St. Andrew’s Hall could not have been a more perfect venue for Myrkur and Behemoth. As Myrkur opened with a keyboard solo, the crowd was clearly captivated by Amalie Brunn’s melodic voice. Her opening song was full of angelic, hypnotic notes that both intrigued and confused me. I thought I was at a metal show. It didn’t take long for me to realize she was the real deal. As her band filled the stage she abandoned the keyboard and took to her guitar. Behind a mic stand made of what appeared to be intertwined branches, she stood alternating between two microphones. One she used for her angelic sound and the other for some voice modulated demonic-like throat screams. Although none of the songs were in English, she had the ability to evoke emotion from her Detroit area fans which was apparent from their interactions.
Before Behemoth even took the stage, I knew the show was going to be amazing. During sound check I drooled at the unveiling of the drum kit which showcased built in incense burners. Behemoth is known for their very believable theatrics, costuming, props and ritualistic performances. Since it was my first time seeing them, I was anxious for their performance. As they came onto the stage, the crowd was clearly pumped. I immediately noticed the behemoth size of Tomasz Wróblewski aka Orion. His stage presence was equally large during the entire show. They began with a ritualistic opening that displayed subversive images behind the band. The crowd immediately created a make shift mosh pit. Throughout the show, I noticed how deeply committed their fans were. Adam Darski aka Nergal and Zbigniew Robert Promiński aka Inferno also gave amazing performances while remaining in character for the benefit of the fans. The thurible was brought out early on accompanied by chanting and heavy incense burning. Later in the evening, an upside down crucifix and chalice with what appeared to be communion like wafers were used to engage the crowd. Throughout the night the fans head banged in unison, threw horns and chanted along with the band. Behemoth did not disappoint.
Images courtesy of Garrin Ball Photography | www.garrinball.com
