Behemoth, I Loved You at Your Darkest | Album Review 💿

Hellishness and Satanism run rampant on the high-energy I Loved You at Your Darkest, the 11^th studio album by Polish death metal band Behemoth.

Along the way, during the course of a year, there are always albums that a music critic misses or fails to review.  Personally, I Loved You at Your Darkest, the 11^th studio album by Polish death metal band Behemoth was among projects that received no love aka no review. That said, Behemoth isn’t a band that might normally be on my radar. I Loved You at Your Darkest marked my first full-length album experience with the veteran band, which definitely enjoys its fair share of Satanic themes.  According to frontman and mastermind Nergal, “It doesn’t get more blasphemous than this”.  Wow. Perhaps it’s a travesty the band hasn’t received more attention from yours truly, but the odds were certainly in their favor on this terrific, intense project.

“Solve”

The brief but incredibly memorable ✓ “Solve” sets the tone for I Loved You at Your Darkest.  Children establish the twisted, ‘non-believing’ tone, repeating dark, totally damning lyrics:

“Elohim! I shall not forgive!
Adonai! I shall not forgive!
Living God! I shall not forgive!
Jesus Christ! I forgive thee not!”

Following the dramatic “Solve,” “Wolves Ov Siberia” kicks off with a rollicking tempo and electrifying, intense, driving rhythms fueling its perverse fire.  The vocals are utterly devastating, delivering outlandish, darkly poetic lyrics with little or no sense of hope.  This includes the assertive “We reject! We fucking deny!” not to mention the closing bombshell, “Let it be eternally known / We fled from heavens to rape the world.”

Perhaps the biggest anti-God statement and controversy is single ✓ “God = Dog.” Here, the traditionally religious is perverted and reversed (“I am no good shepherd on an ox”), capped off with a question excerpted from The Book of Law, “Is a God to live in a dog? No!” Expectedly, the guitars are jagged, filled with punch and matching the atheism that runs rampant on this record.  Further confirming the non-belief and lack of faith is the reappearance of the twisted children’s chant from “Solve” – “Elohim! I shall not forgive!” and etc.

“Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica” 

“Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica” definitely won’t please Catholics, translating in English to “Diabolic Catholic Church.” The Satanic, anti-Christian sentiments of Behemoth continue to be turned all the way up – “In absentia dei we sermonize / In ecclesia Satan / They might is right!”  As shocking as it might be to satanic, death metal virgins, this is a prevalent occurrence and stance.  Behemoth masterfully amp up the drama lyrically and instrumentally, the mark of superb metal musicianship you might say. ✓ “Bartzabel” is named after Bartzabel, the spirit of Mars. Oh boy! If that doesn’t sound disturbing enough, the Behemoth ‘unleashes ritualistic horror in the NSWF video’.  The horror is clearly perceptible, as Nergal sounds quite coarse and utterly frightening here as he conjures the troubling spirit.

“Come unto me Bartzabel
By the laws divine I quell
Come unto me Bartzabel
By the raging blood cells
Come unto me Bartzabel
By the spear, the sword, the spell
Come unto me Bartzabel
By the word that openeth Hell!”

Fittingly, Nergal roars on “If Crucifixion Was Not Enough…,” where every lyrical phrase feels exclamatory in support of Satan.  “Feast on their bones! / Feed on their flesh! Ares! Adonis! Astarte! Prometheus’ rebirth!” Once again, the focus is on ‘pagan gods’ reigning as opposed to ‘The Most High.’  

“Angelvs XIII”

“Kings ov kings re-crucified / What an ignominious end!” Yeah, it should be crystal clear Nergal and company aren’t into Christianity. “Angelvs XIII” continues to confirm such, particularly at the end when Nergal proclaims, “For I am my Christ over myself / The accused became the accuser / For I am Satan incarnate / Serpent ov old immaculate!” This particular portion occurs during a production switch-up, which keeps things interesting. ✓ “Sabbath Mater” definitely won’t win over Catholics either, speaking poorly regarding Jesus’ mother, Mary.

“I am she who spits out the lusts
The root ov sin derived from me
I am born ov sacrilegious uterus
Magna peccatrix…”

As bad as the opening lyrics paint Mary, it actually gets much worse, all of which is sexual, including the unfortunate use of the c-word.  That said, that’s death metal for you, and “Sabbath Mater” is another excellent selection from I Loved You at Your Darkest, poor taste or not.

“Our father, who art in hell / Unhallowed be thy name / Thy legions come / Thy enemies begone / On earth as it is in the netherworld.” Among the first songs that drew me to I Loved You at Your Darkest was ✓ “Havohej Pantocrator,” which appeared on the playlist 13 Disturbing Songs About the Antichrist. If Behemoth were ‘playing nice,’ that title should be Christ (Jehovah) Pantocrator. But of course, they’re not playing nice. Havohej is merely Jehovah spelled backwards – another ‘reverse’ that occurs ‘on the regular’ throughout I Love You at Your Darkest.  As for Pantocrator, it simply means “the omnipotent lord of the universe: almighty ruler.”  Put the two together, and Behemoth are clearly crowning the Antichrist as the supreme deity.

“By thou holy name, Satan
And his command
Heaven shall burn!
By thou holy name, Lucifer
At his command
Heaven shall blaze!”

“Rom 5:8” 

Following my personal favorite “Havohej Pantocrator” is pretty tough. ✓ “Rom 5:8” is a capable follow-up, continuing all the blasphemy that makes the album a tremendous if hellish listen.  There’s a blend of ‘reversed’ spiritual things alongside the pagan.  The music remains hard-hitting, with pummeling drums, scathing guitars, and most importantly, gritty vocals by Nergal. On penultimate number “We Are the Next 1000 Years,” Nergal and company continue to celebrate anti-Christianity and Christ’s crucifixion: “To Christ, falls savior on the cross / To the devil in our souls!” Interestingly, Behemoth concludes the album with an instrumental cut, “Coagvla.”

Final Thoughts 

The best way to examine I Loved You at Your Darkest is with an open mind.  If you’re a Christian and easily offended, the anti-Christian, pagan, and satanic themes of the album will only piss you off.  If you examine it open-minded without preconceptions and acknowledge the musicianship and the ‘art’ of this LP, you’ll have more praise and appreciation for it. As an album and work of art, Behemoth delivers one of the best metal projects of 2018, chocked-full of standouts. 

✓ Gems: “Solve,” “God = Dog,” “Bartzabel,” “Sabbath Mater,” “Havohej Pantocrator” & “Rom 5:8”

Behemoth • I Loved You at Your Darkest • Metal Blade • Release: 10.5.18

Photo Credit: Metal Blade