A precocious reader who goes by the name Szatan Dziwki Techno wrote in today to ask, in regards to the new Behemoth video "Prometherion, "What is Prometherion?"
Good question, and after 30 minutes or so of exhaustive research, here's what we uncovered. There doesn't seem to be a place, real or mythological, called Prometherion -- at least, Google doesn't seem to think so. So we delved a little deeper.
First, we found out P.R.O.M.E. is short for passive range of motion exercise, which doesn't reveal much. However, Prome is also a district in the Pegu division of Lower Burma, and while it's has a scant population today, in ancient times Prome was a flourishing kingdom, the history of which is clouded in mystery. All we know is that in 1758 Alompra, the founder of the last dynasty of Ava Kings conquered Pegu, and Prome became a portion of the Burman kingdom until the end of the second Burmese War in 1853, at which time the province of Pegu was annexed to the English.
So, what does that has to do with "Prometherion" by Polish death/black metal band Behemoth? Well, the second part of the word may explain that. "Therion" is Greek for "beast" and "Mega Therion" (great beast) is a reference to the "Book of Revelations," as well as a name occult writer and philosopher, Aleister Crowley sometimes called himself. There's also a 1985 Celtic Frost album called To Mega Therion, and that band was a huge early influence on Behemoth frontman Nergal. Finally, we're getting somewhere.
Now, let's check out some of the song's lyrics: "And great dragon from my mouth emerged/and all the treasures ov this world belong to me/in the sweetest inorganic embrace ov my devotee/I pledge my dagger unto Thee."
So, maybe "Prometherion" was an evil dragon-like monster that was either worshiped and/or feared by the ancient, mysterious Burmese culture. And maybe we're full of crap. Either way let us know in the comment box below.
Shortly after shooting the video, director Soren said this: "somewhere between the ideal of heaven and reality of hell falls the new Behemoth video -- an expression of the fallenness of man and the will to crawl through our own painful condition towards hope. This is a painful video to make and watch."Well, here it is. Let us know how much pain you're in afterwards, and watch it again on the big screen on this week's edition of MTV2's Headbangers Ball.
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