BEHEMOTH
In Absentia Dei
Metal Blade Records
BEHEMOTH is known for many things, not least of which is setting the bar high with stellar performances. “In Absentia Dei” was one of the highlights of 2020 for me and many of the band’s devoted fans. I can still recall that feeling of thrill upon seeing the opening scenes of the concert for the first time. Without a doubt, I knew that it was going to be a surreal, powerful, and utterly mindblowing experience.
In typical BEHEMOTH fashion, the band gave us the option to choose which camera to watch during the live streaming. I must say it added a lot of depth and value to the concert experience as it gave a unique chance to control exactly what I saw. These little thoughtful details that the Polish masters of metal give their fans are what make them stand out and stand proud. I spent most of the time on the drum cam, but that doesn’t mean the others were any less engaging. To this day, many live streamed concerts have taken place and I don’t think any have matched the level of immersion and awe created by “In Absentia Dei”, though they have of course tried.
After watching the on-demand stream about three times again during the alotted period, my final wish was “I hope they make this into a DVD”, and I’m sure I was not the only one wishing. Lo and behold, as though Nergal himself heard our hopes, we now have exactly that! In Absentia Dei returns in a range of deluxe formats for fans to relive the danger and drama that took place on that fateful night in 2020. The live release will hit the shelves on December 17th, 2021.
Produced by Grupa 13, In Absentia Dei was presented as a show in four parts, woven with high-production theatrics and even hellish flames emanating from all parts of the sacred building. When and how did the idea of all this come about I wonder? The amount of work, detail and planning that went into it all is marvelous. They went to all lengths to create a show that captured the essence of their music visually. No expense was spared. Nothing was too daring. From fire dancers to a particularly talented acrobat and much more, one could not simply take one’s eyes off the screen.
Naturally, the band included many of their long-standing crowd pleasers, starting with "Evoe". This was followed by a carefully crafted selection of music spanning their entire discography, each song with its own set of visual treats and props for the audience to be entranced within. From the "Pagan Vastlands", "Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer", "Conquer All" and a personal favourite of many, "Ov Fire And The Void", were all present and performed to perfection. Truth be told, I’d rather not give away too much about the excellent setlist because it’s much better to listen to it, and even better to watch it all again. Suffice it to say that Nergal gave it his all as usual, Inferno never missed a beat or Orion a note, and Seth fit in perfectly as always for this fantastic show.
In Absentia Dei is an experience that can only be appreciated watching and listening to it yourself in all its magnificence. Now that BEHEMOTH is giving us the chance to relive this terrific moment in their history, a moment they seized during a dark and gloomy period to remind us that where there is a will there is a way, what else are we to do but excitedly pick up In Absentia Dei on December 17th? Enjoy the show when you do!
Album rating: 4.5 Out Of 5.0
Full Livestream (DVD) rating: 5.0 Out Of 5.0
