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It’s a full minute into ‘Post God Nirvana’ – the first track on ‘Opvs Contra Natvram’ – before there’s any hint of Nergal’s vocals, and even then, it’s a loud proclamation offering snippets of Catholic prayer – more spoken, or shouted over the eerie, choral music than sang, with only a brief interjection of slightly more melodic chanting through the middle handful of seconds. Already, you can hear what kind of album you’re getting into, nothing too heavy just yet, but certainly defiant enough to set the tone.
Of course, the next song launches immediately, with a lot more oomph and heavier guitar riffs, with the signature growl of Nergal as he goes through what is an inevitably well-written but equally disparaging riff on religion. ‘Malaria Vulgata’ is a great second track, and already serves to set the tone of the album’s switches between the darker, rougher sound and the slightly more peeled-back, choral notes.
‘Ov My Herculean Exile’ is the fourth song on the album, and was the lead single. It also starts with a more ominous, melancholy tone, that leads into those same growly vocals, this time a little more coherent. The song is slower generally but still has the same weight to it as the harder numbers that have been pieced together alongside it, making it a perfect complement. One of these far heavier songs, ‘Neo Spartacus’, immediately follows on; a track that follows through with its intent to get the listener riled up, to inspire some kind of rebellion – borrowing from the titular Spartacus. It’s fast-paced and has everything you’d want from Behemoth, including some particularly brilliant drum work from Inferno.
The album’s closer, ‘Versus Christus’, brings us right back to that menacing beginning that’s a staple throughout the record, only this time it’s to close us out. The vocals are cleaner here, if only for the introduction of the song, and it brings with it a certain sense of occasion. This marks the end of a grandiose album with a lot to say about the state of things, regardless of agreement with those things or with the members of the band. It’s an opulent, indulgent album, that stops itself just before it leans too hard into that indulgence.
‘Opvs Contra Natvram’ is available September 16th on Nuclear Blast Records, purchase here.
Review – El Vipond
The band launched the album in inimitable fashion with ‘Opvs Contra Cvltvram’ a streaming event shot on the roof of Warsaw’s renowned Palace of Culture & Science, check it out above.
BEHEMOTH with ARCH ENEMY + CARCASS + UNTO OTHERS
The European Siege Tour
27.09. UK Dublin – 3 Olympia Theatre – LAST FEW TICKETS
29.09. UK Glasgow – O2 Academy
30.09. UK Manchester – O2 Apollo
01.10. UK Birmingham – O2 Academy
02.10. UK London – O2 Academy Brixton
04.10. FR Paris – Zenith
05.10. FR Ramonville-St-Agne, Le Bikini
07.10. PT Lisboa – Coliseu dos Recreios
08.10. ES Madrid – Palacio Vistalegre
09.10. ES Barcelona – Palau Sant Jordi
11.10. FR Caluire-Et-Cuire – Radiant-Bellevue
12.10. IT Milan – Alcatraz
14.10. DE Berlin – Columbiahalle
15.10. CZ Prague – Tipsport Arena
16.10. HU Budapest – Barba Negra
18.10. AT Wien – Gasometer
19.10. PL Katowice – Spodek
21.10. DE Ludwigsburg – MHP Arena
22.10. NL Den Bosch – Mainstage Brabanthallen
24.10. DE Saarbrücken – Saarlandhalle
25.10. CH Zürich – Samsung Hall
26.10. DE Frankfurt am Main – Jahrhunderthalle
28.10. DE Munich – Zenith
29.10. DE Düsseldorf – Mitsubishi Electric Halle
30.10. DE Hamburg – edel-optics.de Arena
31.10. SE Partille – Partille Arena
02.11. FI Helsinki – Helsinki Ice Hall
04.11. SE Stockholm – Annexet
05.11. DK Frederiksberg – Forum Black Box
06.11. NO Oslo – Sentrum Scene – LAST FEW TICKETS
UK tour tickets are available here, with Dublin tickets here.
Horseback photo: Sylwia Makris + Christian Martin Weiss
Ozkar Szramka
Album artwork: Anton ‘Strss893’ Pavsyuk
