The Apostasy

The Apostasy
Studio album by Behemoth
Released	July 2, 2007 (2007-07-02)
Recorded	November, 2006 – April, 2007 Radio Gdańsk in Gdańsk, Poland
Genre	Death metal
Length	39:52
Label	Regain, Century Media, Mystic, Victor Entertainment
Producer	Nergal, Arkadiusz Malczewski
Behemoth chronology
Demonica (2006) The Apostasy (2007) At the Arena ov Aion – Live Apostasy (2008)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
About.com	[1]
Blabbermouth.net	[2]
Chronicles of Chaos	[3]
Teraz Rock	[4]
Decibel	[5]

The Apostasy is the eighth full-length album by Polish extreme metal band Behemoth. The album was released on July 17, 2007 through Regain Records. It was recorded at the Radio Gdańsk Studios from November 2006 till 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.^[6]

Unlike Behemoth's previous studio albums, the 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.^[7]

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.^[8]

Track listing

Explanation of song titles

• "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 (Left-Hand Path and Right-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

Charts

Release history

References