”I have not yet seen a man who isn’t also a god”
- Adam Michal ’Nergal’ Darski (guitar/vocals)

If we were to believe in Behemoth, we were getting ourselves into one hell of a black mass as their show drew nigh...
The stage was decorated with inverted crosses, mystic symbols and signets, and of course the signature snake mic-stands, as well as some more snakes further back on the stage. If Vader had shown us how to perform with a minimum of stage-setup, Behemoth was clearly going in the opposite direction, something which was made extra clear as the band-members entered the stage in full corpse-paint and special outfits.
If this wasn’t enough, the stage also erupted with fire and smoke during the first song of the set, an act that would be repeated several more times during the concert. Hell, even the snakes’ heads were burning at one point!
Adding more to the atmosphere of aggression, Behemoth didn’t exactly play their instruments but rather punished them for some long gone sin they must have committed against their respective owners. At least that’s what it looked like…

“It feels good to be alive!”
- Nergal (guitar/vocals)

If there was one thing the two bands had in common though, it was the sheer power their performances and music put out there for the crowd; something which paid off by giving Behemoth one of the largest crowds of the festival so far.
Yes, people were definitely appreciating what they saw and heard, and paid their respects to the band by raising an impressive amount of arms in the air, devil horns defiantly pointing to the sky. A large part of the middle section was also moshing and thrashing about to the wild beating of the music, and there was a steady stream of crowd surfers floating by overhead, making this not only one of the best visited but also one of the liveliest shows so far at Metalfest.
Behemoth had a few tricks up their sleeve as well which they unleashed at different times during the show to keep things even more interesting. For one song, the band replaced drummer Zbigniew Robert ‘Inferno’ Prominski with a bald man covered from head to toe in blood, for another Nergal would wear a crown of thorns on his head, and yet another would see him wearing the Evangelion war mask. At the very end of the show came the largest visual surprise of them all though, and at the same time the one which was hardest to take completely serious; at the end of the last song the sky was filled with strips of black plastic confetti! It came out in such an amount that it was still blowing around on the festival area when the festival closed down two days later.

Again I was impressed by Behemoth, as I have been most of the times I have seen this band. I admit that they didn’t exactly surprise me with anything, but they came and delivered exactly what I was counting on, which was a well executed and energetic show.
In short, nothing completely new in this sabbath, but one hell of a drive and energy!

Setlist:

Ov Fire And The Void
Demigod
Moonspell Rites
Conquer All
Christians To The Lions
Alas, Lord Is Upon Me
At The Left Hand Ov God
Slaves Shall Serve
Chant For Eschaton 2000
23 (The Youth Manifesto)
Lucifer