Andrew DuncanBehemoth
Live from Maida Vale
Metal Blade Records
Links: Behemoth | Metal Blade Records
As Behemoth embarks on a European tour with Slipknot through January and February, it is smart on the band’s behalf to unleash a set of Radio 1 Sessions and culminate it into an EP they call Live from Maida Vale.
To pair up with Slipknot is a massive powerplay. Behemoth’s stage presence is menacing, fueled by flames shooting out at every direction and the blasts of the band’s monstrous metal under a canopy of a dark, impressive diorama within the band’s philosophical context. Unless you stand in the presence of the band on stage, words cannot fully encapsulate the aura that is to experience this band in the flesh.
Live From Maida Vale may not capture the veracity of their live sound but it gets us right there in the studio with them. The band rips through a raucous version of “Wolves ov Siberia” one of four songs featured from I Loved You At Your Darkest. The band will be re-releasing I Loved You At Your Darkest as a tour edition featuring a documentary and bonus live tracks from the “Live From Maida Vale BBC Radio 1 Sessions.”
Nergal calls these sessions a “new lease on life” for I Loved You At Your Darkest, and fans will relish in their power presence on “God = Dog.” The haunting madrigal chants shine through in the recording that contorts the mantra into a reckless adventure of heightened dynamics and exhilarating sensory perception.
As we travel through “Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica” and into “Bartzabel,” there is no solace. Their tribal downtuned ritual feels like a drive into the abyss.
I Loved You At Your Darkest was such a pivotal moment for Behemoth, it’s no surprise that the band would want to push its art to the limits. And to document this session on tape is a great accentuation for the band and a prominent reminder as to what this band can accomplish.