Behemoth have released the new song and video “The Shadow Elite,” the second single from their new album The Sh*t Ov God, out May 9th.
Being the notorious religious provocateurs they are, the Polish extreme metal pioneers purposefully dropped the new song on Ash Wednesday, unleashing their most barbarically old-school black metal track in some time. The smothering, violent blastiness evokes the second-wave black metal era from which Behemoth originates, and the music is coupled with a shocking performance video that is also aesthetically vintage.
The camcorder-style black-and-white clip purports to be filmed during an underground, invite-only gathering curated by Behemoth for their most faithful fans: the titular “Shadow Elite.” It’s hard to determine the fact from the fiction when you watch the video after reading the band’s official press statement on it:
“On an exclusive invite-only basis, the band’s legionnaires gathered at a secret location for a raw, primal live performance. Branded and tattooed with Behemoth’s sigils, the band’s most dedicated fans, known as ‘The Shadow Elite,’ form a chaotic scene as the band performs from within a cage.”
As for the song itself, band mastermind Nergal declared it “a raw, high-energy anthem with a relentless drive — a banger built for the stage!”
He continued: “Lyrically, it’s a call to arms — a fearless battle cry for outcasts, anarchists, and free minds to rise. We will not be silenced. It’s about uniting and summoning the courage to embrace and amplify the fire of freedom that burns within us!”
The Sh*t Ov God, Behemoth’s first album since 2022’s Opvs contra natvram, was recorded by veteran extreme metal producer Jens Bogren of Fascination Street Studios (Emperor, Enslaved, Kreator, Rotting Christ). For the visuals and artwork, the band tapped long-time collaborator Bartek Rogalewicz (BLACK.LODGE.IS.NOW) as well as Dark Sigil Workshop.
You can pre-order the new album on vinyl and CD via Nuclear Blast. Stream the video for “The Shadow Elite” below.
Content shared from consequence.net.