25 Best Metal Albums Of The Decade
1. Behemoth - The Satanist (2014)
The sheer blackened death metal power of The Satanist blitzed the metal world in 2014, securing a lofty spot on many a year-end list through raw-boned force and aggression, driven not only by its lead creator's blasphemous mindset, but the leukaemia that almost claimed his life prior to its release.
That struggle yielded the standout release in Behemoth's discography. Brimming with intensity, it is a furious thunderblast and as unstoppable as it is infernal, powered by Nergal's throaty roar and Inferno's machine-like barrage behind the drumkit. Yes, it's more traditional in structure than previous albums, but who cares when the resulting sound is so mighty?
"Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel" lurches The Satanist to life with a slow, stomping riff, building to a cathartic brass-driven release at the end of this perfect album opener. Closer "O Father O Satan O Sun!" is borderline anthemic with its driving rhythm, while "Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer" bangs. Hard. The track's pummeling beat and paint-stripping tremolo guitars rip and tear while Nergal's voice is at its rawest, the frontman abandoning the multi-layered vocal approach found on previous Behemoth records.
More than a triumphant return, The Satanist is an emphatic masterwork of fervent metal energy.