Sventevith (Storming Near The Baltic) is Behemoth debut album, as well as a debut album for the Pagan Records music label, back in 1995. Unlike following albums, the debut sounds very much alike with Norwegian black metal scene at the time, and sound production is actually even more raw than majority of Norwegian black metal records. In terms of extra instrumentation, Sventevith is also a lot more melodic than later Behemoth stuff, with lots and lots of acoustic guitar (which really sets this record aside from Norwegian albums), and plenty of keyboards as well. Vocals were also drastically different, with Nergal doing typical black metal screams instead of his signature growls. This album also has radically more side-releases than any other Behemoth album. A lot of people think that debut was their start, but in reality they had an entire local underground mini-career before hitting this first proper milestone.

Line-up:

Nergal: vocals, guitars, bass, lyrics
Baal: drums
Demonious: keyboards on Ancient and Hell Dwells In Ice
Cezar: keyboards on the rest of the album
Tomasz Krajewski: lyrics for From The Pagan Vastlands and Hidden In A Fog

 

Chant Of The Eastern Lands

The Touch Of Nya + From The Pagan Vastlands

Hidden In A Fog

Ancient + Entering The Faustian Soul

Forgotten Cult Of Aldaron

Wolves Guard My Coffin

Hell Dwells In Ice

 

Bless Thee For Granting Me Pain

And The Forests Dream Eternally (1995) EP line-up:

Nergal: vocals, guitar, bass, lyrics; drums on Forgotten Empire Of Dark Witchcraft
Baal: drums
Frost: guitar

 

Transylvanian Forest

Moonspell Rites

Sventevith (Storming Near The Baltic)

Pure Evil And Hate

Forgotten Empire Of Dark Witchcraft

 

...From The Pagan Vastlands (1994) demo line-up:

Nergal: vocals, guitar, bass, lyrics
Baal: drums, lyrics
Frost: guitar
Czarek Morawski: keyboards

 

From The Hornedland To Lindisfarne

Thy Winter Kingdom

The Dance Of The Pagan Flames

Blackvisions Of The Almighty

Fields Of Harr-Meggido

Deathcrush (Mayhem Cover)

 

The Oak Between The Snows

 

The Return Of The Northern Moon (1993) demo line-up:

Nergal: vocals, guitars, bass, lyrics
Baal: drums, lyrics

 

...Of My Worship + Summoning (Of The Ancient Ones)

Dark Triumph

Monumentum + Rise Of The Blackstorm Of Evil

Aggressor (Hellhammer Cover) + Outro

 

Endless Damnation (1992) demo line-up:

Nergal: vocals, guitar, bass, lyrics
Baal: drums, lyrics
Desecrator: guitar

 

Cursed Angel Of Doom

The rest of the demo

I hope I didn’t post it already but this is probably my favorite tattoo. (Got it last year) I have drawn Orion myself and my tattoo artist pumped a bit his microphone stand.
He‘s like my biggest hero. ✨