Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground, alongside bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Vesania and Hate.

Until the late 1990s, the band played traditional black metal with heathen lyrical content, but soon changed to that of occult and thelemic themes written by their lead vocalist Nergal and Krzysztof Azarewicz. With the 1999 release of Satanica, the band showed their presence in the blackened death metal scene, while retaining their own signature style characterized by the drum work of Inferno, multi-layered vocals and Nile-style Middle-Eastern influences. Even though Behemoth has been labeled as death metal, black metal or thrash influenced, Nergal has mentioned that he doesn't like the band to be labeled.

Behemoth was formed in 1991 as a trio, starting with raw and primitive black metal rehearsal tapes (Endless Damnation) and demos (The Return of the Northern Moon), the most significant of which was the second one—...From the Pagan Vastlands (1993)—showing the growing potential of the then teenage Nergal. Tomasz Wróblewski likes to announce that his metal influences sprung from Black Sabbath for giving him his ideas of "demonic" chords.

In 2007, the band toured Europe alongside Napalm Death, Moonspell and Dew-Scented. Behemoth released their eighth studio album The Apostasy in July of that year. It was recorded at Radio Gdansk studio in December, 2006. Shortly after the release of The Apostasy, the band was featured as one of Ozzfest 2007's second stage headliners, one of the four non-US bands playing that year. In October/November 2007, they played their first US headlining tour alongside Job For A Cowboy, Gojira, and Beneath The Massacre. In October/November 2007 the band toured Europe alongside Canadian death metal combo Kataklysm and Belgium's Aborted. In February 2008 Behemoth toured Europe headlining over Suicide Silence. In April/May 2008 the band toured North America as part of "The Invaluable Darkness" tour with Keep of Kalessin and headliner Dimmu Borgir. Behemoth spent the summer playing a number of prominent festivals all over Europe.

In October 2008, Behemoth will release their first live album,At the Arena ov Aion – Live Apostasy. Also, an EP called Ezkaton will be released featuring a re-recorded version of Chant for Eschaton, one new song, two covers, and three live songs. The EP will be released in North America on November 11.

Behemoth may at some point become banned from playing in their native country, Poland. In July 2007 the All-Polish Committee for Defense Against Sects distributed a list of bands that allegedly promote Satanism and murder to many Polish officials. Critics of this policy primarily see this as a violation of free speech, with the most scathing criticism generally eminating from within the metal community. As of present, the list has not gone into effect, and Behemoth is still allowed to play in Poland freely, but the band provoked further controversy in February 2008 when an official complaint had been registered by the committee, which cited a bible-tearing incident on behalf of frontman Nergal at a concert in September 2007.


Official Website:
http://www.behemoth.pl