Next up was the band that I had thought was the headliner — but apparently it was a co-headlining gig. Behemoth, the blackened death metal from Poland arrived on stage in full theatrical garb and corpse paint.

I was first introduced to Nergal's brand of metal last year when I reviewed a re-release of the band's debut, And the Forests Dream Eternally. That was a black metal album that scared me, if nothing else because of Nergal's one-of-a-kind voice. It was not until a few weeks ago that I checked up on their latest release, The Apostasy, in preparation for this show. That album features a distinctly different sound, and it was that sound that took center stage this particular evening.

Behemoth put on an hour-long performance the way only Behemoth can. Their stage presence was electric, and their instrumental prowess was unrivaled. In particular, Inferno was an absolute killer on the drum kit. His speed, precision, and inventiveness was a sight to behold. They held the crowd in the palm of their hand as they ripped through their set.

Their performance also brought my faith and my love of music into momentary conflict. At times it can be difficult to reconcile my Catholic faith with some of the decidedly non-Christian beliefs of the entertainers. Behemoth make no effort to disguise their contempt for all things Christian, so it was not a surprise when Nergal came to the front of the stage carrying a Bible, which he promptly ripped pages out of to demonstrate his distaste of the faith.

This disgusted me, but at the same time I was fine with him doing it. His rending of the Bible in no way affects my faith and will not change my faith. It also will not dissuade me from listening to their music. Still, it was the closest my faith has been tested, by coming into direct conflict with a musical artist.

Aside from that moment, the show was excellent. They are a strong combination of first-rate music and energetic theatricality. They went all out and deserve to be commended for it. I guarantee that if you witness a performance your jaw will drop open in awe. Behemoth's brand of top shelf metal is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their domination of US metal fans.

Read more at Draven99's Musings.