Review Summary: Behemoth show that they're much more effective as a death metal band.
Behemoth originally started off as a black metal band from Poland. Over the years they have experimented and changed their sound to what sounds more like a death metal band. Enter the world of"
Behemoth's Satanica
If you"ve ever heard this band before you"re probably well aware that this band is not to be taken lightly. They are an extremely heavy force of metal nature that will do no less than rock your world. Their tempos are usually extremely fast, as you can almost always hear their drummer playing some form of a blast beat. The guitar riffs have been known to be often complex and technical, and there will sometimes even be a solo.
Behemoth on this album was:
Guitars: Havoc
Bass: Mefisto
Vocals, guitars: Nergal
Drums: Inferno
This album takes no time at all to bring you into their swirling inferno of extreme, brutal metal. The first song, "Decade of Therion" is filled with blistering drum beats and riffs so fast they could be worthy of a trash metal band. The vocals are also very brutal, and I along with other Behemoth listeners, find the vocals to be even comical at times. Nergal"s voice is very similar to that of a barking dog if you ask me. The riffs in this song are very cool and would be pretty difficult to play if you were doing vocals as well. This song alone shows how skilled this band is and makes the listener want to check out more.
We all know that everyone in Behemoth is very talented, but the best person in the band would have to be Inferno. He has to be one of the fastest drummers I have ever heard. This album shows off what he is capable of in every song. There isn"t really a time while you"re listening to the album when Inferno is playing at unrelenting speeds, which are often the well known blast beat. Besides from being incredibly swift on the set, he also has his creative moments, too. One great example of his creative talents would be on the song "Celebration of Shiva".
For all of you metal guitarists out there, look no further than Behemoth. Nergal and Havoc have done a great job on Satanica with their dual riffing that lock in perfectly. Their riffs are often loaded with pinch harmonics and melodic high parts. It"s just amazing to listen to these guys on songs like "Of Sephirotic Transformation and Carnality" and "Celebration of Shiva". Their solos, while being brief, are also a great way for them to show off their talents.
I"ve given this album a ton of praise by now, and I actually do think that this album is flawed in several ways. My first reason would be that Satanica is just too short. The album is only eight tracks long and none of the songs are very long. The longest song doesn"t even go over six minutes. Since the album is too short it"s hard for the band to fully establish a feeling for the album, leaving more to be desired. Another problem that I have is the fact that the band hasn"t lived up to their potential like they did on their latest album, Demigod. That album was practically flawless and was loaded with horns and acoustic parts that made the album not seem like one giant and brutal song. This album never lets up and by the end of the album I wanted to listen to something entirely different. Changing up the feeling and mood is something you really should do if you want to make the listener feel much more satisfied.
I have two more issues with this album. Death metal has often had some of the best bassists around, so why not feature on here. I"m sure Mefisto is great at his instrument, so I don"t see why the band should tone him out so you can"t hear him at all. The last problem, like I mentioned earlier, are Nergal"s vocals. His voice is very brutal, but it"s just doesn"t appeal to me at all. His screams just aren"t as great as perhaps Lord Worm from Cryptopsy or James Malone from Arsis. A little vocal improvement would make this album a whole lot better in my opinion.
Highlights:
Decade of Terion
Ceremony of Shiva
The Alchemist"s Dream
Pros:
-- Perfect for a fan of extreme metal
-- Complex, technical guitar riffs and solos
-- Incredibly fast and impressive drumming
-- Good production quality
Cons:
-- The album is too short.
-- All of the songs are brutal, leaving no time for emotion changes.
-- The bass can"t be heard.
-- Nergal"s vocals aren"t at his best.
Final Rating: 3.5/5
I (heart) Thor.This Message Edited On 02.07.06
