Following BEHEMOTH's performance in San Bernardino, California on July 27, guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski spoke with RadioactiveMike Z, host of the Riverside, California radio station 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire". The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On the group's participation in SLIPKNOT's current "Knotfest Roadshow" tour, which also includes GOJIRA and VOLBEAT: Nergal: "It's pretty much a European bill, which is cool. I really like the bill, because it's very diverse — the fact that we come from all sides of the world, really. Even [for] Europe, it's like, Denmark, Poland and France. It's spread out, so it makes it even more interesting and exciting, I believe. It's cool... One of the coolest things, I remember, when we were talking budgets, the first things we heard from [the] SLIPKNOT camp was, 'Hey, we're going to be generous when it comes to [your] offer, but we want every band to look amazing. We want every band to bring something to the table.' I really respect that kind of attitude... It feels good to have a band that actually cares. They care about you. They want you to look good. It's not a competition. It's a family vibe. It's supposed to be a family vibe — four different, very diverse bands on the same bill. Amazing." On his first impressions of SLIPKNOT: Nergal: "I think I just saw some videos. I wasn't hooked right away. I remember there was hype for SLIPKNOT right after the first album. I heard 'Iowa' and I was [sold] — I was like, 'Okay. Wow.' I did get back to the first record, but I'm, like, 'Nah. It's not [for] me,' but ever since 'Iowa', I've [heard] every album and I pretty much have favorite songs on every record — 'Psychosocial', the title song of 'All Hope Is Gone'. The title song is one of my favorite SLIPKNOT songs ever. [It's] kind of [a] pity that they are not playing this one [on the 'Roadshow' tour]. 'Before I Forget', 'Devil In I'. There's, like, three singles now off the new record. The second is my favorite, and they are playing that song. I'm not really the best when it comes to titles, but they are playing this one and it's amazing. The album comes out [soon], and I'm really, really psyched to hear the whole of it... Let me put it that way — every time I get to meet the mixing guy or production guy for the next BEHEMOTH album, I bring either 'Iowa' or [SLAYER's] 'God Hates Us All'. These two are my most referred albums when it comes to BEHEMOTH productions on so many levels. I'm not saying that we want to copy that, [but] there's a vibe — there's something absolutely untamed on both records. It's awesome." On BEHEMOTH's future: Nergal: "I'm inspired, and I'm going to surprise you — we're already making new music. It's never been that way [before]. For some reason, I'm just... first of all, there's some unreleased music from [the 'I Loved You At Your Darkest'] session. I'm proud of the songs; we just need to find the right place, the right time, the right occasion to [release them]. It's happening eventually. We start jamming and demoing later this year, and in the meantime, I'm putting the final touches to the second ME AND THAT MAN album as well. There's work on several levels simultaneously. I'm very creative and very productive lately. ME AND THAT MAN is going to be [released during] the first half of 2020, and BEHEMOTH is going to be 2021, one hundred percent. 'I Loved You At Your Darkest' is still a very fresh record, but when I get back to that, I'm, like, [sighs]. You need time to process that if you really want to match that quality, and eventually overcome that and deliver quality that is different to that so you're not really copying yourself. You're delivering something that is fresh, and every time, it's a higher and higher challenge. I think that's the main reason why I'm around, because if it stopped being a challenge and we can just, 'Oh, let's just cash [in].' I'm not just trying to be nice saying that, but it really feels good [now]. For all those kids today when we played, there's a chunk of the audience that is probably familiar with what we do, but I bet that, like, two-thirds maybe never heard of us. That is the most exciting moments in our career. You have 11 records and countless tours and almost [a] 30-year career going, and there's still people who don't know you. That's the point — to convert these kids, to push and don't get too spoiled. It's good to be [a] newcomer. It's good to be first on the bill. It's a good experience." On his health, after famously battling leukemia in the years leading up to "The Satanist": Nergal: "I'm fully recovered. I'm feeling super healthy. Very strong... I was pretty lucky, but then at the same time, I know I was very determined as well. I'm a life-lover. I'm a very vital person, so I think it had something to do with my conquering the disease. I was, like, 'Hey, I'm not done yet. I really want to deliver more than this.'" BEHEMOTH's eleventh studio album, "I Loved You At Your Darkest", was released in October via Metal Blade Records in North America and Nuclear Blast in Europe.
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