I have a factious relationship with Behemoth. Two albums sit comfortably in the top end of the collection. Their early work was truly groundbreaking. Full of aggression, anger and messages that railed against religion, the early Behemoth was indeed a visceral and dangerous machine.
Behemoth – I Scvlptor
Release Date: 4 September 2026
Words: Paul Hutchings
Their last album, The Shit Ov God, passed me by completely. It really failed to grab my attention, and the title track I found average in the extreme. So, a year later, can the latest release by the Polish legends stir a more favourable reaction?
Band leader Nergal explains that I Scvlptor is “an autonomous work that bridges our past with what is new and fresh. It features brand-new, previously unreleased tracks that embody the full force of our live energy, intensity, and the fire that has driven this band for decades.”
Alongside that, the band revisited their earlier material, the intention being to reshape it “with a modern edge while preserving its ancient spirit. I, Scvlptor is equally a tribute to the artists and bands without whom Behemoth would never have existed.”
Not new material per se, then, albeit the reworkings of Rise Of The Blackstorm Of Evil and In Thy Pandemaeternum sound as punchy as they always did. The title track is a savage beast, the ripping flesh that is prompted follows a suitably atmospheric introduction, as one would expect.
The blistering guitar riff and up-tempo drumming of Zbigniew ‘Inferno’ Promiński combine with Nergal’s trademark gruffness to a solid opener which demands investment. It is explosive, intense and a fine start given the slight hesitation. A stomping Black Metal ride, it is certainly hitting more notes for me than the previous album.
Lord Ov The Horizons gets a little gothic in feel, albeit with a demonic flavour that sees an imposing song develop. The blend of clean vocals with Nergal’s gruffer delivery adds to the style, demonstrating you do not have to apply 100mph blast beats to be sinister and foreboding.
Rise Of The Blackstorm Of Evil sees a return to the band’s earliest times. The Return Of The Northern Moon demo in 1993, no less, although this version is clearly much cleaner and sharper. In Thy Pandemaeternum was originally in 1998’s Pandemonic Incantations and benefits from a reworking that maintains the original elements and ferocity.
Two covers follow. In League With Satan, originally by Venom, features Shagrath of Dimmu Borgir, and whilst it certainly replicates the original, there is something missing from the chaotic version that Cronos and co recorded back in 1981 on Welcome To Hell.
The Bathory cover is unsurprising, and The Return Of Darkness And Evil from 1985’s The Return is a live version which features guest vocals from Sakis Tolis of Rotting Christ. It is a blistering cover, although there is no way that the scream that penetrates the psyche on the original can be matched. The album finishes with an alternative version of Lord Ov The Horizons.
Overall, it feels a bit unsatisfactory although the performances still have elements of the fire that burns within the band. Certainly, an enjoyable listen, but maybe one that I would pick up on occasion rather than on repeat.
With the band set to hit Europe with Dimmu Borgir in the next few months, there is definitely no evidence of them slowing down.
Behemoth release I Scvlptor on 4 September 2026 via Nuclear Blast. Pre-orders and more are available at iscvlptor.com.
