The Apostasy
| The Apostasy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 17 July 2007 | |||
| Recorded | November 2006 – March 2007 Radio Gdańsk in Gdańsk, Poland | |||
| Genre | Blackened death metal | |||
| Length | 39:39 | |||
| Label | Regain, Century Media, Mystic, Victor Entertainment | |||
| Producer | Nergal, Arkadiusz Malczewski | |||
| Behemoth chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Behemoth studio album chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| About.com |   [1] |
| AllMusic |  [2] |
| Blabbermouth.net |   [3] |
| Teraz Rock | [4] |
| Decibel | [5] |
| Metal Injection | [6] |
| The Metallist | [7] |
The Apostasy is the eighth studio album by Polish extreme metal band Behemoth. The album was released on 17 July 2007 through Regain Records.
Background
[edit]The Apostasy was recorded at the Radio Gdańsk Studios from November 2006 to March 2007. The record was then mixed by Daniel Bergstrand in the Dug Out Studio in Uppsala, Sweden in March 2007. Then it was mastered by Bjorn Engelmann in the Cutting Room Studios in Stockholm, Sweden also in March 2007.[8]
Unlike Behemoth's previous studio albums, a piano and a horn section (a trio of trumpet, trombone, French horn) were used in several of the album's songs. During the recording sessions, the band re-recorded a new version of "Chant for Eschaton 2000" – originally released on their album Satanica – which was released on the band's 2008 EP, Ezkaton. The Apostasy is Behemoth's first album to chart on the Billboard 200, having debuted at #149. The album was also put out in vinyl format limited to 500 copies.[9]
The album title refers to "apostasy", the state of having forsaken one's professed belief set, often in favour of opposing beliefs or causes. The album cover artwork is a depiction of the Hindu goddess Kali.[10]
Track listing
[edit]All lyrics are written by Nergal, except where noted; all music is composed by Nergal
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rome 64 C.E." (instrumental) | 1:16 | |
| 2. | "Slaying the Prophets ov Isa" | 3:23 | |
| 3. | "Prometherion" | 3:03 | |
| 4. | "At the Left Hand ov God" | Nergal, Krzysztof Azarewicz | 4:58 |
| 5. | "Kriegsphilosophie" | 4:23 | |
| 6. | "Be Without Fear" | 3:17 | |
| 7. | "Arcana Hereticae" | Nergal, Krzysztof Azarewicz | 2:58 |
| 8. | "Libertheme" | 4:53 | |
| 9. | "Inner Sanctum" | 5:01 | |
| 10. | "Pazuzu" | 2:37 | |
| 11. | "Christgrinding Avenue" | 3:50 | |
| Total length: | 39:39 | ||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Entering the Pylon ov Light" | Krzysztof Azarewicz | Nergal | 3:42 |
| 13. | "Slaves Shall Serve" (live) | Krzysztof Azarewicz | Nergal | 3:27 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Making of the Apostasy" (documentary) | 25:28 |
Explanation of song titles
[edit]- "Rome 64 C.E." – the Great Fire of Rome occurred in 64 C.E., in which Peter from the bible (and possible other apostles as well), were allegedly killed. This explains the name of the song "Slaying the Prophets ov Isa".
- "Slaying the Prophets ov Isa" – Isa is the Arabic name for Jesus.
- "Prometherion" is a portmanteau of Prometheus (Greek: Προμηθεύς; "forethought") and Therion (Greek: θηρίον; "wild animal" or "beast").
- "At the Left Hand ov God" is referring to the left-hand path
- "Kriegsphilosophie" is German for "philosophy of war".
- "Pazuzu" – the Pazuzu was a much-feared creature of legend in Mesopotamian mythology, with a deformed head, wings of an eagle, sharp claws of a lion on its feet, and tail of a scorpion. It is the personification of the south-east storm wind, which brings diseases.
- "Christgrinding Avenue" talks about the Via Dolorosa and the crucifixion of Jesus.
Personnel
[edit]
|
|
Charts
[edit]| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Polish Albums (ZPAV)[11] | 9 |
| US Billboard 200[12] | 149 |
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[13] | 2 |
| US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[14] | 24 |
Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Europe, Poland | 2 July 2007 | Regain Records/Mystic Production |
| United States | 17 July 2007 | Century Media Records |
| Russia | 30 July 2007 | CD-Maximum |
| Japan | 21 September 2007 | Victor Entertainment |
References
[edit]- ^ Bowar, Chad. "Review: The Apostasy". About.com. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
- ^ "Behemoth - The Apostasy Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Alisoglu, Scott. "Review: The Apostasy". Blabbermouth.net. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
- ^ Filipowski, Robert. "Behemoth "The Apostasy" review" (in Polish). Teraz Rock. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
- ^ Begrand, Adrien. "Behemoth - "The Apostasy" review". Decibel. www.behemoth.pl. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- ^ Bowar, Chad (18 July 2007). "Review: The Apostasy". Retrieved 23 August 2009.
- ^ "Review: The Apostasy". Retrieved 23 August 2009.
- ^ "Behemoth (3) - The Apostasy (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
- ^ "Behemoth: 'The Apostasy' Released On Limited-Edition Gatefold Vinyl". Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
- ^ "YouTube - Nergal of Behemoth - Interview Part 1 - MPJ". YouTube. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
- ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "Behemoth Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ "Behemoth Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "Behemoth Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard.
