10 Greatest Black Metal Albums Of The 21st Century

Of course The Satanist is here. How could it not be here?

Heralded by many as being the best pure metal album of the 2010s, the tenth release from Polish extremists Behemoth gets everything it does undeniably correct. From the terrifying opening of “Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel” to the doomy grandeur of the title track to the gratifying conclusion that is “O Father, O Satan, O Sun!”, everything about The Satanist is ceaseless, morbid perfection.

The beauty of The Satanist lies in its versatility and inalienable prowess. It’s a self-aware record that strongly adheres to Behemoth’s black/death metal style, but also knows just what to change and what to keep the same with every individual song. While “Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer” takes many cues from speedier thrash metal, “In the Absence ov Light” is a purely blackened extravaganza held together by an acoustic and poetic interlude. “Ben Sahar” is a rhythmic heavy-hitter and “Messe Noire” rings with crawling verses and sublime riffing.

Behemoth have crafted a true masterpiece with their latest output, something that must be heard in its immense entirety for people to truly understand. It’s experimental and it took risks, but it’s also solid and direct, giving black metal lovers exactly what they would want from a Behemoth album, and more.