Polish blackened death metal titans BEHEMOTH are continuing their ambitious "Chant Of The Eastern Lands" 2026 Asian tour, hitting Japan and Southeast Asian countries through March in what represents one of the most extensive extreme metal touring campaigns the region has ever seen. Pro-shot video from the band's Bangkok show on February 15 has generated significant attention online, showcasing a blistering set that included classics "Ov Fire And The Void" and "Bartzabel" alongside a devastating BATHORY cover and selections from their acclaimed 2025 album "The Shit Ov God."
Frontman Nergal, one of extreme metal's most compelling live performers, has been in characteristically incendiary form throughout the run. The elaborate stage production — featuring pyrotechnics, occult imagery, and theatrical costume changes — has translated powerfully to Asian audiences, many of whom are experiencing BEHEMOTH live for the first time. The band's Tokyo shows at Club Citta were particularly lauded, with Japanese fans creating a fervent atmosphere that Nergal described on social media as "absolutely unreal."
The tour follows the controversial cancellation of BEHEMOTH's Turkish shows by authorities in February, a move that drew widespread criticism from free speech advocates and the international metal community. BEHEMOTH have long been targets of religious and political censorship in various countries, a reality that Nergal has addressed with characteristic defiance. Looking ahead, the band's spring North American "Godless IV" tour with DEICIDE, ROTTING CHRIST, and IMMOLATION launches April 14, promising another powerhouse package. Nergal also announced a special collaboration with Icelandic black metal act MISTHYRMING to perform BEHEMOTH's 1995 debut album "Sventevith" at Beyond The Gates 2026 in Bergen, Norway.