Krosno, Poland · technical death metal · death metal

Decapitated

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Polish technical death metal built on groove as much as speed — Vogg's riffing is the whole architecture, precision that still swings.

Decapitated formed in Krosno, Poland in 1996, when its members were still teenagers, and became one of the defining bands of the country's death metal scene alongside Vader and Behemoth. Guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka was fifteen, his brother Witold "Vitek" on drums was twelve, and vocalist Wojciech "Sauron" Wąsowicz was sixteen; bassist Marcin Rygiel, then thirteen, joined a year later. Two early demos led to a deal with Wicked World, a subsidiary of Earache Records.

Vogg has been the constant presence and principal writer, and the band's identity rests largely on his approach: tightly arranged, technically demanding riffing that leans as much on groove and rhythmic weight as on speed. Their debut, Winds of Creation, released in 2000, was produced by Piotr Wiwczarek of the band Vader.

Winds of Creation and Nihility, released in 2002, established their reputation in technical death metal, backed by a 2001 UK tour with Vader and a slot at Poland's Ozzfest the following year. The Negation followed in 2004. Sauron left the band in 2005 and was replaced by vocalist Adrian "Covan" Kowanek, who sang on 2006's Organic Hallucinosis.

The band was halted by a 2007 tour bus crash that killed drummer Vitek at the age of twenty-three and left Covan, who survived, in a coma. Decapitated disbanded for a period before Vogg reformed the group in 2009 with a new lineup, resuming with Carnival Is Forever in 2011.

Since then Decapitated has released Blood Mantra in 2014, Anticult in 2017 and Cancer Culture in 2022, with a lineup now rounded out by vocalist Eemeli Bodde, bassist Paweł Pasek and drummer James Stewart.

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technical death metaldeath metal