Behemoth
Sventevith
(Storming near the Baltic)
[Pagan]
Raw, unpolished black metal from “the bards of Pomeranian heathendom” themselves, Behemoth from Poland. I consider Behemoth (alongside Graveland of course) the master geniuses of minimalistic atmosphere. Where Graveland uses pompous, foul sounding keyboards, Behemoth creates atmosphere with sparse keyboards and triumphant sounding acoustic guitars put very high in the mix. The acoustic guitars is not ever present but set the mood and atmosphere and when the fuzzy, in some way very melodic electric guitars take the sound picture over the successful formula is complete. What formula, one might ask? The formula for great, inspiring and immortal music/art that is!
I called the electric guitars “fuzzy”, and they are, but the production itself is crystal clear. When dealing with this sort of music (primitive in some ways) this is not a necessity, but it is interesting to hear music like this with a good production for a change. The production for Behemoths “….from the Pagan Vastlands” was “worse” but the album is still good maybe even better then this, so production is not an issue but maybe worth mentioning to some people.
The musicians: Baal Ravenlock (drums) and Nergal (everything else) are very talented and this music is not sloppy played or sloppy written in any way. Baal can even be considered one of the top-drummers of the black metal scene world-wide. Nergals vocals is sick and evil sounding and fits the music perfectly. An excellent effort music vice all together.
This is original, atmospheric and truly excellent black metal that should be explored by everyone. But wimps and posers beware; this album is alongside its beauty and atmosphere very raw, very harsh, and very chaotic.
I’ve always wondered why so many GOOD black metal bands come from Poland of all places (Graveland, Arkona, Hefeystos, Gontyna Kry etc) and I have come up with a theory of my own. I think the answer dates back to the 1700th century when the Swedish king Sigismund also inherited the crown of the kingdom of Poland. Maybe these were the days when the foundation to the Polish scene of the present was laid? :p
BTW: Buy this album or you suck (and heavily at that!).
© 2000 herr nebelwerfer
I called the electric guitars “fuzzy”, and they are, but the production itself is crystal clear. When dealing with this sort of music (primitive in some ways) this is not a necessity, but it is interesting to hear music like this with a good production for a change. The production for Behemoths “….from the Pagan Vastlands” was “worse” but the album is still good maybe even better then this, so production is not an issue but maybe worth mentioning to some people.
The musicians: Baal Ravenlock (drums) and Nergal (everything else) are very talented and this music is not sloppy played or sloppy written in any way. Baal can even be considered one of the top-drummers of the black metal scene world-wide. Nergals vocals is sick and evil sounding and fits the music perfectly. An excellent effort music vice all together.
This is original, atmospheric and truly excellent black metal that should be explored by everyone. But wimps and posers beware; this album is alongside its beauty and atmosphere very raw, very harsh, and very chaotic.
I’ve always wondered why so many GOOD black metal bands come from Poland of all places (Graveland, Arkona, Hefeystos, Gontyna Kry etc) and I have come up with a theory of my own. I think the answer dates back to the 1700th century when the Swedish king Sigismund also inherited the crown of the kingdom of Poland. Maybe these were the days when the foundation to the Polish scene of the present was laid? :p
BTW: Buy this album or you suck (and heavily at that!).
© 2000 herr nebelwerfer