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When Behemoth frontman Nergal released the stunning ‘Songs Of Love And Death’ album as part of Me And That Man in 2017, the critics were (rightly) queuing up to heap plaudits on him. The fact that someone associated with a band so extreme, could produce an album as contrasting as ‘Songs Of Love And Death’ had many perplexed, but let’s face it, all heavy music is related to the Blues in one way or another, so the stripped back darkness of Me And That Man shouldn’t really have come as a surprise. Nergal’s clean vocals were a revelation, and the album comes highly recommended to anyone with a hankering for some Nick Cave inspired gloom. So what can you expect from Behemoth one year after Nergal went back to the roots of music? A bold album that’s for sure. ‘I Loved You At Your Darkest’ is the sound of a band evolving their core sound; some clean vocals, less aggression, and more of an inclusive sound. Anyone expecting a rehash of 2014’s quintessential ‘The Satanist’ will be disappointed, but did anyone really expect that? If you are familiar with ‘God = Dog’, one of the first releases from ‘I Loved You At Your Darkest’, then you will recognise the children’s voices that open the album with ‘Solve’. Pay attention, and the children seem to be reciting two ancient Hebrew names for God? Elohim and Adonai, as well as Living God and Jesus Christ. Each phrase is followed by the line ‘I shall not forgive’. Religion getting both barrels? Blasphemy? All of the above? It’s a powerful intro, and the children’s voices are very effective. Leading straight into ‘Wolves Ov Siberia’, the cinematic introduction soon gives way to the pummelling drums from Inferno. Less concussive than you might be used to, but powerful nonetheless. ‘God = Dog’ has a bit of a different approach; a dark and moody instrumental intro that could be what John Carpenter would sound like if he went extreme. With so many twists on and turns during the four minutes, expect the unexpected. ‘Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica’ blew me away. I gotta thing for ‘Omen’-like choirs. You know something wicked is on the way, and here the choir is used perfectly. Same with the acoustic guitar parts, very atmospheric. Acoustic guitars? Next you’ll be saying clean vocals… well, yep, there are some clean vocals, but go with the flow and let ‘Bartzabel’ work its magic on you. Same with ‘Sabbath Mater’, it’s not like Behemoth have totally done a u-turn vocal wise. Behemoth clean vocals are not exactly über-clean, the snarl is still there. The band are just trying out new dynamics, like the melodic intro on ‘Havohej Pantocrator’, complete with Inferno’s mesmerising drumming. ‘I Loved You At Your Darkest’ is a very strong album that will polarise opinion amongst Behemoth fans. Bands need to evolve though, and some people have a hard time dealing with that. Slip on ‘We Are the Next 1000 Years’. Go from the brutality to the trippy middle section that spreads out and gets the munchies, and then straight into the bombastic ‘Coagvia’. Now, tell me that doesn’t work! Available now on Nuclear Blast This October/November, Behemoth hits the road across the USA headlining the Ecclesia Diabolica America 2018 e.v. tour, featuring special guests, At The Gates and Wolves In The Throne Room. This must-see show makes its way to Europe in January/February 2019. Behemoth UK tour dates Feb. 6 – Bristol, UK – Motion Feb. 7 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute Feb. 8 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town Feb. 9 – Manchester, UK – O2 Ritz Feb. 10 – Dublin, Ireland – Vicar Street Feb. 11 – Glasgow, UK – QM Union Review: Oli Photo credit: Grzegorz Golebiowski ]]>
