Album Review: Behemoth – The Shit Ov God (Nuclear Blast)

Behemoth’s brand-new opus, ‘The Shit Ov God’, is out on May 9th via Nuclear Blast Records. The band’s thirteenth album is as inflammatory and as extreme as ever.

Yep, it’s still a cringy title and a cringy track, and doesn’t exactly feel that salacious still, but thankfully, The Shit Ov God is not the definitive aspect of this record. Nor is it the overriding memory listeners will be left with as the record has plenty of creative, and extreme, moments.

Extreme moments that arrive in style with the opening heavyweight track, The Shadow Elite. It’s far from the album’s strongest effort, but it’s a pleasing track none the less. Seeing the black metallers really embrace their past and go for the jugular with an aggressive blast of blackened fire. A ‘bang your head’ hard kind of track and it’s still a joy to hear this band as vitriolic as ever.

Sowing Salt is up next and with it comes a relentless barrage of blackened heaviness, tainted by so much bitterness and anger. Behemoth might have moments where they seem more measured here, but the intensity just comes through in a different way. Whereas the title track’s intensity comes with a hefty dollop of second-hand embarrassment. Try to ignore that, even though the band make it so hard with the lyrics, and you’ll still find a fairly pedestrian listen that offers up nothing fresh or exciting.

Thankfully, it all gets so much better from this point, and the harbinger of this is the banging Lvciferaeon. A delightfully more nuanced side to the black metal band that comes with believable (and relatable) righteous blackened fire. Yet, it’s the flair, in particular the fact that it has a discernible chorus, that makes the difference. It’s a blunt listen none the less, enjoyably so, and capped off with a blistering guitar solo. One of the album’s best tracks.

Alongside that though is the fabulous To Drown the Svn in Wine, Behemoth manic and delivering an ending that could be called ‘desperate’ sounding. Then there is Nomen Barbarvm, a sinfully addictive listen that serves as powerful reminder of the band’s ability to be wickedly anthemic. The guitar and drum combo, blistering and powerful, but with some much nuance, makes this one special.

The darkness covers like a death shroud as Behemoth delve into their past to unveil the thumping and echoing O, Venvs Come! There are plenty of ‘Satanist’ vibes here, albeit with Behemoth’s more modern approach showmanship and production. Black metal with smoothness, but not to the point of distraction, and the soling near the end is wild.

Finally, it’s Avgvr (The Dread Vvltvre) and a beastly chorus. Behemoth ending their album in cacophonous style. A big ending that satisfies and leaves the mind darkened, but feeling positive about what the band has produced here. It’s not perfect, it really doesn’t feel that progressive, and let’s not overlook the cringe-factor, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a solid slab of extreme metal that sits comfortably alongside their intense back catalogue.

Behemoth – The Shit Ov God Track Listing:

1. The Shadow Elite
2. Sowing Salt
3. The Shit Ov God
4. Lvciferaeon
5. To Drown the Svn in Wine
6. Nomen Barbarvm
7. O, Venvs Come!
8. Avgvr (The Dread Vvltvre)

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