

âI, Sculptorâ is a new Behemoth song rooted in the tradition of monumental tracks like âO Father O Satan O Sun!â, âLuciferâ or âNieboga Czarny XiÄ dzâ, while at the same time opening a new chapter. It carries that epic weight but also takes an unexpected turn that makes it feel fresh and different from the previous pieces. Lyrically, it is a metaphor for the endless process of shaping oneself â an uneven struggle with matter and personal limitations. The paradox is that from the moment we are born we are already destined to die, so perhaps it is not about victory itself, but about the constant act of sculpting who we are
âLord ov the Horizonsâ brings back one of Behemothâs recurring themes â the Luciferian motif. It introduces the figure of a father who rejects his son, leaving him with nothing after the fall, forcing him to rebuild himself or disappear completely. Musically, it shows a more experimental side of Behemoth, with quasi-sung passages rooted in a more rock-oriented tradition. The song is clearly divided into two parts: one more lyrical, the other more direct and militant. It is a very unique piece, and we intentionally held it back for a special occasion, which this album is.
âRise of the Black Storm of Evilâ was one of the earliest Behemoth songs, written back in 1992. At the time it was very much a tribute to bands we were deeply fascinated with â especially Samael, but also Celtic Frost or Hellhammer. It was a primitive, slow-moving and very raw piece. I decided to revisit it and approach it the way I would today. I didnât change the structure too much, but I reworked the rhythm, guitar arrangements and created two interesting guitar layers that complement each other really well. I also gave the lyrics a slight tune-up, because many of those early Behemoth lyrics were, to put it mildly, rather graphomaniac. The 2026 version of âRise of the Black Storm of Evilâ sounds like present-day Behemoth. Powerful and sophisticated!â
âIn Thy Pandematernvumâ originally appears on âPandemonic Incantationsâ. In my opinion, original recording lost a lot because of its chaotic and rather careless sound and mix. Some people may find that charming, but I always felt there were many truly mature and great riffs hidden underneath. I wanted to give them a new life using our current skills, experience and sound. It is still rooted in the original version, but in the end it almost feels like a completely new songâ
âBegottenâ didnât make it onto âThe Shit Ov Godâ because it stood apart stylistically from the rest of the material. It is very catchy and carries a strong new wave feel, with moments that lean into post-gothic territory. It still has plenty of weight, but it is a very different kind of song, which is why it didnât fit the overall flow of that record. To me, it is definitely a hidden treasure and works perfectly on âI, Scvlptorâ.â
âWhen we were looking for a name for our tour with Dimmu Borgir, I thought it would be great to use a timeless slogan and basically quote the gods of satanic rockânâroll â Venom and âLeague of Satanâ perfectly fit my vision. I honestly donât remember what came first â the idea for the tour name or the idea of recording the song itself. What matters is that we recorded it on seven-string guitars with Shagrath from Dimmu as a guest vocalist. The song gained a massive weight and a completely new dimension. Weâre planning to play it live and I think our version turned into something truly powerful.â
âThe Return of Darkness and Evilâ came together in quite a unique way. We were approached by Mystic Festival with the idea of creating an anthem, but writing a song from scratch specifically to serve as a festival anthem was never really an option. So I asked if we could do a cover instead. I immediately thought of this classic â a song Iâve always loved and one I used to watch with a bit of envy during Blood Fire Death (Bathory tribute band) performances. We wanted to give it our own sound and breathe new life into it. The result turned out great. We played it at every show in the US and the response was amazing. This time we didnât want to present a polished studio version, so we decided to release the very first live performance from Athens, featuring our brother Sakis Tolis of Rotting Christ on guest vocals. The result is outstanding.â