Review BEHEMOTH “The Shit Ov God”

Poland’s lords of darkness, Behemoth, have a new album in the starting blocks. “The Shit Ov God” is the blasphemous title of an album that features a track list of eight songs.

Three years after delivering “Opvs Contra Natvram”, Nergal and his bandmates return with a collection of songs steered by a blackened soul.

In the history of Behemoth, it is rare to find two albums that sound alike. No doubt, the band has roots in black metal and these are still present. However, Behemoth has evolved with each album and tried to challenge the framework. That’s why “The Shit Ov God” has its own personality.

With the name of the album, Nergal and the band continue their provocative approach that has followed the band since the beginning. The eight songs on “The Shit Ov God” are thematically connected. It’s about the abyss of humanity and divinity in a time when the individual is praised while everyone clings to saviors. The new Behemoth effort draws its energy from this field of inner tension and turns it into blasting extreme metal tracks.

What each song spreads is a sense of evil and despair. To achieve this, Behemoth don’t just rely on high speed metal songs. The guys work in a more subtle way and it starts with the pulsating opener “The Shadow Elite”. There are blasting parts while breaks give the song a versatility. Nergal’s vocals have more of a narrative feel, which comes out even more on the title track.

“The Shit Ov God” begins with a spoken word intro. “Eat my flesh. Drink my blood. I am the Shit ov God,” that’s how the title track begins before turning into a massive, pounding metal anthem that makes you feel the purgatorial heat. Slowed down, the song unfolds an evil vibe. The tune is like an ode to the netherworld and certainly a great name for the album. Female backing vocals intensify the spirit and add an atmospheric element to this stomping highlight.

If you are waiting for pure speed, no worries. These songs are also present on “The Shit Ov God”. There is the frantic “To Drown the Svn in Wine” which is the most uncompromising song on the album. There are not so many layers or twists. Instead, the track hits the bull’s eye and is a headbanger’s delight.

“Sowing Salt” combines both aspects in one track. There are yearning moments that alternate with blasting outbursts, while desperate screams add their part to the overall. The mesmerizing sound of “O Venvs, Come!” is another thumping mid-tempo masterpiece, before the album ends with “Avgvr (The Dread Vvltvre)” and its peaceful short outro.

“The Shit Ov God” is the expected next blast from the Polish metal institution. Behemoth may not have reinvented their music, but they have created an album that comes with a hellish grin. “The Shit Ov God” features some interesting details that show a band that never stands still, while maintaining their signature sound since more than three decades. Horns up.