Behemoth Vocalist Nergal Teases Potential Australian Dates For Later This Year

Polish extreme metallers Behemoth could return to Australia later this year for the first time since March 2019, vocalist Adam “Nergal” Darski teased on Instagram yesterday (5 July).

Sharing two screenshots of the news about Australia legalising psychedelics to treat mental health conditions, Nergal wrote, “Finally some GOOD news World. Thank u land of kangaroo and [Australian horror/death metal band] Portal for igniting an enlightening course for the rest of the globe….”

But it’s what he wrote at the end of that caption that fired up Kill Your Stereo: “Now I honestly can’t wait to tour there later this year.”

Will Behemoth join the expansive list of November tours, including Devin Townsend, Paramore, Bloc Party and Interpol, and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls? Or October, inviting Ghost’s Tobias Forge for a special guest spot? Will the metal legends appear at Good Things Festival in December? Headline tour or festival slot? So many questions that we can’t wait to have answered sooner rather than later.

In September 2022, Behemoth released their 12^th album, Opvs Contra Natvram. The band’s latest musical collection embodies rebellion, individuality and unflinching self-expression shaped by a literary worldview. It also reflects a musical evolution – there's little doubt that Opvs Contra Natvram is Behemoth’s most vital and sophisticated project.

On the band’s mission statement single, Off To War!, Nergal commented, “Militant times bring militant music… we’re increasing the tempo with our new single, Off To War! - one of my personal favourites from the new record. This song has a killer punk section, one of the greatest BEHEMOTH leads of all time, and a nice extreme metal twist at the end. A true sonic tornado in times of confrontation, enjoy it legions!!”

Behemoth are not only the creators of Poland’s extreme metal scene, but they are masters of their craft and showcase what a band can achieve when hard work is put in and by constantly defying expectations set by Polish governments and communities. As with previous studio outings, Opvs Contra Natvram was produced by the band, with mixing by studio legend Joe Barresi (Nine Inch Nails, Tool, Slipknot, Alice in Chains).

Nergal has formed a kinship with Ghost vocalist Tobias Forge, with the latter featuring on Under The Spell, a track from Darski’s solo album, New Man, New Songs, Same Shit: Vol. 2, under the moniker Me And That Man. Nergal has faced trouble in his native Poland numerous times. Last May, he was acquitted of blasphemy charges in his home country in a win against censorship in art. 

Forge said about his friend in a recent Kill Your Stereo interview: “Our backgrounds are very similar. We started playing death metal, black metal, that sort of stuff. And then we've both achieved careers within music. He's obviously very entrepreneurial with all of his side ventures, which I’m not really able to match. 

"I don't do a whole lot of things that he does, professionally, but in so many ways, we are very similar in what we do and what we value about life and how we value life. At least, in practical philosophical things, I believe that we're similar.”

Stay tuned for updates.