by DAN SOUTHALL
POLAND’S ultimate anti-religious band are back for another slathering of abuse aimed at Christianity and those that follow it. After a couple of albums that have seen the band’s popularity rise – and their edge dull – band leader Nergal and his band of (no so) merry men decided it was time to double down on childish, offensive Christ-baiting best beginning with the album title.
If ‘trve’ fans have been looking away since The Satanist first brought the band wider acclaim, this album will have them listening in with glee. From the outset of ‘The Shadow Elite’ Nergal and Co. have something to prove, reintroducing a trademark fire as the song welcomes all comers to the cult that is Behemoth.
At under 40 mins and with only eight tracks, there is little time wasted throughout this re-energised sounding album, only ever changing pace, such as in ‘Lvciferaeon’, but never the intensity of their cacophony. The biggest example of this is the track written in memoriam of Nergal’s father, who passed during the last album cycle. Originally written with Nergal’s Me and That Man project in mind before morphing into something more potent and powerful, ‘To Drown The Svn In Wine’ is a fitting tribute to the man who supported his son and the band from the darkened wings, even helping design and create their costumes at various stages of their career.
This album will hit right where it needs too. Older fans will come back for the lack of experimentation and return to heavy-only mentality, whilst those out to scare their parents due to their taste in music will buy the shirt, get the tattoo and buy into The Shit Ov God.
