BEHEMOTH – I loved You at Your Darkest – Tour Edition
Behemoth frontman Nergal has spent a very loud career taking spiritual iconography to the deepest and darkest corners of his mind. Many (if not most) of their videos feature deconsecration of many things, especially those religiously sacred. Though they’ve thrown the holiest of holy’s straight into the fiery depths, they’ve done so with their own brand of dark artistic creativity. Nergal has turned extreme lyrics, concepts and visions into the most deeply nightmarish and sacrilegious imagery possible.
They’ve given us plenty on camera that we can’t unsee, taking sacrilege to uber levels with poetic narrative. Imagine if Poe’s stories were X-rated with religious prose. Whether adorning the most vile attire or yelling the most abominable lyrics, he’s shown the darkest sides of religion in grim theater, often making Hellrasier and Lord of Illusions look like Child’s Play. Lyrically they’d be burned, bound or beheaded for chosen words.
Though they might equate the effects of religion to the ripping chains from the box, Nergal’s used the restrictions of his country as inspiration for his dark output. Few bands can touch them on a heretical scale, pumping out incense of the foulest stench. The foursome have recently given their latest gospel I Loved You At Your Darkest new life as a tour edition. The music is a bold statement in performance and evolution taking their scalding parables to the highest imaginable offense.
They’re currently touring Europe with the tour edition in tow including a road documentary and live tracks filmed from the Maida Vale BBC Radio 1 sessions, with bonus material from release weekend in London.
Wolves ov Siberia opens things with teeth clenched tight in predator stance, annihilation flaming in their eyes punctuated by furious, ferocious drumming, with accompanying ‘nature’ video combining The Evil Dead with The Call of the Wild. Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica sounds almost church like in parts with choirs chanting dark mimics of holy gatherings, with catchy choruses. Bartzabel is slower and more deliberate with marching drums played with intimidation and menace for slamming effect as Nergal summons his black papal inverted dominion as Havohej Pantocrator is the antitheses of heaven in Satanic verse.
Live from Maida Vale contains four ILYAYD live tracks in the studio and represents an ominous bookend to this chapter of the book of Behemoth, until something else wicked comes.
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