Loudside.com managed to sit down with Extreme metal's most Extreme frontman, Nergal (aka Adam Michal Darski) of Behemoth, during the band's co-headlining run on this year's Radio Rebellion tour. Discussing everything from the tour, to the new album, Ozzfest versus Sounds Of The Underground, and the upcoming DVD and EP that the band are working on. Here's what Nergal had to say about the current state of Behemoth, and what the band's plans are for the not too distant future:

Loudside.com: This tour has been going on for a couple of weeks now....

Nergal: Actually like ten days or something...

Loudside.com: Ok. How do you feel about the tour package, and how has the turn out been?

Nergal: It's been better than I expected. It's awesome! Everybody's happy, and all are getting a killer response. We couldn't have a better first Headlining, or co-headlining tour in the U.S. We're getting from like 500 to 600 people pretty much every fucking night. It's nice. Yesterday we got around 800 - 900 people in LA. It was pretty fucking crazy, and probably the best show so far too. It's gonna be hard to top! (laughing)

Loudside.com: Ok, now as you said this is your first ever headlining tour in the U.S. You guys also had a very successful run on Ozzfest landing the second stage direct support slot. Taking that into accord, did you ever think that a band as extreme as Behemoth would ever get that kind of attention here in the U.S.?

Nergal: To be honest, we were coming here with a clean record, you know what I mean. We were no ones....newcomers. I remember promising myself that we were gonna work as hard as possible to take us somewhere, ya know. I didn't know what to expect, but after two or three tours I realized that hard work is paying off in this country. And that's what I like about America. In Europe, you might do like one tour in three years, and still people will remember you and buy your records and shit. In the U.S., it's pretty much only the hard workers that get some credit, you know what I mean. Which is maybe good, maybe bad, I don't know, but I like that, you know. And us being a very motivated and determined band, it's working fine for us. It always feels good to be here too. For some reason touring here is easy. We really enjoy it. We've finally reached a level where we can do things, like higher profile. There's more quality to the show, bigger production and everything. I'm happy that we can finally give people something more than just a 30 minute opening slot for a bigger band, you know. That's cool....it's killer!

(At this point Nergal excuses himself briefly to ensure that his guitar tech has everything in order)

Loudside.com: Now speaking of successful runs, you guys have been consistently gaining new fans and popularity since doing Sounds of the Underground last year. In terms of festivals, how would you compare Sounds to Ozzfest?

Nergal: Sounds is more underground. It's like Ozzfest, but for Extreme metal music. Ozzfest is more of a mainstream festival, but both festivals are killer! They have different rules and different crowds, and everything is different. But at the same time, they're both summer festivals, and it's cool. It was an honor to be a part of both, you know. And it seems like Ozzfest was a step up from Sounds. We covered some territory with Sounds of the Underground. More extreme than most tours here in the U.S. Then it was a challenge for us to go on Ozzfest and face the mainstream crowd who probably...most of them didn't even know that something like an extreme metal genre like death or black metal even existed, you know. So it was kinda cool. It was funny to just watch people's faces when we were onstage, just looking fucking scary and dangerous.....and them being confused and...disturbed or whatever. (laughing)

Loudside.com: (laughing) Now regarding the new album, 'The Apostasy', in one of the first interviews you did after you finished the recording, you said the creative process left you physically exhausted. Now with you being the creative mastermind behind the band, do you ever get a break from Behemoth?

Nergal: Actually I'm having a vacation this January. I can't wait really. It really makes this tour so much easier, because I know what's waiting for me. I'm gonna have like two weeks vacation in Australia, and then right after I'm flying to Egypt for two weeks. So if I don't go crazy, because I'm planning to bring NO music with me....just books and....cash, ya know. Just to have fun and relax, and hang out with my friends. So I'm actually planning to have a serious vacation, so I don't know how my body and my mind are going to handle that. Because it seems like I've always been addicted to activity and creativity, and if I don't do something creative, it feels like I'm losing my time. Ask me this question again in March, we're coming back to the U.S. in March probably. So ask me if it was good for me or not. I definitely need to do NOTHING for....some period of time. But then again we're coming back and touring Europe in February, and then the U.S. again in March of course. And then we plan to do another round in South America and Mexico. And then we do Summer Festivals, and then maybe another European tour in September/October......AND THEN we'll enter the studio, for the next record. So I can tell you that the craziness and the madness is not over yet. (laughing)

Loudside.com: (Laughing) Ok, now you guys had a really extensive touring cycle for the 'Demigod' album, and you guys got to tour with ALOT of different bands. Were there any bands at all that had a real impact on you, that may have influenced you prior to the writing of the new album?

Nergal: Subconsciously maybe. I don't know man. Sometimes I don't even know what my influence is.....I'm just writing music you know. And whatever comes out, you don't really realize it until it comes out. It's hard for me to judge really. You should listen to it and analyze it yourself.....say "ok they toured with these bands" (laughing). Of course, you know if you tour with Morbid Angel, how can it not inspire you? Morbid Angel inspired every single death metal band, you know. So saying that the inspiration is not coming from Morbid Angel, which are the godfathers of this genre, would be a lie of course. But then again, I think we have our own unique sound. We have something that's signature for Behemoth, and that's it. I'm pretty sure that we can actually deliver some uniqueness, you know. I don't want to say original, because I don't like that word....but something unique and something special.....and something that's special just for this band, ya know. But definitely man, I listen to lots of music, and I listen to lots of bands, and I pay attention to what's going on around. And I can tell......I mean we're touring with Job For A Cowboy.....ya know. Killer band, super tight. And then Gojira, who are also tight, but just a different band. I really look up to these people, you know, as musicians and artists. Even though we play different styles of music, there's a kind of same energy that binds all four bands on this bill, and this is killer! I think you can talk to any member of the bands I mentioned, and they'll tell you the same. It's cool.

Loudside.com: Ok cool. Now one of the things that added a different element to 'The Apostasy' was the guest appearance from Warrell Dane. Was "Inner Sanctum" written specifically with him in mind, or did it just work out that way?

Nergal: It was written for someone to sing on. I needed some sinister touch, I wanted to spice it up with something.....to bring something more.......I just didn't want to ruin the song with my growling, you know (laughing). It just demanded something more than screaming or growling. And I asked Warrell.....and with him being one of my favorite vocalists in the extreme metal genre, and not being just a power metal vocalist is fucking special. I love his voice. And the fact that he said yes, and he did the job you know. It's an awesome song, and without him it wouldn't be the same. It just kinda gave it this greatness, you know. This extra dimension, and I think it's awesome. And it's a very personal song too, and it stands out. There's many people that have said this is one of the best moments on the record, which is kind of weird to me because it's a song that we're never going to play live. It's a song that's just so different.....pretty much every record we got something different, like weird songs or something that stands out. But "Inner Sanctum" stands out more than anything we've ever done before. But it's cool, you know. It makes this album more diverse.

Loudside.com: And knowing good and well that you couldn't play it live, was that a factor that was considered?

Nergal: Oh of course. I mean when making the record I pretty much know from the start when I write a song, it's like ok we're never gonna perform this song live.....which means that I can throw ANYTHING I want into the song, you know, so I don't need to bother later. So usually, instinctively, I would know that some songs I want to play live, so I'm not going to overdo things. For the live performances, we try to stick to straightforward, mainly fast stuff, because that's what I like. Some of the slower and groovier songs too, you know. But it was just too much happening, too progressive. I'm not sure if it's fun to play. Maybe it's fun to watch or to listen to, but maybe it's not fun for us to play. (laughing)

Loudside.com: (laughing) Ok......another thing I noticed about the new album is that there's alot more mid-tempo groove and more melody, or rather, melodic breaks. It's not as in your face as 'Demigod', but it's heavier because of the added dynamics....

Nergal: See, I mean  yesterday we were talking to our friend from this band out of LA, and he said, "Demigod was more catchy and stuff, and this new one is just brutal." And what you're saying now is just the opposite, that it's more groovy and has more melody. And that's very confusing, because.....and it kind of confirms this formula.....there's plenty of people, I mean different people....and every opinion on the record is completely different! Man, I just refuse to answer these kind of questions because people have such extreme opinions. I've been meeting people that have said, "Wow this album is so fucking slow and heavy", and then other people say, "Man this is the fastest thing you've done ever." Because if you listen to songs like "Slaying.....", the first song, or ummm, fucking "Pazuzu", Man!! We've never played faster songs than this, you know. But at the same time, there are parts that are really groovy and heavy, and I guess mid-tempo stuff. (laughing) It proves the diversity on this record. I think it's good, but then again, it's all about personal interpretation.

Loudside.com: Ok cool (laughing). Now in regards to the band, you guys have gone through multiple line up changes over the years, and most recently you guys were officially a three piece.....

Nergal: We started off as a duo, and then we went through several line up changes. And we ended up just being a one man band for a while....it was just me and I was pretty much just picking other guys as session musicians. It's different now. We kind of have a very complete line up now. It's very stable. We're a three piece plus one, and so far it's working good for us. I wanna stick to it.

Loudside.com: So is the fourth going to be......

Nergal: (Laughing) I don't wanna think about it. I'm not sure.....we never know...

Loudside.com: So definitely three then?

Nergal: Yeah it's......nothing's gonna change for the next record. I think it's a good combination of characters. (laughing)

Loudside.com: (laughing) Ok......Now a while back you guys shot the video for "Prometherion", which just recently debuted online, and I believe it debuted on a coupld of the tv outlets as well. Aside from the video, I understand that you guys have been filming and compiling stuff for a brand new DVD. What can we look forward to in that regard, from Behemoth?

Nergal: Wow.....just expect things that.....it's gonna be out of control. I have at least a hundred tapes back home. Each one is three hours long. It's alot of stuff. Not just bootlegs, it's alot of craziness, you know, from behind the stage. It's gonna be....like if you seen "Crush.Fukk.Create" it's gonna be the same, just on a much higher level. So if you seen the crazy stuff on "Crush Fukk Create", you're going to experience something ten times more crazy on the new one. And I want to keep it very spicy, you know. I want to keep it dangerous, and everything. I want to actually show how things really are. I mean, of course there has to be some censorship you know. I don't want people to see my dick on the screen (laughing). But there's definitely going to be some porn too, so.......there's lots of stuff, some funny stuff. Just expect something very......disturbing. It's not gonna be another boring heavy metal dvd...NO! It's gonna be where you're like "Wow!"

Loudside.com: (laughing) Ok, now you kind of already answered this, but to elaborate on it more........is anything concrete in terms of your upcoming touring schedule and anything else the band has lined up for 2008?

Nergal: Yeah. We're doing those few tours that I mentioned, and we're also working on an ep. Traditionally there's going to be an ep. There's going to be some cool stuff actually...there's going to be some live stuff, and some crazy cover songs that no one would expect us to play, as usual. But this time it's gonna be like "WOW". And there's gonna be some cool outtakes from 'The Apostasy'. The sound of the old song, when we recorded it, sounds completely different, so it's gonna be cool. For all the Diehards, basically. And of course the new DVD. And then we'll probably start jamming out new stuff around summer. Because we're planning to take some time off. From May until September, we'll be doing just festivals, occassionally. Which means we'll just be having time off.....lots of time to think of new ideas and shit like that. I don't really wanna rush into the studio and just do another record because we have to do it. That never happens actually. We always take time off, and always wanna digest things first and make sure we're in good shape and good health to fucking strike stronger than ever before, you know. And I know that 'Demigod' and 'The Apostasy' are both pretty fuckin high levels. So we wanna overcome ourselves again, and we want to put out records that are at least equally as good as the previous ones. So it takes time, and it takes lots of energy, but we'll be coming back stronger."

Loudside.com: And as far as the touring, nothing confirmed on that end?

Nergal: Yes, there is but I can't really announce it yet. But it's gonna be big tours. It's gonna be a tour.....for the U.S., where you're gonna be like "WOW!". I can tell you, it's gonna be......we're actually working on the Ultimate Extreme Metal tour for Late February and March. It should be announced as soon as we are done with this trek, in about two or three weeks.....you should see an announcement on Blabbermouth or our official site, or myspace....whatever. And you'll be like "That's a fucking killer combination!", you know what I mean (laughing). But yeah, it's going to be the Ultimate Black/Death metal tour.......

**Check out photos of Behemoth from the Radio Rebellion Tour (Slim's - San Francisco, CA) at this location.**