Behemoth – At The Arena Ov Aion - Live Apostasy
Regain Records - 14 October 2008
By Jack Deming
As I highly doubt that these guys need an introduction or description, I’ll jump straight to it – the polish blackened death metallers are on their game here. The setlist is diverse enough, sound is great, the playing is tight on all fronts, and Nergal’s banter between songs is characteristically intense. The rhythm and force of his speaking voice is particularly epic - "PRO-METH-ER-I-ON". He does the ancient Roman rhetoricians proud here.
I couldn’t help but notice how well the crowd is mixed and incorporated into the fray, always at least semi-present, as a sort of underlying force that really does amplify and complement the music’s intensity. Kinda the principle of a live record, I know, but it sticks out in a significant way here.
Apart from this, At the Arena Ov Aion really isn’t interesting and unique as a live record. At least, not in the sense that, say, Live after Death is interesting and unique as a live record. It seems, from Nergal’s allusions between songs, that the more important aspect of this recording was on the visual side. So its probably best to go for the DVD release. Particularly if it has any fun special features starring Nergal’s legal battles or his hot polish pop star girlfriend.
Official Behemoth Website
Official Behemoth Myspace
Official Regain Records Website
Regain Records - 14 October 2008
By Jack Deming
As I highly doubt that these guys need an introduction or description, I’ll jump straight to it – the polish blackened death metallers are on their game here. The setlist is diverse enough, sound is great, the playing is tight on all fronts, and Nergal’s banter between songs is characteristically intense. The rhythm and force of his speaking voice is particularly epic - "PRO-METH-ER-I-ON". He does the ancient Roman rhetoricians proud here.
I couldn’t help but notice how well the crowd is mixed and incorporated into the fray, always at least semi-present, as a sort of underlying force that really does amplify and complement the music’s intensity. Kinda the principle of a live record, I know, but it sticks out in a significant way here.
Apart from this, At the Arena Ov Aion really isn’t interesting and unique as a live record. At least, not in the sense that, say, Live after Death is interesting and unique as a live record. It seems, from Nergal’s allusions between songs, that the more important aspect of this recording was on the visual side. So its probably best to go for the DVD release. Particularly if it has any fun special features starring Nergal’s legal battles or his hot polish pop star girlfriend.
Official Behemoth Website
Official Behemoth Myspace
Official Regain Records Website
