan "Dziablas" Galbas (Octopussy) – backing vocals on "O Father O Satan O Sun!" Artur Jurek (Sanacja) – orchestrations Marcin Janek (Durys Band) – saxophone on "In the Absence ov Light" Grażyna Michalec (Polish Chamber Orchestra Sopot) – cello Magda Miotke-Bajerska (Polish Chamber Orchestra Sopot) – cello Alicja Leoniuk-Kit (Polish Chamber Orchestra Sopot) – cello Pawel Hulisz (Hevelius Brass quintet) – flugelhorn, trumpet Michał Szczerba (Hevelius Brass quintet) – French horn Łukasz Lacny (Hevelius Brass quintet) – French horn Bogdan Kwiatek (Hevelius Brass quintet) – trombone Adam Sierżęga – percussion (uncredited, track 10; DVD) Note Recorded at Hertz Studio in Białystok, Poland, Feb-June 2013 Additional recording at Dug-Out, Radio Gdańsk, Soundsgreat Studio Mixed at Hydeaway Studio, Los Angeles, Aug-Sept 2013 Mastered at Sterling Sound, New York, Sept-Oct 2013 'Live Barbarossa' was filmed during Phoenix Rising tour in Ekaterinburg, Russia, Sept 2012

Release history

Region	Date	Label
Europe	February 3, 2014	Nuclear Blast
United States	February 4, 2014	Metal Blade
Poland		Mystic Production
Japan	February 5, 2014	Victor Entertainment
Australia	February 7, 2014	EVP Recordings
CIS	February 18, 2014[29]	New Aeon Musick/Фоно/Metal Star

Charts

Chart (2014)	Peak position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[30]	24
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[31]	88
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[32]	74
Canadian Albums Chart[33]	46
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[34]	14
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[35]	34
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[36]	70
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[37]	7
French Albums (SNEP)[38]	52
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[39]	11
Japanse Albums (Oricon)[40]	86
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[41]	1
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[42]	45
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[43]	33
UK Albums (OCC)[44]	57
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[45]	4
US Billboard 200[46]	34
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[47]	6
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[48]	9
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[49]	4
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[50]	3

References

1. http://www.metalinjection.net/sick-art/behemoth-unveil-the-incredible-artwork-to-the-satanist
2. Currin, Grayson (February 26, 2014). "Behemoth The Satanist Album Reviews Pitchfork". Retrieved February 26, 2014.
3. Heaney, Gregory (February 4, 2014). "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". Retrieved 2014-02-04.
4. http://www.metalinjection.net/video/behemoth-ora-pro-nobis-lucifer-music-video
5. http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/behemoth-messe-noire-video-released/
6. "Behemoth Announce New Album ‘The Satanist'". www.metalhammer.co.uk. May 31, 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
7. "BEHEMOTH's NERGAL: 'The Satanist' Is 'More Human Than Any Other Record We've Made'". www.blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
8. "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel - Single - Behemoth". itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
9. "BEHEMOTH: Third 'Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel' Teaser Posted Online". www.blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
10. "Behemoth: 'The Satanist' Cover Painting To Include NERGAL's Blood". 2014-02-05. www.blabbermouth.net.
11. "BEHEMOTH: 'Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel' Video Released". www.blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
12. "Behemoth: First 'The Satanist' Trailer". www.blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
13. "Behemoth: Third 'The Satanist' Trailer". www.blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
14. "Behemoth: Fourth 'The Satanist' Trailer". www.blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
15. "Behemoth: 'Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer' Lyric Video Released". www.blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
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 2014-03-28.
18. Kitteringham, Sarah (January 31, 2014). "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
19. Lawson, Dom (January 30, 2014). "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". Retrieved 2014-02-03.
20. DiVita, John (February 4, 2014). "Behemoth, The Satanist Album Review". Retrieved February 7, 2014.
21. Brown, Dean (February 4, 2014). "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". PopMatters. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
22. Stewart-Panko, Kevin (January 26, 2014). "Behemoth "The Satanist" review". Retrieved 2014-02-03.
23. Kelly, Kim (February 5, 2014). "Behemoth, The Satanist Review". Retrieved February 7, 2014.
24. Babula, Jordan. "Behemoth "The Satanist" review" (in Polish). Teraz Rock. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
25. Dare, Tom (February 4, 2014). "Behemoth The Satanist Stream and Album Review Terrorizer". Retrieved February 7, 2014.
26. http://loudwire.com/best-metal-albums-2014/
27. Evil Dr. Smith. "The Lords Of Metal Top 30 - 2014". Lords of Metal. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
28. Vera. "Behemoth - 'The Satanist' review". Lords of Metal. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
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30. "Austriancharts.at – Behemoth – The Satanist" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
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32. "Ultratop.be – Behemoth – The Satanist" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
33. "BEHEMOTH’s "The Satanist" debuts at #34 on the Billboard Top 200". www.metalblade.com. Retrieved 2014-02-16.
34. "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 201407 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
35. "Danishcharts.com – Behemoth – The Satanist". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
36. "Dutchcharts.nl – Behemoth – The Satanist" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
37. "Behemoth: The Satanist" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
38. "Lescharts.com – Behemoth – The Satanist". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
39. "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
40. "Oricon: Behemoth" (in Japanese). www.oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
41. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLIS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
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43. "Swisscharts.com – Behemoth – The Satanist". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
44. "Behemoth | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved February 14, 2014.
45. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
46. "Behemoth – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Behemoth.
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48. "Behemoth – Chart history" Billboard Top Rock Albums for Behemoth.
49. "Behemoth – Chart history" Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums for Behemoth.
50. "Behemoth – Chart history" Billboard Top Tastemaker Albums for Behemoth.