PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
In between all the rush from one gig to another there was yet another one in the “must attend” list – Behemoth’s concert in Glasgow. Occupying the O2 ABC stage on the day after killer Morbid Angel show makes it a little different but the perfect continuation. These Polish blackened death metal masters are worth watching live each time they appear nearby and the opening acts they brought with themselves were promising as well.
The first on stage apparently were Manchester based black metallers Winterfylleth. The fact of the whole rushing and running thing made the unfortunate outcome – I happened to see only the last two songs of the whole Winterfylleth show. After unsuccessful try to see them in the Damnation festival, I didn’t seem to get any further, that was quite disappointing but.. that was only the first band out of four!
Grand Magus – the heavy metal trio from Stockholm were next to hit the stage and that was one unexpected decision in this gig. Despite the surprise, they were the ones to wake up and to warm up the audience, while literally making them dance. No shiny armour, overwhelming posing or big words just good music and three Swedish lads on the stage. The last song, called “Hammer of the North” they dedicated to Scotland, which made audience sing along. After half an hour set they were off the stage to let the Polish invasion begin.
By Polish invasion I mean the dark pairing of Decapitated and Behemoth. Death metallers Decaptitated were working in a way of tornado: in the speed of lightning preparing stage for the show, storming onto it, destroying the place and disappearing as quickly as the appeared on it. All I managed to remember out of it was loads of red and strobe lights, solid amount of the new album “Blood Mantra” tracks, energy and flying dreadlocks after vocalist Rafał Piotrowski. This triggered an instant moshpit in the crowd and 35 minutes cracking show simply went so fast, that they could easily have stayed for another half an hour longer.
The evening seemed to get more and more splendid when the time for Behemoth guys finally came. These guys did not seem to be in big hurry and the crew was fixing everything down to the smallest details. After the long break, the dark intro, play of the shadows and fumes appeared on the stage and Behemoth members one by one, all in capes and stunning costumes walked onto the stage. The show started with the band front man Nergal appearing on the stage with fire in his hands and when the intro was over, the already known new album (“The Satanist”) track “Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel” was played. Worth mentioning that the if Decapitated triggered the moshpit, the fans were not patient enough to wait until the Behemoth started their set. That simply does not happen often – moshpit before the music starts. Just turn off the lights and security in the front will get some job to do. Actually, once it started, it was continuing through the whole show until the end. Wild and reckless fans, amazing show from the band with the moto less talk – more music, blasphemy, madness and great dark atmosphere – that’s how the Behemoth show could be described in one sentence. Although it is not all. With the amazing start, band had some technical difficulties towards the end. Keeping audience in darkness and silence, guys took around 10 minters to fix it. While ten minutes usually are not considered as a long bit if time, nobody think so in these situations.
As for the Scottish/Polish audience that’s not a big problem – already very merry they simply started singing “Jingle Bells”. Don’t ask me who started that… Technical difficulties were overcome and band was back on stage mixing their new songs with the classy old ones as “Chant for Eschaton 2000” and “Decade of Therion”. Once the set was finished, Behemoth, of course, had to get back for the amazing and very atmospheric “O Father O Satan O Sun!” encore.
Despite all the difficulties, the concert was really smashing, bringing all good memories about the Behemoth and the joy that band is doing better than ever. The whole gig with the opening acts just before the Polish metal legends was really entertaining, providing all shades of black or in the other words – the variety of metal. From the funky Grand Magus to the solemn dark warriors of the Behemoth.
Behemoth setlist:
Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel
Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer
Conquer All
Decade of Therion
As Above So Below
Slaves Shall Serve
Christians to the Lions
The Satanist
Ov Fire and the Void
Furor Divinus
Ludzie Wschodu
Alas, Lord Is Upon Me
At the Left Hand ov God
Chant for Eschaton 2000
O Father O Satan O Sun!
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