Polish hyperblasters Behemoth have returned with their highly anticipated new album, 'The Apostasy', and there is literally no question that they've outdone themselves ten times over with this album.
The album opens with the instrumental track "Rome 64 C.E.", which has a militaristic "war march" feel to it, leading directly into the album's first actual track, "Slaying The Prophets Ov Isa". From the gate, Inferno comes in at breakneck speed, playing faster and tighter than ever before. And Nergal is as brutal as ever vocally, only this time out, a bit more intelligible. Guitarwork is beyond stellar, with some seriously blistering leads.
With 'The Apostasy', Behemoth has also added a slew of new elements to their overall sound, which serves to not only set them apart from the rest of Extreme metal's finest, but it will undoubtedly help to push them to the forefront of the extreme metal scene. From bringing in haunting female vocals, to tribal-esque chanting, to numerous different types of layered backing vocals that compliment Nergal's roars amazingly. They also managed to add more of a groove to their already crushing sound, making it even more impacting when they decide to break into full on blast attacks. And there are even some dirty clean vocals provided courtesy of Nevermore's own Warrel Dane.
It's safe to say that 'The Apostasy' is destined to be an instant classick. Moreover, it's a sure bet that it will be an influence to the current crop of up and coming extreme metal bands, as well as numerous generations of young upstarts to come.
