Legendary Polish extreme metal band Behemoth have announced their next album, the follow up to 2018’s I Loved You at Your Darkest, is tentatively set for a fall 2021 release via Nuclear Blast Records.
Nuclear Blast previously distributed Behemoth’s music throughout Europe, with Metal Blade handling U.S. releases. Now, Nuclear Blast will distribute Behemoth worldwide. The expanded contract solidifies the partnership between the esteemed label and pioneering Polish band.
“Nuclear Blast has been a household name in metal for decades, and Behemoth has been part of that long and illustrious history,” Behemoth mastermind Adam “Nergal” Darski said in a press statement. “But now is about the future, and we look forward to beginning Behemoth’s next chapter with a refocused and revitalized team at Nuclear Blast!”
The tandem of Behemoth and Nuclear Blast has proven a healthy relationship for both parties — most notably with the release of the band’s 2014 masterpiece, The Satanist, which was certified Gold in Poland. The band has become one of the most renowned extreme metal acts in the world, and much of that success has come alongside the widespread European distribution of Nuclear Blast.
“It’s a great pleasure to extend our partnership for the worldwide release of Behemoth’s upcoming studio albums,” Nuclear Blast Europe’s Head of A&R Jens Prueter said in the press release. “Their 30-year journey has not yet reached its pinnacle, and we are more than proud to assist them on their way to being not only the biggest extreme metal band but also one of the most exciting rock acts of the next decade. There are just a few bands that have the vision and will to dominate the music scene.”
Indeed, Behemoth and their frontman Nergal continue to proudly display their often blasphemous message both artistically and politically, much to the chagrin of the Polish government. Just yesterday, we reported that Nergal had been convicted of “offending religious feelings” of four individuals in Poland due to a social media post depicting a boot atop a picture of the Virgin Mary.
Nergal is contesting the charges — a process he’s grown all too familiar with. In 2018, he was formally charged by the government for Behemoth’s “Republic of the Unfaithful” tour art and merch, which purportedly “insulted” the national coat of arms. Most famously, Nergal faced charges (of which he was later acquitted) for tearing up a Bible on stage during a show in Gdynia in 2007.
Despite these distractions — or, perhaps, because of them — Behemoth’s music remains as intense and vital as ever. Stay tuned to Heavy Consequence for further updates on the band’s forthcoming album. In the meantime, watch our video interview with Nergal below.
