The Apostasy

Studio album by Behemoth

Released

17 July 2007

Recorded

November 2006 – April 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

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]
Teraz Rock	^[3]
Decibel	^[4]
Metal Injection	^[5]
The Metallist	^[6]

The Apostasy is the eighth full-length album by Polish extreme metal band Behemoth. The album was released on 17 July 2007 through Regain Records.

Background

The Apostasy 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.^[7]

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.^[8]

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.^[9]

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Rome 64 C.E." (instrumental)		Nergal	1:16
2.	"Slaying the Prophets ov Isa"	Nergal	Nergal	3:23
3.	"Prometherion"	Nergal	Nergal	3:03
4.	"At the Left Hand ov God"	Nergal, Krzysztof Azarewicz	Nergal	4:58
5.	"Kriegsphilosophie"	Nergal	Nergal	4:23
6.	"Be Without Fear"	Nergal	Nergal	3:17
7.	"Arcana Hereticae"	Nergal, Krzysztof Azarewicz	Nergal	2:58
8.	"Libertheme"	Nergal	Nergal	4:53
9.	"Inner Sanctum"	Nergal	Nergal	5:01
10.	"Pazuzu"	Nergal	Nergal	2:37
11.	"Christgrinding Avenue"	Nergal	Nergal	3:50

Japanese Bonus Tracks
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

Special edition DVD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Making of the Apostasy" (documentary)	25:28

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

Behemoth

Adam "Nergal" Darski – rhythm, lead and acoustic guitars, vocals, choir arrangements
Zbigniew Robert "Inferno" Promiński – drums and percussion
Tomasz "Orion" Wróblewski – bass guitar, additional vocals

Additional musicians

Patryk Dominik "Seth" Sztyber – rhythm and lead guitars, additional backing vocals
Leszek Możdżer – piano on Inner Sanctum
Warrel Dane (Nevermore) – vocals on Inner Sanctum
Piotr Głuch (Manthu) – trumpet, trumpet arrangements (deceased)
Jacek Swedrzynski (Kyrios) – French horn
Marcin Dziecielewski (Majestic) – trombone
Hanna Kwiatkowska (Cappella Gedanensis) – soprano
Anna Asmus (Cappella Gedanensis) – soprano
Sylwia Falecka (Cappella Gedanensis) – alto
Tamara Hejka–Grom (Cappella Gedanensis) – alto
Piotr Macalak (Cappella Gedanensis) – basso
Franciszek Iskrzycki (Academic Choir of the University of Gdansk) – tenor
Grzegorz Zieba (Academic Choir of the University of Gdansk) – tenor

Production

Krzysztof Azarewicz – incantations, spells
Kuba Mankowski (Pnemua) – choral arrangements
Piotr Banka – trumpet arrangements
Arkadiusz "Malta" Malczewski – sound engineering, co–production
Marcin Malinowski – assistant engineer
Daniel Bergstrand – mixing
Bjorn Engelmann – mastering
Tomasz "Graal" Danilowicz – cover concept, design and artwork, mask design
Krzysztof "Sado" Sadowski – band photography
Zbigniew Jozwik – mask sculpture
Sharon E. Wennekers – grammatical consultations

Note

Recorded at RG Studios November 2006 - March 2007.
Mixed in Dug Out Studio, Uppsala, March 2007.
Mastered in Cutting Room Studio, Stockholm, March 2007.
Samples on track IX recorded in Ilaga Sophia, Turkey, 2006.
Samples on track X recorded in Swayambunath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2005.

Charts

Chart	Peak position
Polish Albums (ZPAV)^[10]	9
US Billboard 200^[11]	149
US Top Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)^[12]	2
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)^[13]	24

Release history

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

↑ Bowar, Chad. "Review: The Apostasy". About.com. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
↑ Alisoglu, Scott. "Review: The Apostasy". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
↑ Filipowski, Robert. "Behemoth "The Apostasy" review" (in Polish). Teraz Rock. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
↑ Begrand, Adrien. "Behemoth - "The Apostasy" review". Decibel. www.behemoth.pl. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
↑ Bowar, Chad. "Review: The Apostasy". Retrieved 23 August 2009.
↑ "Review: The Apostasy". Retrieved 23 August 2009.
↑ "Behemoth (3) - The Apostasy (CD, Album) at Discogs". Retrieved 2009-08-17.
↑ "Behemoth: 'The Apostasy' Released On Limited-Edition Gatefold Vinyl". Retrieved 2009-08-17.
↑ "YouTube - Nergal of Behemoth - Interview Part 1 - MPJ". Retrieved 2009-08-17.
↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
↑ "Behemoth – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Behemoth.
↑ "Behemoth – Chart history" Billboard Top Heatseekers Albums for Behemoth.
↑ "Behemoth – Chart history" Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums for Behemoth.

Behemoth
Nergal Inferno Orion Seth Baal Ravenlock Desecrator Frost Orcus Les Mefisto Havoc Novy
Studio albums	Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic) Grom Pandemonic Incantations Satanica Thelema.6 Zos Kia Cultus (Here and Beyond) Demigod The Apostasy Evangelion The Satanist
Live albums	At the Arena ov Aion – Live Apostasy Live Barbarossa
EPs	And the Forests Dream Eternally Bewitching the Pomerania Antichristian Phenomenon Conjuration Slaves Shall Serve Ezkaton Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel Xiądz
Demos	Endless Damnation The Return of the Northern Moon Thy Winter Kingdom ...From the Pagan Vastlands
Compilation albums	Demonica Abyssus Abyssum Invocat
Split albums	And the Forests Dream Eternally/Forbidden Spaces
Video albums	Live Eschaton Crush.Fukk.Create: Requiem for Generation Armageddon Evangelia Heretika
Related articles	Discography Blindead Vader Vesania Azarath

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