It’s been a while since we’ve gotten any update on the condition of MetalSucks’ very favorite free speech activist/leukemia survivor/metal stud Adam “Nergal” Darski of Behemoth. So if I’ve seemed a little snippy lately, that’s the reason. I’ve been tense. And I apologize to you. I shouldn’t have yelled at you on Friday for spilling the Skittles. That was wrong of me. But hey, it’s hard to control these ups and downs along Darski’s path to recovery: Great news came back in November when a compatible bone marrow donor was found, and the situation improved further in January upon word of his departure from hospital. But four weeks ago, Darski was re-admitted for an infection and has yet to complete any post-procedure interviews so, man, my imagination is going crazy. Is everything okay? At what stage is his post-op recovery? When can we expect his return to music? Did he get my cookie bouquet?

Well, Wednesday brought a massive sigh of relief cuz Darski looks pretty okay in pics from his visit to a music school in Gdansk where he jammed on a tasty White Falcon. Translated from Musicollecive.pl [all sic]:

Probably many of you are surprised that the musician playing a strong, heavy and dark music also deals with the Jazz, Blues and Country! Here’s Nergal himself with his new love, of course a guitar — cult guitar Gretsch White Falcon! He works for a new project, which will be loud! :)

Adam Darski get well soon! And um call me!

–ADF

Well, this is terrible.

Early this morning an anonymous reader sent us a link to this Polish news article, which claims that (and excuse my Google translator’s poor phrasing) “Nergal was taken to hospital with a strong infection.” The article goes on to say that “It is not known whether the infection will affect the adoption of a bone marrow transplant,” which Nergal recently underwent to treat leukemia, and that it’s not clear how long he will have to remain in the hospital.

You may recall that Nergal has been living in seclusion and being attended to by only his parents following his release from the hospital last month for just this reason — because in his current state, his weakened immune system was particularly susceptible to infection. I honestly don’t know that much about leukemia or bone marrow transplants, but I’m hoping that this is a relatively normal, and treatable, occurrence in these types of cases.

In any case, we’re continuing to send out good thoughts to Nergal, his family, and his friends. We hope he’s home again soon…

-AR

Nergal sends a message to cancer. Photo by Jeremy Saffer.

And finally, some good news to end the day: Nergal has apparently completed his treatment for lukemia and is out of the hospital and staying with his folks. Yes, Nergal is staying with his parents while he recovers. I love that there are assholes all over Poland who want this dude burned at the stake, but his mom and dad are still proud of him. Awesome.

ANYWAY, according to Metal Injection, “due to the cold weather and his weak immune system after the transplant, he has to stay in and cannot even see his girlfriend, for fear of infection.” Which is rough now, especially because I’m sure that Nergal is anxious to get back to this, but it will surely soon pass. And then Behemoth can make their triumphant return!

Continue to send Nergal good thoughts in the comments section.

-AR

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Welcome to “Question of the Week,” a (sometimes) weekly debate amongst the MetalSucks staff regarding a recent hot button issue.

This week, Anso DF suggested the Question of the Week; unfortunately, he did so before Slipknot announced that they’re headlining the Sonisphere Festival this year, so it doesn’t seem quite as relevant anymore. Still, it was a fun question to answer, so:

TO WHAT EXTENT WOULD A SLIPKNOT BREAK-UP BE BAD FOR METAL?

The MS staff’s answers after the jump.

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It’s the end of an era for Victory Records; the only two credible metal acts they had on their roster have finished their contracts and are free to sign elsewhere. Darkest Hour ended up on E1, a good fit for a label who has signed a number of already-established metal acts over the past few years (High on Fire, Hatebreed, Black Label Society, Overkill and In Flames, just to name a few). Where will Between the Buried and Me end up? It’s gettin’ to be about that time for them to release an album, whatwith those EP rumors and all.

If I were a betting man I’d put a few fat ones down on the table on BTBAM ending up with Metal Blade. The reason why has nothing to do with the actual music but with the folks behind the scenes. In fact, there’s a good chance the deal is already done, the t’s crossed, the i’s dotted, the ink dried.

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I’m sick. Not in a scary way; more in a “Went to the doctor yesterday and got on antibiotics and didn’t do any posting or checking of e-mail” kinda way. Consequently, the limited amount of posting I’m going to do today will probably be even more ineloquent and vitriolic than usual. (I’ve already responded to several e-mails this morning with the rudest possible reply I could concoct.) My apologies in advance.

Some e-mails that won’t be getting any misplaced rage caused by my current condition: the approximately 18,000 messages alerting us to the fact that Nergal has, at last, found an appropriate bone marrow donor. This is great news for a guy who really is sick in a scary way, and I couldn’t be happier. Here’s an official statement from the man himself:

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Longtime MetalSucks Maniac Shinaain sent us a link to the below, nearly four-minute long trailer for Behemoth’s forthcoming three-disc DVD/CD set, Evangelia Heretika, and it looks like all kinds of fun. People praying for the band’s souls! The pressures of getting your corpse paint on in time! SUBTITLES! When’s the last time you saw subtitles on a band DVD??? Good for these dudes for not speaking in English just because some of their fanbase is probably borderline illiterate.

Here’s a statement from Nergal regarding the release, which was posted on Behemoth’s Facebook page, where they are mysteriously known as “BEHEMOTH!” (Either that, or Nergal was just really, really excited about being on Facebook):

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You know we’re teaming up with our bestest buds at Metal Injection and 1000Knives to put on a showcase at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon, right? It’s on Wednesday, October 20th at Club Europa in Brooklyn, and it’s gonna be one of the best shows of the year. WE SHIT YOU NOT. Which is why we’re not surprised that you’ve already bought a ticket. And if you didn’t, well, please allow us to give you five awesome reasons why you should:

1) IT’S A LIFE ONCE LOST’S FIRST NYC SHOW IN A YEAR AND A HALF. A Life Once Lost put on an absolutely KILLER show; we’ve seen them play festivals, we’ve seen them play basements, we’ve seen them play clubs and we’ve seen them play theaters, and they have never, ever done anything less than rip our faces off, eat those faces, shit out those faces, and then affix that shit on our skulls where our faces used to go. It’s been way, way too long since they played our neck of the woods, and the venue is so scared for its own well-being that they’re enlisting some Expendables-type soldiers of fortune to work security. Seriously.

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You asked, and he answered! Here’s Gwar‘s Oderus Urungus, the greatest singer in the history of what this putrid, worthless planet calls “metal,” to answer all your ridiculous questions…

If your name wasn’t Oderus what would it be? – Rob

That’s a good question, moron. It’s pretty hard to imagine me being named LOLA or FUNKY WINKERBEAN.  Is this typical of the types of questions I am gonna get? Completely fucking retarded ones? It never ceases to amaze me that here you have an opportunity to have all the mysteries of life revealed, but you want to ask asinine questions like this one (YOURS). Get fucked! Oh yeah, I almost forgot — it would be GENGHIS HITLER VON DOG-LOLLY! Oh no, I shit myself (again).

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Major props to longtime-reader Hetal Bhatt, who has taken steps to ensure that metal fans that don’t live near any of the three Nergal-inspired bone marrow drives taking place in October and November can still help. Hetal actually used to work for Be the Match and explained the situation to us in a very helpful e-mail, so I’m just gonna cut and paste that below:

“By hitting up this direct link to the Be the Match registry, hopeful donors can sign up to have a home typing kit mailed to them. Then, they just take a quick little mouth swab and mail it back to be added to the registry!

“With the promo code BEHEMOTH, Be The Match will be able to track how many people register from the metalsphere, as well as waive any potential costs associated with registering those people. (Usually, it costs about $100 per person.)  That way, the only thing you’ll have to pay is the $5 postage to mail your typing kit back to Be the Match.

“And, of course, if someone goes through the online screening process at the registry link above and is found ineligible to donate (recent surgery, serious illness, etc.), they can always donate money to help Be the Match offset the costs of typing and adding people to this life-saving registry.”

So go here and enter the promo code BEHEMOTH to get started. And again, big ups to Hetal for setting this up.

-AR

Two things you can’t take away from metal: it is truly a brotherhood, and a DIY community. And so, inspired by Nergal’s recent battle against leukemia and his call for awareness of the need of bone marrow donors, our friend Rich Hall at 1000 Knives suggested to both us and our pals at Metal Injection that we hold a bone marrow drive at our upcoming CMJ showcase in October. We were in the process of finalizing details when we learned that some our fellow headbangers were doing the same in Stamford, CT and Los Angeles.

This is obviously a great cause that goes beyond just Nergal; it would be terrific if one of these drives found him a donor, but, really, he’s just the inspiration here, and it’s the chance to save a life, period. Get all the details on all three drives after the jump. And if you’re organizing another one in your area, please let us know and we’ll add it to this list.

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Yesterday Sergeant D. made a joke about MetalSucks being 25% owned by Epitaph Records. I don’t know why we always foolishly assume that people will understand jokes like that, but they often don’t. And so we saw some comments where people were confused, and we got some e-mails from readers, and even a few from industry types who thought we had sold part of MetalSucks. So it may or may not please you to know that MetalSucks is still 100% owned by Vince and myself. And in the future, if you see something on here that seems kinda weird and ridiculous — e.g., that we’re not partially owned by a record label, or Gary Suarez taking all the credit for a band’s success, or whatever — please just take a moment to ask yourself, “Hey, could these dudes be kidding around?” ‘Cause, y’know. We’re very rarely serious. Except about Valtrex. We’re deadly serious about that.

Speaking of herpes, we’re shutting down early today to go enjoy the long Labor Day weekend. We’ll be closed Monday, but we’ll resume our usual suckiness on Tuesday. We have a whole heap of more premieres, cool contests, and interviews, and all manners of sarcastic assholism, so don’t drink so much this weekend that you forget about us, okay? And in the meantime, here’s a run-down of some fun we had this week:

• We debuted a new song by Daath, and a new song by Black Anvil, and a new video by Insidious Disease.
• Cooking Contaminated is back, y’all! Now with 100% more Rosetta.
• We spoke to Slayer’s Dave Lombardo, Saviours’ Scott Batiste, and everyone in Eyes Set to Kill.
• We checked out new releases by Stargazer, and Turbid North and Otargos.
• They say there are no atheists in the foxholes, but there is Nergal.
• Speaking of religion, this nice lady reverend thinks churchgoers could learn from metal.
• We pondered the meaning of Iron Maiden breaking their sales record.
• Dave Mustaine announced a Big Four U.S. tour from the stage.
• Even though, in the words of Anso, metalheads are “supposed to intimidate and discomfit the squares,” we think the death metal cat burglar went a little too far.
• We saw Kvelertak’s kvelertaks.

Now…TO THE BAR!

-AR

I didn’t read the comments under our story “Nergal Has Leukemia” until yesterday. I naively assumed that they would all be along the lines of “That’s terrible, we hope Nergal gets better,” etc. I forgot that this is the internet, where people have the capacity to turn anything into an argument. I could write “I like chicken salad,” and somehow the comments beneath the post would turn into a flame war about the pros and cons of raising animals free range, or being vegan, how turkey is better than chicken, or whatever.

What we should all take away from Nergal’s affliction is the knowledge that there is a need for bone marrow donors, not just for Nergal but for ANYONE AND EVERYONE who is stricken with this terrible disease.

There is no need for a religious debate. And it makes me incredibly sad that there was/is one surrounding Nergal’s illness. Whatever you believe, that’s your business, and I don’t begrudge you your faith. But using a man’s sickness as any kind of platform for that discussion is, frankly, exploitative and low. This isn’t a political narrative; this is a man’s life.

So while one cliché goes “There are no atheists in the fox holes,” another instructs us that “Your ideals don’t mean anything unless you stick to them even during times when it may not be convenient to do so.” And so, thus spake Nergal:

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Three cheers for Crack Hitler, who I think did a very admirable job of running the site on Friday. Sure, he only did six posts, but as I understand, he has a very busy job working at a hospital, which is certainly far more noble and important than running a snarky metal blog. And he brought some excellent music to our attention. Crack Hitler, sir, I applaud you.

Now back to the regular shit. Here are two cool tours that were announced while we were letting a reader from Perth call the shots:

• The Black Dahlia Murder have announced a headlining tour with Goatwhore and Arkaik. I don’t know Arkaik, but you had me at “Black Dahlia Murder and Goatwhore.” Vince has never seen BDM do a full headlining set, and, by Satan, I am going to make sure he finally breaks that cherry, ’cause these dudes kill live. These shows will provide enough fun to justify enduring all the B.O. that comes with a modern death metal sausage fest. Get dates here.
• Speaking of Goatwhore: For obvious reasons, Behemoth had to cancel their headlining run with Watain, Black Anvil, and Withered, so the former two bands are now doing their own tour with the sluttiest of all capra aegagrus hircus. Which, even without Behemoth and Withered, is still a really, really kick-ass line-up.  Get dates from The PRP.

-AR

As regular readers of this site are aware, we rarely just cut and paste press releases. But Behemoth and Metal Blade released the following statement yesterday afternoon, and it’s important that everyone read it, and there’s really no editorializing to be done. So here’s the full release, unedited:

BEHEMOTH leader Nergal has just found out he needs a marrow transplant to fight the sickness he has recently been diagnosed with (leukemia). In light of this he wants to remind everyone about the need to be on the marrow registry. The more people get tested and donate, the more of a chance for life there is for him and people in the same situation.

BEHEMOTH and Metal Blade would like to thank everyone for their support and well wishes during this difficult time. The best thing we can all do right now is learn about the marrow donation process, not only help save one of metals leaders, but to also help save countless others out there struggling with the same disease.

To learn more about how you can register to donate marrow check out: http://www.marrow.org/

Fans wanting to help out, register for the marrow program, or have questions on running a marrow drive may contact the organization Music Saves Lives by email at iCare@musicsaveslives.com or visit Music Saves Lives at http://www.musicsaveslives.org/

Music Saves Lives is the bridge between music, entertainment and important life-saving causes. We bring a simple concept; connect the music and entertainment, we all love, to a life saving community action. MSL has focused efforts on blood donation and the marrow registry, reaching out by sharing facts, educating and empowering. We educate about the importance of simple life saving actions they can participate in. These simple actions, like donating blood, running a blood drive, and registering for the marrow program to save those with leukemia, all connect back to the community.

Earlier this month, Behemoth announced that Nergal is “seriously ill and waiting for [his] multi-stage treatment,” and that the band consequently had to cancel all their upcoming tour dates. Although the band didn’t specify what sickness was afflicting Nergal, the “multi-stage treatment” part of the statement caused many to speculate that it was cancer.

And, unfortunately, that speculation was correct: According to Metal Underground, a Polish celebrity news site, TVP, has revealed that the Behemoth mastermind has leukemia.

That news would be terrible enough, but, unfortunately, it gets worse. From Metal Underground:

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FRIENDLY REMINDER: Vince and I are taking over WSOU tomorrow from 4 -8! It’s the only radio station on the eastern seaboard that’s actually worth a damn, and it’s gonna have the awesomeness that is US, so listen in!!! We’ll be taking callers, too. If you live in the area, it’s 89.5 FM on your radio; everyone else can listen on the Internet right here.

And now here’s some things we did this week:

• We spoke to Decapitated’s Vogg, All Shall Perish’s Ben Orum, Within the Ruins’ Tim Goergen and Joe Cocchi, and Iron Thrones’ Steve Henningsgard.
• We debuted a new track by Moth Eater.
• We wondered, “What’s the big deal about Lady Gaga?” as she danced to Metallica.
• We rocked out to a newly-released Soundgarden song, and we couldn’t believe that the new Limp Bizkit song has a guitar solo!
• We commended Australia for its populations’ collective child-rearing skills.
• We marveled at this nine year’s old review of Reign in Blood.
• We sang Monster Magnet’s praises.
• We asked you to help us complete this Metal Map of America.
• We watched Kiss put the “ass” in “Massachusetts.”
• We wished Behemoth’s Nergal a speedy recovery.

Okay. I hope to hear some of your voices tomorrow! Seriously, guys. Listen. Call. Don’t make me sad. If you do, we’ll schedule Nu Metal Week to take place ASAP.

-AR

Just in time to make you that much more hopeful that Nergal’s health is 110% restored real soon comes this video for “Alas, the Lord is Upon Me.”

And one thing I gotta say about Behemoth — their videos never disappoint. Even if they’re not exactly ground-breaking, they never look cheap, and they always successfully convey the image/message they want to convey. So three cheers, in this instance at least, for the directors at Grupa 13, who previously helmed a bunch of videos for Polish artists I’ve never heard of.

By the way, this is apparently the censored version of the video… I guess an even bloodier version will emerge soon.

“Alas, the Lord is Upon Me,” comes from Behemoth’s Evangelion, which is out now on Metal Blade.

-AR

The metal world has taken some serious hits this year health-wise. Peter Steele, Ronnie James Dio, Debbie Abono, most recently Early Graves frontman Makh Daniels… and while Behemoth frontman Adam “Nergal” Darski’s diagnosis certainly isn’t death, it certainly isn’t good.

Nergal is “seriously ill and waiting for [his] multi-stage treatment,” and as such all planned tour dates including the upcoming MS-sponsored U.S. trek with Watain, Withered and Black Anvil have been canceled, according to an official message from Nergal himself:

I do not want to bore you with details, but I can no longer hide the fact that I am seriously ill and waiting for my multi-stage treatment, which can take up to several months. Thus, we have not choice but to cancel the coming summer festivals, planned for September and October tour of Russia and the Baltic States and the November tour of the USA. I’ve got a rather difficult period, and a lot of work but I became hardened in the fire, is not it? You know me, so that you know that out of this I will become stronger than ever. We will then rebook all the concerts and return with greater momentum. At this time, I feel good, my head is ready to fight the disease, everything is under the control of professionals. I have with me the most wonderful and loving woman, family, team, managers and people from publishing companies who are doing everything to support me. I do ask of you just a little bit of patience. I would add that the fact that in the near future we will not be touring but will not be in hibernation. We have a lot to offer you in the coming months, Behemoth will be working on many other fronts. In coming days expect release of our latest clip “Alas, Lord Is Upon Me.” Ensures that this is the most perfect, the most provocative and stimulating I have ever made a picture. In addition, we will finish work on the DVD release “Evangelia Heretika” which will be released in November of this year. We will keep you informed about what is happening in our camp. Horns Up!”

Whatever it is sounds really terrible and there are only a small handful of things it could possibly be, all of them bad. We’ll update you with more details as we have them available.

There’s not much else to say other than that this really, really sucks. While we don’t personally know Nergal the man, we intimately know Nergal the musician and hope he can get back to blackening our metallic souls as soon as possible. Speedy recovery to Nergal and best wishes to him and his family on behalf of everyone at MS.

That’s right, kiddies… Behemoth are gonna heat up your winter with some blazing hot metal forged deep in the fires of Hell! (Actually, Poland. But still.) If you’ve seen Behemoth live before, you know what a, well, behemoth of a show they put on; if you haven’t, you must hate yourself or something, and here’s your chance to remedy the situation. Plus they’re bringing Watain, Withered, and Black Anvil out with them! This is the kind of tour you dream about: four of the dingiest, dirtiest, most evil-sounding bands on the planet, all on one bill. We are so proud to be associated with this tour, we can’t even begin to tell you.

And as if that wasn’t great news in and of itself, Behemoth have also just revealed to MetalSucks that they’ll be releasing a live DVD called Evangelia Heretika this fall (date to be announced soon) so even those who aren’t able to attend the tour can get their fix of live Behemoth. A special pre-order package is available now for only $66.60 that includes 1 ticket to the show, 1 copy of the DVD, a tour poster, and a meet and greet with the band at the show; order here!

Dates and links to buy tickets, along with the album cover for Evangelia Heretika, after the jump!

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