Those crazy black metallers! If they're not killing people or destroying churches, they're burning bibles and shit-talking the Catholic Church onstage. Which, as Behemoth have just found out, is something that can carry some pretty big consequences with it.
Behemoth vocalist/guitarist Nergal (or, when he's being a bit less evil, Adam Darski) was formally charged on Monday (March 8), for insulting Roman Catholics.
Here's how the Satanic story goes: Nergal, who fronts the popular Polish black metal band, was up to his usual shtick onstage back in September of 2007, ripping up bibles and apparently (he's speaking in Polish) calling the Catholic Church "the most murderous cult on the planet," during a gig in Gdynia, Poland, reports interia.pl [via Blabbermouth].
So, business as usual, but afterwards, Ryszard Nowak, head of the All-Polish Committee for Defense against Sects, sued the band for promoting Satanism. Offending a person's religious feelings is an offence under Polish law, but there must be two formal complaints laid against someone for it to go anywhere. So, Behemoth were off the hook then, but they're not now.
Recently, "an unspecified number of complaints" were filed against Nergal, reports Metal as Fuck, giving the Polish authorities cause to take Nergal to task for his actions. The formal charge? Insulting Roman Catholics.
If he is found guilty, Nergal is looking at up to two years in prison. See footage of the offending act below.
Behemoth's latest release was '09's Evangelion. The band have been tearing up bibles on stage for years (and probably getting a kick-ass wholesale rate for them, we can only imagine).
Behemoth vocalist/guitarist Nergal (or, when he's being a bit less evil, Adam Darski) was formally charged on Monday (March 8), for insulting Roman Catholics.
Here's how the Satanic story goes: Nergal, who fronts the popular Polish black metal band, was up to his usual shtick onstage back in September of 2007, ripping up bibles and apparently (he's speaking in Polish) calling the Catholic Church "the most murderous cult on the planet," during a gig in Gdynia, Poland, reports interia.pl [via Blabbermouth].
So, business as usual, but afterwards, Ryszard Nowak, head of the All-Polish Committee for Defense against Sects, sued the band for promoting Satanism. Offending a person's religious feelings is an offence under Polish law, but there must be two formal complaints laid against someone for it to go anywhere. So, Behemoth were off the hook then, but they're not now.
Recently, "an unspecified number of complaints" were filed against Nergal, reports Metal as Fuck, giving the Polish authorities cause to take Nergal to task for his actions. The formal charge? Insulting Roman Catholics.
If he is found guilty, Nergal is looking at up to two years in prison. See footage of the offending act below.
Behemoth's latest release was '09's Evangelion. The band have been tearing up bibles on stage for years (and probably getting a kick-ass wholesale rate for them, we can only imagine).