Indulge me, and prepare to completely immerse yourself in XXX Years Ov Blasphemy with a chalice of the freshest goat's blood, black out your eyes with some face paint, decorate with elaborate candelabras dripping of red wax candles, and maybe even prepare yourself some 'freshly-sacrificed' charcuterie selections because this album is going to send you straight to the dark decadence of black metal's iron lap.
Behemoth's integrity and tenacity has helped establish as the group as one of the all-time titans of extreme metal. Inspired by the 'founding fathers' of black metal such as Mayhem, Abbath and Immmortal, Behemoth wanted to do what the Norwegians were doing – only in Poland. While inspired by the greatest known bands of black and death metal (such as Deicide), Behemoth wanted to make music like the bands they were so influenced by, but they wanted to do it differently. Behemoth was looking for a spark of something that would make them distinctly individual in spite of their love for learning about the occult and Satanism. Over the last 30 years, they've managed to do just that. Despite criticism that the band was becoming too 'main stream' to be considered black or death metal, Behemoth kept chugging along, making the music they wanted to make.
Maintaining what seems like an unapologetic, devil-may-care attitude since the early 90s, Behemoth has not been seen as a band that has ever considered slowing down. However the band did think about calling it quits quite a few times, and during their career, ever-present founding member and frontman Adam "Nergal" Darksi fought against (and subsequently won) a battle with a leukemia diagnosis. A once bleak outlook for the band thanks to cancer, Nergal astoundingly survived what I imagine probably seemed like a death sentence. Through what was no doubt a arduous and demanding recovery, Nergal regained enough strength to turn around and say a massive FUCK YOU to cancer, death, and dying.
Nergal arose from the figurative grave renewed with vigor and commitment to brutal metal. But even before the diagnosis, Behemoth wanted to make metal was that wasn't just brutal, but also deeply memorable. I can't help but think that this context adds to the importance of this compilation album. XXX Years Ov Blasphemy is overflowing with intensity and energy from start to finish which is reflective of the band's passion for their craft and their message. Behemoth has helped keep black metal – a defining and irreplaceable corner of the metalverse – alive and thriving for not mere years, but for decades. Their own brand of metal has evolved as you'd might expect from a band with 30+ years of growth, but one thing hasn't changed: Behemoth kicks fucking ass.
XXX Years Ov Blasphemy is a veritable treasure trove of hidden gems and fan favorites that spans Behemoth's illustrious career, even harkening back to their earliest releases. It's pretty astounding to think that songs which were written when the band was only in their teens and early 20s can still maintain enough integrity that they can be played with the same fervor and intention as when they were first released.
In other words, despite their naiveté, the early songs have aged remarkably well. Behemoth has crafted a sacred legacy by allowing themselves to step outside of the strict 'metal box' army of face-painted black metal lovers and experiment with covers of people like David Bowie and bands like Nine Inch Nails. Despite the tongue-in-cheek reference earlier to classical black metal imagery, Behemoth is a band that has proven that flexibility in an otherwise cult-like genre can be a winner. Each experimentation has brought the band a new found direction to flow into, and this idea is now preserved in XXX Years Ov Blasphemy.
XXX Years Ov Blasphemy is broken up into 3 parts – Acts I, II, and III and as you can probably deduce for yourself, each act symbolizes a different time in Behemoth's career. The adrenaline across all three acts is palpable. You can hear Behemoth 'moving' along in their career, expanding and growing but also making time to honor their roots. Nergal, in part thanks to his social media, has cultivated an image – almost a character – that is savagely honest and full of irresistible charisma. It's hard to listen to XXX Years Ov Blasphemy without mentally picturing Nergal practically on fire with passion, painted face, screaming into a mic.
Luckily, you don't have to imagine it. XXX Years Ov Blasphemy is going to be released October 25th, 2024 as a 90-minute live DVD/BluRay with accompanying LPs and CDs. The quality of music for these lives show is just… nuts. Raw and uncompromising, Behemoth shows their best side with this ambitious project, recorded across 3 different performances. Each set is adorned with elaborate stage props and seeing Behemoth in their element is awe-inspiring. I'm not always the biggest fan of live recordings, but XXX Years Ov Blasphemy is, without the visuals, practically studio quality. You can imagine yourself, even if just for a moment, standing in the front row in a mass of people. As you feel the heat of the crowd, let yourself be consumed by the metal vortex that is Behemoth while listening to this release.
Nergal and Behemoth have a mission, and that mission is to make fucking music. Chock to the brim with references, Behemoth is known for it's Nordic and Slavic influences, references to long-forgotten cultures, and of course – Satanism. If you want to give Behemoth a try, of course I'd recommend starting here. Long-time fans should be happy with this retrospective which may even give you a deeper appreciation of the band's legacy. Enjoy XXX Years Ov Blasphemy and don't be surprised if by the end you too find yourself screaming "HAIL SATAN!"
