Band:	Behemoth
Album:	The Satanist
Style:	Blackened death metal
Release date:	February 03, 2014
Guest review by:	flightoficarus

Disc I
01. Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel
02. Furor Divinus
03. Messe Noire
04. Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer
05. Amen
06. The Satanist
07. Ben Sahar
08. In The Absence Ov Light
09. O Father O Satan O Sun!
10. Ludzie Wschodu [Siekiera cover] [Australian bonus]

Disc II [DVD] [deluxe box set version]
01. Live Barbarossa
    1 - Intro
    2 - Ov Fire And The Void
    3 - Demigod
    4 - Moonspell Rites
    5 - Conquer All
    6 - Christians To The Lions
    7 - The Seed Ov I
    8 - Alas, Lord Is Upon Me
    9 - Decade Of ΘΕΡΙΟΝ
    10 - At The Left Hand Ov God
    11 - Slaves Shall Serve
    12 - Chant For ΕΣΧΗΑΤΟΝ 2000
    13 - 23 (The Youth Manifesto)
    14 - Lucifer
02. The Satanist: Oblivion

What's my favorite scary movie? The Shining. With its subtle, psychological terror and slow-build that only Kubrick can pull off, it's a masterpiece. Sure, I get down with the gore-ridden creature features too. Everything from Evil Dead to Friday the 13th is cool in my book. Why is this relevant? Aliens. Okay, now you are more confused. Let me elaborate further. I think a lot of long-time fans come to a Behemoth album expecting a certain level of violence. Demigod, Thelema.6, Zos Kia Cultus; these classics are the "Aliens" of the Behemoth discography. Explosions, flame-throwers, disembowelment, "Game over man, game over!" I'm right with you, popcorn ready. The Satanist, on the other hand, is "Alien." Swarms of xenomorphs are replaced with a single, lurking threat in the shadows. The emphasis is on tension as each innocent is picked off one by one and dragged to their grim (and unseen) demise. While both styles are equally valid, I find the imagination to be a far darker place than anything directly fed to my senses.

I tend to rate an album along three criteria: enjoyability, musicianship, and innovation. I'll start with enjoyability. As a fan of thrillers, this album has it in spades. From the simple, catchiness of "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel" to the cathartic cries of "O Father O Satan O Sun!", there is nary a moment that does not grip me to the core. I love this album with the exact same intensity I did the first time I listened to it. I still find myself frequently growling along to "Messe Noir" and playing double-bass under my desk to "Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer." I may know that Dallas is going to die in those vents, but I'm still on the edge of my seat every time he goes in there.

Regarding musicianship, subtly wins me over in this department. What Alien lacks in creature effects, it makes up for with careful editing, cinematography, and pacing. The same can be said for The Satanist: it may not have the most technical guitar parts or original concepts, but damned if the songwriting doesn't know how to spin straw into gold. Rather than being symphonic in the bombastic sense of Dimmu Borgir or later Septicflesh, Behemoth take a more understated, chamber music approach. This atmosphere combines with the earworm melodies in such a way as to build something that is cohesive without losing a sense of what makes each track special.

I have already begun to allude to innovation in saying that the ideas here are not new. They are, however, a big step for the group. While much of the present territory was explored on Evangelion, it was not done with this level of mastery. Think back to the first time you saw that chestbuster burst from Kane's torso. Would that have been nearly as disturbing without the quiet dread building so long before? Dynamics are a big part of what makes The Satanist a slam dunk for me. The dreary, gothic and menacing parts make each crescendo hit that much harder. Those looking for a truncated example need look no further than the first single. The final moments of that track work so well only because of all the time spent lulling a certain hypnotic sense of fragile safety. This is in stark contrast to the more balls-to-the-wall approach of albums like Demigod.

In the end, this is a well-deserved 10. Those familiar with my Metal Archives reviews know that I don't give out too many, but the The Satanist soars on black wings with its staying power, songwriting, and dynamic progression. Those looking for something more blunt and direct would be better served elsewhere, but fans of Ridley Scott and Giger (RIP) will rejoice at the slow burn. In space, you CAN hear Nergal scream.