Decapitated are a Polish technical death metal band, founded in 1996 in Krosno by guitarist Wacław “Vogg” Kiełtyka and his brother, drummer Witold “Vitek” Kiełtyka, who was only twelve at the time. Alongside vocalist Wojciech “Sauron” Wąsowicz and bassist Marcin “Martin” Rygiel, they released their first demos between 1997 and 1998, gaining attention across the European metal scene.
Their debut album, Winds of Creation, arrived in 2000, followed by Nihility (2002) and The Negation (2004), establishing the band as one of Europe’s most talented and respected extreme metal acts. In 2006, Organic Hallucinosis was released with new vocalist Adrian “Covan” Kowanek, marking a shift toward more experimental sounds. Tragically, in 2007 the band was involved in a serious road accident in Belarus: Vitek passed away at just 23 years old, and Covan fell into a coma. After a hiatus, Vogg rebuilt Decapitated in 2009 with new members. Since then, the band has released four albums: Carnival Is Forever (2011), Blood Mantra (2014), Anticult (2017), and Cancer Culture (2022), solidifying their international reputation. Despite some legal issues in the United States, later cleared, and several lineup changes, Decapitated have remained a constant presence in the global metal scene. Always led by Vogg, known for his technical style and groove-heavy riffs, Decapitated are regarded as leading figures in modern death metal, praised for their technical precision, compositional complexity, and influence on new generations of the genre. In 2025, the band announced they are working on a new album scheduled for 2026.