Live report

KATAKLYSM - BEHEMOTH

ABORTED 

Lyfthrasir

PART I

Z 7 – Pratteln Switzerland September 27^th 2007

by Boris Witta and dalia di giacomo___       

Qualitative extreme metal-tours 

have become a curiosity

Well, it's been a very long since I have been to Z7. Good, qualitative extreme Metal-tours have become a curiosity, sad but true. But sometimes, they return! Poland’s finest, Behemoth, who just have released their masterpiece so far, “The Apostasy”, that brings extreme Metal, it doesn’t matter if Death or Black Metal, on a higher level, more intense, more technical, more inspirational and more original. And part two, Kataklysm, the northern hyperblasters, with the new-old-line-up stronger than aver, altough their latest album “In The Arms Of Devastation” has kind of a modern approach and some fans prefer “Serenity In Fire” or “Shadows And Dust”. Anyway, two great extreme Metal-commandos!

First surprise: The venue is quite well crowded, and the atmosphere is very familiar, lots of faces which I haven’t seen for a long time. And to say this right at this point: The sound this evening is absolutly excellent! Well-balanced, adequate loud, but not too loud, full of energy.

There’s only one detail which ruins the image of a perfect evening: Lyfthrasyr. This trio from Germany has absolutely nothing that exculpates a place on this billing. It’s just 08/15 keyboard-Black Metal, with almost the same piano-passages in every song, very uninspired, excuse me. At least, the drummer is very tight. And Black Metal without an outstanding performance and engagement just doesn’t work. Noone is really sad when Aggreash, Insorior and Skytorian levae the stage after thirty minutes.

It gets better. It’s now Aborted’s turn, groovy Death Metal with Grindcore-influences from Belgium. Most of all, they play new stuff – as a friend and Aborted-fan tells me afterwards – and I like it. Very aggressive, roaring deep vocals, most of all between mid- and uptempo, bangy and with a hyperactive, jumping and running around vocalist called Sven de Caluwe. The audience is getting obviously war, and for the first time, loud cheering and applause resounds after the Death Metal – bullets from Aborted. Well done guys, I gotta listen into your albums soon!

Behemoth have left the stadium of an normal extreme Metal-band a long time ago. These four polish Black’n’Death-maniacs celebrate extrem art on a level 99% of this world’s bands will never even see from far below. Flanked by two banners and an immense backdrop, Behemoth play a best-of-the-best-of-set. And they have what a lot of Bands from this genre don’t have: Aura. Charisma. When screamer and string torturer Nergal spreads his arms, stares into the audience, you just HAVE to follow his orders, you have to shout, you have to bang your goddamn head! Already after the short intro I knew, nothing could get wrong. Behemoth are a unity on stage, with Nergal the imperator, and to the left and right of him, his two best warriors, guitarist Seth and bassman Orion. From the back, the war machine Inferno fills every little whole in the sound, well, I even could say, his drumming is just a neverending solo. This tempo! This breaks! This ideas! This figures! This tempo!!! This tightness! The audience gets pushed and pushes back, and I think Behemoth never regret to get back to Z7 again. “As Above, So Below”, “Christians To The Lions”, “Demigod”, “Conquer All”, “Slaying The Prophets Ov Isa”, “Prometherion”, “Arcana Hereticae” (my favourite from “The Apostasy”, “From The Pagan Vastlands”, “Antichristian Phenomenon”, “Chant For Eschaton 2000”, Behemoth play highlight after highlight. Every man in this band is an outstanding technician, and the atmosphere they create, with little help of spikes, leather and discreet corpsepaint, is exceeding. At the end of the set, the string-front spits blood collectiveliy, and Nergal wears the iron mask from the cover of the “Apostasy”. As special extra, Behemoth play the Turbonegro-hymn “I Got Erection” as final song. I know Behemoth would be strong. But this concert has beaten all of my high expectances. Behemoth have reached a new dimension in extreme art – as on CD, so on stage.

COMING SOON: PART II

KATAKLYSM

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