LIVE REVIEW: Behemoth + Golgothan Remains + Resin Tomb, The Triffid, Brisbane. November 27, 2023
by DAN SOUTHALL
THE cavernous venue that is The Triffid is the perfect place for a band like Behemoth. Its curved ceiling creating the ideal acoustics for the kind of musical bombast they create. Before we get to them, however, the assembled legion will first get assaulted by local lads Resin Tomb and Sydneysiders Golgothan Remains.
As the intro tape rolls for Resin Tomb, vocalist Matt menacingly stalks the small stage area the band have to play with, the majority of the stage being taken up by both their large drum kit and a conspicuously hidden larger kit for the headliners. They blast and groove their way through their set throwing thanks out to, and dedicating songs to, the other bands on tonight’s bill. Their brand of death/black and atmospheric touches of sludge sound great in this place.
Death metal merchants Golgothan Remains spend their time on the stage absolutely pummelling the pit over the head with what sounds like an almost never ending super speed riff that only takes a small break for a little Hypocrisy-like atmospherics before doubling down on its speed and intensity. As someone that hasn’t come across the band until now I am unsure if this monotonous guitar tone is their thing or a bit of a dodgy mix. Whatever it is, the band have the same room as the openers and fail to move or impress anywhere near as much.
As I mentioned at the start, a venue like this is built for the kind of atmosphere and theatre that Behemoth bring, and bring it they do. With all the lights out this place is fucking dark. No light seeps in as the intro of “Post-God Nirvana” rumbles forth. No movement can be seen anywhere, until only the face of Nergal is seen as he screams into a microphone attached to a light illuminating just his face as if he is some kind of spectre.
Blasting their way into a set stacked with highlights from across their career, “Blow Your Trumpets, Gabriel” and “Daimonos” are absolute highlights that get massive feedback from the legions on the floor. As a band originally built on courting controversy, it was great to see Nergal in full flight with bishop-like garb, tearing pages from a Bible before throwing its lifeless carcass into the baying pit to be torn asunder some more and thrown about as if part of some torturous ritual.
The cavernous structure really comes into its own as the war drum thunder of “Bartzabel” shakes the foundations of the venue and resonates throughout the building.
I have had the privilege of seeing the band more than once before, but this is without a doubt the most focused and theatrical Behemoth has been. No Fireworks, no air cannon and no bullshit. There were all sorts of robe changes and a couple of masks that helped added to the theatre of it all, but this is a band at the absolute peak of their power – miss this show at your peril.
