Decapitated

Decapitated is a death metal band from Poland that formed in 1996. The band was founded by guitarist Wac?aw Kie?tyka ("Vogg"), drummer Witold Kie?tyka ("Vitek") and vocalist Wojciech W?sowicz ("Sauron"). The members' average age was 14 years when they formed the band. One year later, 13-year-old bassist Marcin Rygiel ("Martin") joined the band.

After releasing two demos, the band signed with Wicked World (subsidiary of Earache Records) and, in 2000, released their debut album, Winds of Creation. Decapitated soon became one of Europe's finest technical death metal bands. In 2002 and 2004 the band released the albums Nihility and The Negation, respectively. In 2005, "Sauron" was replaced by Adrian Kowanek ("Covan"), and the band's fourth album, Organic Hallucinosis, was released in 2006.

Decapitated's drummer, Vitek, died on November 2, 2007 of the injuries he suffered from a road accident on October 28, 2007. Vitek was 23 years old. Vocalist Covan survived the accident, but he slipped into a coma as a result. The wreck forced the band into hiatus. On July 31, 2009, Vogg announced Austrian drummer Kerim Lechner ("Krimh") as a new member.

History

Decapitated formed in Krosno, Poland in 1996, as a trio consisting of drummer Vitek, who was 12 years old at the time, guitarist Vogg and vocalist Sauron. Bassist Martin, 13, joined the band one year later. Decapitated released its first demo, Cemeterial Gardens, in 1997 and its second demo, The Eye of Horus, in 1998. After signing to Earache Records subsidiary Wicked World, the band released its debut album, Winds of Creation, which included a cover version of Slayer's "Mandatory Suicide", and was produced by Piotr Wiwczarek from the Polish band Vader, in April 2000. Allmusic states that "Decapitated have quickly gained recognition as one of Poland's, and even Europe's, finest exponents of ultra-technical death metal." The band toured with Vader in early 2001.

Decapitated's self-produced second album, Nihility, which was released in February 2002, fulfilled the high expectations that followed the well-received debut album. Nihility also included a cover version of Napalm Death's "Suffer the Children". Decapitated was chosen to perform at the Polish Ozzfest event in late May and toured in North America and Europe in August. Slawek and Vojtek Wieslawski produced the band's next album, The Negation, which was released in February 2004 and was also followed by a tour. The album received a positive response from the critics.

In June 2005, Sauron announced his withdrawal from Decapitated. The band chose Covan, a previous member of Atrophia Red Sun, as his replacement and entered Hertz Studios in Bialystok in August to record their album Organic Hallucinosis, which was released the following February. According to Allmusic, the band's musical change of direction on this album was "likely to polarize longtime Decapitated fans". During the following tour in early 2006, Martin could not perform with the band due to military conscription issues, but joined again in February. During the year, Decapitated toured with American bands Suffocation, Six Feet Under, Fear Factory, and others. In June and July 2007, Decapitated played with Cephalic Carnage and Necrophagist in the "Summer Slaughter" trek across the US.

In late 2007, the band members were involved in an automobile accident that injured Vitek and Covan. Their tour bus collided with a truck carrying wood in Gomel, near the Russia/Belarus border. Vitek died on November 2, 2007 at the age of 23 in a Russian hospital from the injuries. Covan was later moved to Poland and is still in coma. In 2008, Metal Mind Productions released the concert DVD Human's Dust.

On March 8, 2009, Vogg announced he was planning to continue the band and was searching for a new drummer and vocalist. In early 2009, Vogg recorded the guitars for Vader's album Necropolis. On July 31, 2009, Vogg announced that the Austrian drummer Kerim Lechner ("Krimh") from the band Thorns of Ivy will be the replacement for Vitek.

Musical style and legacy

Decapitated became known for its technical instrumental approach and songwriting at an extraordinarily young age. In the review of Decapitated's debut album, Allmusic said "the band has a seemingly effortless understanding and command of ... their instruments and ... the songwriting is extremely solid; even in the first listen." The characteristics of Nihility and Negation are "relentless", "powerful, blastbeat-filled drumming, dissonant yet memorable guitar riffs, and inventive guitar solos" and substantially high production quality. A notable element of groove is present in Decapitated's death metal sound. With its fourth album, Organic Halucinosis, Decapitated focused on non-traditional death metal aesthetics, more complex songwriting and grooves, and polyrhythmic approach. In the review of The Negation, Metal Hammer states that "Sauron is one of the most capable vocalists on the scene".

Decapitated is an innovative band in the genre: "Decapitated truly seem committed to getting death metal out of its then current rut and taking it to another level." The releases are one of death metal's most significant albums of the early 21st century. Tomas Haake, the drummer of Swedish metal band Meshuggah, commented the death of Vitek:

The metal community has lost one of the most talented and skillful drummers of our time! ... Vitek was a true talent and drummer genius ...