Behemoth - In Absentia Dei (Live) (2021)

It happens more and more that live albums are recorded live streams shows that find some new life through releases, published a few months after the digital event. This time Polish black metal icons Behemoth are the ones releasing a live album that features a streaming concert the band played in September 2020 at Abandoned Church in Pisarzowice, Poland.

Already the unusual place created a special vibe and Behemoth used the show to present a set that included all phases of the band.

In total four acts, that is how the set was structured and it started with a live debut. ‘Evoe’ from the ‘A Forest’-EP acted as opener. The gloomy beginning of the song created the right atmosphere right away and having a live premier in the beginning of a set is a blackened treat.

Next to the more recently published songs, the band also went back in time, back to the roots in 1995. ‘Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic), that is the title of the Behemoth debut and ‘From the Pagan Vastlands’ is taken from this album. Representing the raging and wild horse-like early days of the band shows where Behemoth musically come from. Anarchic black metal is how the band started, a sound the evolved and enriched over time. ‘Bartzabel’, the atmospheric and dark anthems shows the current state of this journey and having all moments of Behemoth united on one album is a good summary of the band’s achievement to date.

‘In Absentia Dei’ is a live album without audience. It is the capturing of a unique concert in an unusual time and special location. Of course, a live album without fans is different and still, Behemoth manage to create a bit of a live spirit with Nergal also sending a few words and announcement to fans on the couch at home. ‘In Absentia Dei’ is a product of our time and the fact that the songs are performed live without many adjustments later on gives at least an authentic sound experience.

~ markusheavymusicblog.org

Tracklist:

01. Evoe (6:08)
02. Wolves Ov Siberia (2:56)
03. Prometherion (3:30)
04. From the Pagan Vastlands (3:25)
05. Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel (5:37)
06. Antichristian Phenomenon (5:29)
07. Conquer All (4:15)
08. Lucifer (8:50)
09. Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer (7:51)
10. Satan's Sword (I Have Become) (6:09)
11. Ov Fire and the Void (5:21)
12. Chwala Mordercom Wojciecha (4:49)
13. As Above so Below (6:16)
14. Slaves Shall Serve (3:33)
15. Chant for Ezkaton 2000 E.V. (5:38)
16. Sculpting the Throne Ov Seth (6:56)
17. Bartzabel (5:03)
18. Decade Ov Therion (3:22)
19. O Father O Satan O Sun! (10:43)

Nergal Guitars, Vocals
Inferno Drums, Percussion
Orion Bass, Vocals (backing)
Seth Guitars, Vocals (backing)


All thanks go to the original releaser