Formed in 1996, Decapitated is a Technical Death Metal band founded in Krosno, Poland by brothers Waclaw ‘Vogg’ Kieltyka (guitar) and Witold ‘Vitek’ Kieltyka (drums) along with vocalist Wojciech ‘Sauron’ Wasowicz. The group – which has had numerous lineup changes over the years – released their first demo, CEMETERIAL GARDENS, in 1997 and followed that a year later with their second demo, THE EYE OF HORUS. In 2000, Decapitated released their debut album, WINDS OF CREATION, which was followed by NIHILITY (2002), and THE NEGATION (2004). After the release of their third album, vocalist Sauron left the group and was replaced by Adrian ‘Covan’ Kowanek. However, a year after the release of the band’s 2006 fourth album, ORGANIC HALLUCINOSIS, Vitek was killed in an auto accident that left Covan seriously injured. With the loss of his brother, Vogg chose to bring this chapter of Decapitated to a close…

After two years, Vogg decided to revive Decapitated and began searching for new members. The next album by the group, CARNIVAL IS FOREVER (2011), was their first full length in five years and was their first to appear on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, landing at #11. Their next album, 2014’s BLOOD MANTRA, was an even bigger success, climbing to #11 on the Polish charts and #5 on the U.S. Heatseekers chart. Decapitated continued to gain traction internationally and became one of the most revered Technical Metal bands in the world. 2017’s ANTICULT was their most successful yet, reaching #4 on the Polish Albums chart and #2 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart. The band spent several years touring and preparing for their next album, which was delayed because of legal issues in the U.S. and the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Five years after the release of ANTICULT, Decapitated returns with their 2022 album CANCER CULTURE. On this album, Vogg is joined by vocalist Rafal “Rasta” Piotrowski, bassist Pawel Pasek, and drummer James Stewart. The album starts off rather tame with “From the Nothingness with Love,” a song that quickly reveals itself to be a battlefield march into the pits of Death Metal. The opener then thrusts you headfirst into the title track, which is truly the beginning of this rollercoaster ride through the pits of uncompromising Metal. From one end of the Death Metal spectrum to the other, CANCER CULTURE’s highlights include “Hello Death,” “Just a Cigarette,” and “Hours as Battlegrounds.” With guest appearances from Jinjer vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk and Machine Head front man Robb Flynn, CANCER CULTURE is a reminder that Decapitated remain one of Technical Death Metal’s finest – and most exciting – bands.