LIVE REVIEW: Behemoth @ The Ritz, Manchester

BEHEMOTH are an enigma in heavy music. Despite rarely lowering their intensity or extremity, the Polish blackened death metal outfit stand as one of the biggest names in our world. Since the release of 2014’s The Satanist and last year’s I Loved You At Your Darkest, the band have reached a new level once deemed unreachable, especially for a extreme metal band. Such an accomplishment is one for celebration and on the tail-end of their European trek, including the biggest venues the band have performed in on UK soil, we ventured to a sold out The Ritz to bask in the celebration.

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM have always been a criminally underrated band within the sphere of black metal and performing as the opening act on stages much larger than what they are accustomed to grants a opportunity for the Washington collective to receive much-deserved recognition. On paper, having a three-song set instantly bodes for disappointment, but the sheer scope and breadth of the band’s soundscape instantly squashes any shortcomings of set length as WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM proceed to give a performance of glistening quality.

Kicking the set off with Angrboda, the band set a ferocious tone right from the off as riffs laced with frost roar and Nathan Weaver shrieks like his life depends on it before rolling into a glorious segment where the band’s more intricate elements shine. As the set progresses, it becomes increasingly apparent just how skilled and versatile WOLVES IN THE THE ROOM are, especially on the live front. Trevor Deschryver is particularly impressive behind the drums with ample double-kicks providing plenty of force and subtle flurries of percussion enhancing Brittany McConnell‘s keyboards. Their ability on their respective instruments only makes the dramatic switches of harsh and ferocious black metal to grand, sweeping moments of melody all the more impressive. The rolling doom-laden riffs of The Old Ones Are With Us gets the crowd swaying like a metronome, subsiding into a brief build-up of atmosphere through solitary guitar-work, before returning with a hair-raising finale whilst Born From The Serpent’s Eye ends the set on a resounding high as the band push a barrage of rattling riffing and thunderous drumming to the forefront. As far as opening performances go, what WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM gave was up there amongst the elite.

Rating: 9/10

For most bands, to follow what WOLVES IN THE THE ROOM gave would be task that would prove impossible, but AT THE GATES are heavy metal royalty. Gothenburg’s finest, the godfathers of melodic death metal, their legacy and reputation speaks for itself and as they roar into life through opening number To Drink From The Night Itself, the title-track of last year’s record, it becomes immediately clear that Tomas Lindberg and co. are hellbent on ensuring their legacy remains intent.

What follows is a set of razor-sharp precision, a fist in the air celebration with one of the finest metal bands to grace our scene. Slaughter of The Soul makes an early appearance, just second in the set, and proceeds to skyrocket the intensity as the now iconic riffs swirl in synchronisation with the swelling pit whereas At War With Reality’s gutsy riffing from guitarists Martin Larsson and Jonas Stålhammar packed a powerful punch.

Newer cuts from last year’s To Drink From The Night Itself sit nicely with the band’s older material and for all their swagger and bounce, demonstrating that AT THE GATES are still evidently hungry in 2019, it is on their decorated classics where the band shine with quality. Suicide Nation‘s grooves and bends only enhance the rapturous vocal lines from Tomas Lindberg and its frantic whirlwind of swift riffing in its conclusion is a clear highlight of the set and Blinded By Fear‘s placement in the closing moments ensures that the mood is as intense as their opening blows. It’s been nearly three decades since the band formed and all these years later, AT THE GATES prove why they remain such an important and vital band for heavy metal.

Rating: 8/10

With the ominous children’s choir of “I shall not forgive, Jesus Christ”, lifted from Solve, I Loved You At Your Darkest‘s opening number, ringing out across the venue, the mood and atmosphere in anticipation for BEHEMOTH was reaching a fever-pitch. And then, as the room darkens and Poland’s finest drop the shrouded curtain and erupt into Wolves Ov Siberia, the reaction is simply jaw-dropping.

Given the tenacity and sheer menace of their opening moment, it’s clear that BEHEMOTH are ready to make a real statement of intent, a desire to not only match but exceed their soaring popularity. And they do just do that. Daimonos is performed with such ferocity that Satan himself would be trembling, Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer‘s up-tempo riffs spawns a see of heads banging whilst God = Dog stands as a bonafide classic in its own right, especially considering its placement between the scorching execution of Ov Fire and the Void and Conquer All.

Speaking of their newer material, if I Loved You At Your Darkest was met with critical acclaim upon release, then the execution of their newer material only enhances the adoration for their latest effort. Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica rolls across the room like thunder whilst Bartzabel is a different beast entirely. Inferno‘s solitary blasts from the drums sets a formidable opening, one with real menace, whilst the harmonised vocals between Nergal and Orion is utterly haunting.

With a tight presence on stage, encapsulated by the ever charismatic and confident leader with Nergal at the helm, the enormous stage production only enhanced the band’s impact on stage. A plethora of pyrotechnics, aesthetically pleasing costume changes, smoke blasts resembling inverted crosses and a jaw-dropping light show enforced their stage presence, if becoming slightly predictable by the latter end of the set. It was a sight to behold and as the confetti falls as Lucifer ignites the encore, one thing remains clear, BEHEMOTH are a cut above many of their contemporaries. A performance of devilish excellence and a triumph from one of extreme music’s shining stars.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here: