Behemoth
24th November 2023
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters.
There can only be one thing sweeter than an international metal gig, and that is one that is held on a Friday night. For it is not often that New Zealand lucks out on the roulette wheel of dates to be able to let their hair down at a show and not have to suffer through the rest of the week.
A swarm of black descended upon Powerstation last night in order to see the mighty Behemoth, supported by not one, but two very different but equally as divine New Zealand support acts.
To begin the evening, Undiscovered Moons of Saturn brought their own brand of atmospheric godliness to the stage, two cloaked figures, their painted faces materializing from under minimalist lighting and haze.
Led by the esoteric Sean O’Kane Connolly and bringing their own form of dark ambient / drone that shapeshifted from dungeon synth laden soundscapes into reverent chanting complete with animal skulls and vocals that seeped inside of you, Undiscovered Moons of Saturn were the perfect opener for the night. On a side note, but one that is of great importance, Connolly is also a tireless champion of the local music scene, long may humans of his disposition continue to exist within our realms.
Formed in 2017 “from the flames of MetalTower and the embers of Nullifier” the trio that goes by the name of Sciolism arrived to bring a healthy dose of blackened death metal; their unassuming demeanour soon transforming into a three headed beast that had the crowd paying full attention within seconds.
While Dan Bernstein certainly has the vocals and guitar down, leading the charge with a voice that rumbled from deep within his core, and impressive alternate picking. It was hard to tear your eyes away from Steven Bernstein on drums who somehow made incredible blast beats look like a stroll in the park.
Of course, serious bass is required to balance the sound and bring that true darkness, bassist Allan Lachlan delivering the goods and a stage presence worthy of such a prestigious support slot.
Having released their debut album Sacred Nothingness just over a year ago it was only fitting that Sciolism dropped the title track, the song itself slowly building in intensity, melodic riffing soon evolving into a cacophony of blast beats and guttural growls that made one salivate.
If you haven’t already obtained a copy, pick one up today, available on Bandcamp and Spotify, so any and all excuses are null and void.
By now Powerstation was heaving under the weight of black band shirts and some serious hair, everyone focused on the stage as the impressive drum kit was revealed just before the house lights were snuffed out, eliciting a roar from the crowd that sounded like a battle cry.
Suddenly Nergal appeared at the edge of the stage, his face hauntingly illuminated by a light held in his hand, the track ‘Post-God Nirvana’ providing the backing to his display. Leaping back and forth the crowd went wild as he hurled the light away and the stage was momentarily once again plunged into darkness, only to reveal seconds later the band standing in position and ripping into the first track of the evening ‘Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer’.
Formed in 1991, those that have been following Behemoth know of their origins, the Polish band from Gdańsk rising the ranks as a black metal band, but soon becoming known as extreme metal (although Nergal would prefer you don’t label them as anything at all except as what they are, which is Behemoth).
Attending a Behemoth concert is a lustral and cathartic experience, this isn’t just about the music, which is on point completely from beginning to end, but the performance itself. Nergal being the ringleader that brings it all together with a presence that truly is show stopping.
Addressing the fans, Nergal does the math, declaring that it has been eight years since they have graced our shores and how truly grateful, they are for the support from Aotearoa; “without you we would be nowhere” he declared with arms raised, the crowd voicing their heartfelt appreciation. The impassioned speech was the idyllic intro into ‘Conquer All’ the front row surging against the barrier, horns piercing the air.
The spoken intro into ‘Deathless Sun’ once again brought delicious ceremonial overtones to the set as Nergal appeared in a black cloak and intricate masquerade style half mask, his tremolo picked melodies faultless throughout. Flanked on either side by bassist Orion and guitarist Seth (also from the band Nomad) the trio made a formidable frontline of sound, drummer extraordinaire Inferno looming over them from behind his kit delivering blast beats so tight you could use them to slice flesh from the bone.
As the opening notes of ‘Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel’ echoed through the venue, those in attendance decided to show Behemoth just what they could do vocally as well, the choir of voices rising into the air delivering goosebumps. This is what metal is about, not gatekeeping or bullshit attitudes, but a room full of bodies united as one under the banner of music that they all cherish and live by.
Picking up on the vibe, Nergal declares that this is where they feed off the fan’s energy, as he led them through a chant that was almost deafening in volume, but one that brought grins to the faces of all that were present.
Straight into ‘Once Upon a Pale Horse’ a definitive crowd favourite and it felt like this could quite possibly be frontrunner for metal gig of the year; the rhythmical beat almost hedonistic in nature reverberating throughout and being welcomed with open arms.
Part of the appeal of Behemoth is the theatrics of their live performances, the band at one point disappearing under momentary darkness only for Nergal to reappear cloaked in red and gold and holding a thurible (an ode to his catholic upbringing). Guitar slung behind his back he dropped the metal censer to the ground as he stood upright and presented a bible. Raising it above his head he slowly eviscerated it, the pages tumbling to the ground as the crowd screamed for more. Considering Nergal (Adam Darski) faced two years in prison for this act back in 2007, it is great to see that he continues to be his authentic self.
But one of the greatest moments last night had to be when Nergal addressed the crowd and pointed out that the man responsible for Behemoth even being on stage right at that moment was standing in the front row. That without people like him, who are willing to give their blood, sweat and tears and most importantly invest time into what they do there would be no scene. Ben Mulchin of Vahalla Touring is a stalwart of the metal community here in Aotearoa and while a humble man who evades the limelight where possible he is worthy of the recognition. We salute you Ben!
Going on to say how Orion had a back injury the day before and could not even stand up, Nergal described it as some kind of miracle that he was even on stage giving it his all and that it was down to the unfailing devotion of all who were standing before them.
A classic was then gifted in the form of ‘No Sympathy for Fools’ which was embraced wholeheartedly as Nergal introduced it as a track that when he wrote it, he had no idea about the corruption that festered within our society, a wry smile passing across his face indicating that he certainly saw it coming.
Closing the set on ‘Chant for Eschaton 2000’ and Behemoth gave it their all, both Nergal and Orion spitting blood into the front rows, those splattered by it only invigorated to mosh harder. Guitar pics and sticks were handed out to ravenous hands, Behemoth barely leaving the stage before the demands for an encore were nipping at their heels.
Of course, the show finished on ‘O Father O Satan O Sun!’, Behemoth and the fans giving it their all one last time, the closing notes seeing the members leave the stage and the house lights slowly chase away the darkness. Fans were left breathless, but ecstatic as they turned to one another as if to check that the person next to them could verify what they had just witnessed was real.
Behemoth have often been described as juggernauts of their genre. Last night they emphatically proved why.
Behemoth:
Sciolism:
Undiscovered Moons Of Saturn:
Were you there at Powerstation for this triumphant metal gig? Or have you seen Behemoth perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Post‐God Nirvana [Tape Intro]
- Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer
- Malaria Vvlgata
- Conquer All
- The Deathless Sun
- Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel
- Once Upon a Pale Horse
- Daimonos
- Versvs Christvs
- Ov Fire and the Void
- Bartzabel
- No Sympathy for Fools
- Chant for Eschaton 2000
- O Father O Satan O Sun! [encore]
Note: Ambient Light was provided passes to review and photograph this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only.
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