Is it finally time to stop calling Behemoth underground? They are clearly on a trajectory for breaking through to mass appeal, and while I would hesitate to say mainstream, there’s something happening here that cannot be ignored.
Few bands can maintain this level of heaviness and continue to grow at this rate while keeping their street cred. Lamb of God did it when they signed to a major label more than a decade ago, something I don’t think anyone saw coming, but Epic records took a risk and hit a fucking home run. They’ve also had a longer run on Epic than 90% of other bands who took the plunge. Soon after, all the other major labels started looking for their extreme metal band with mass appeal, but they quickly found out this wasn’t a cookie-cutter exercise. Now that the hype has died down, Behemoth could be the last band standing, as they are primed for a major label to swoop in and take them to the next level.
Hats off to Nuclear Blast for doing what they do with pushing the band and keeping them at the forefront of a movement, but what happens next? Truth is, they’ve got everything they need; an insanely dedicated and rabid fanbase, critical acclaim (Kerrang gave the new album a perfect score), and literally nothing left to check off among the do-it-yourself, from-the-ground-up playbook. And does the band really care? I mean, hell, they just headlined Brixton Academy in London. Is there a better venue to aspire to? I think not.
Touring in support of their latest juggernaut of an album, Opvs Contra Natvram was released just a few weeks ago, and it’s a beast. The latest single, “Versvs Christvs.” is pretty fucking epic and could be considered the pinnacle of creativity for the band when paired with the new video. Easily their most accessible song to date; maybe they are prepping for world domination? “Off to War” is another standout as it brings a bit of punk influence into that beloved Behemoth classic sound. I remember when Slayer did this, and it worked for them on Undisputed Attitude, so I think this is a smart move. While the purist may bitch and moan, I think the rest of us are embracing the evolution of Behemoth and welcome the experimentation.
Both songs were shining examples of Behemoth at the top of their metal game. The latest album was, of course, the focus of the set with four songs, while the remainder of the set cherry-picked songs from the band’s vast catalogue. I was expecting a few more songs, but that’s the trade-off for a co-headlining show. Either way, there were enough flames to remind us that Nergal and company are big fans of big fucking pyro. I can only imagine this is what hell feels like, in a good way.
Speaking of co-headliners, Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy shared the headlining slot. This didn’t make a ton of sense to me in the beginning, but it did work out in the end, although this did make for a bit of a mixed-up crowd. I’m not sure the overlap is as significant as the promoter thought it would be. I asked someone from the band how the combo came about, and they said, “they asked us.” I guess if it works in the States it should work over here too. While Behemoth is clearly a shit ton heavier, Arch Enemy can also get pretty brutal.
Just before Arch Enemy, death metal veterans Carcass took to the stage. Again, a bit of a weird one for me. Not that they didn’t deserve to be up there, but it added to the mixed bag of bands. I’ve always thought these guys were pretty good, and the crowd did eat it up. You could argue that Carcass played a pivotal role in defining the extreme metal genre, so it was good to see the godfathers delivering the original version. I mean, Heartwork is a stone-cold classic and still holds up.
But the real surprise of the night for me was the first band on stage that night, Unto Others. These guys were recommended by ex-Headbanger’s Ball host Riki Rachtman during the recent backlash to bands playing with backing tracks that was sweeping across social media. The point is that plenty of great bands still play 100% live. These guys were fucking brilliant. You first notice the old-school thrash sound, but then they mix in a bit of ’80s goth. Think of Testament crossed with the Sisters of Mercy with a touch of DRI and Gene Loves Jezebel. Absolutely brilliant set, and I can see these guys taking over the metal world in 2023. Watch out.
ARCH ENEMY
CARCASS
UNTO OTHERS
