“I am nothing, I am no one.“
One of the best bands to come out of Poland, Behemoth are still a critically acclaimed band, with a solid discography that spans three decades of thriving in the industry. 2014’s The Satanist, a highlight of the band’s already impressive catalogue, can lay claim to elevating the genre itself. While its successor, I Loved You at Your Darkest, didn’t quite pack the same punch, it was still a solid Behemoth album in its own right. With Opvs Contra Natvram, the band takes a little shift in sound, one that, although tasteful, might turn away some longstanding fans.
Opener “Post-God Nirvana” alone signifies the relatively mellow shift in tone the band has taken. While it is by no means a truly mellow song, die-hard fans might find it disappointing. However, the record quickly picks up with the subsequent songs, “Malaria Vulgarata” and “Deathless Sun”. These are the meat of what makes Behemoth sound like Behemoth — dark and twisted, crushing melodies paired with Nergal’s grim vocal deliveries. That can be viewed as both a positive and a negative; unlike the opener, these are nothing unusual for Behemoth, sticking to a known and proven formula that the band has mastered over the years. They don’t innovate or catch you off guard.
Opvs Contra Natvram only gets grimmer, taking a proverbial dive into the void at the midpoint. “Neo-Spartacus” and “Off To War” obliterate with thunderous drumming and black metal infused riffs. “Once Upon A Pale Horse” is one of the grooviest songs the band has ever written; taking a momentary step back from the brutality, it attempts to be more melodic, which is ultimately beneficial to the album’s pacing after the constant bashing your ears get from the previous songs.
Over the course of the album, the drums do tend to feel a little monotonous, as well as somewhat muted in the mix. They definitely serve to provide layers of atmosphere to the overall sound, but I cannot help but feel like they could have easily been programmed and haphazardly shoved into the mix just for the sake of their inclusion. The closer, “Versus Christus”, also lacks grandeur for a song six-and-a-half minutes in length, though this is probably me being spoiled by “O Father O Satan O Sun” from their previous album being as perfect a closer as can be.
Behemoth once again fill in a niche they carved for themselves that few other bands have come close to emulating. This has led to a stagnation in their musical development by taking as few risks as possible and sticking to what they have perfected and mastered over their three decade spanning career. While their sound is still refreshing to hear occasionally, it gets a bit weary when you are just constantly pulverized by the same old themes and vibes as they have always been doing. Following Opvs Contra Natvram, it is time they change something up, and please for the love of all that is unholy, start with the drums.
6.5/10
Opvs Contra Natvram will be available this Friday, September 16th, via Nuclear Blast, and you can pre-order it here.