Behemoth’s Triumphant Return to States Culminates With Explosive New York City Gig

Polish death metal band Behemoth ripped apart New York’s Irving Plaza over the weekend (Saturday, May 12) in front of a sold out crowd along with support from Watain, the Devil’s Blood, In Solitude and Evoken as part of the 2012 Decibel Magazine Tour.

Fans patiently waited while intensely chanting “Behemoth” and after 45 minutes of mic checks, guitar tunings, setting up stage equipment and taping wires to floors, Behemoth exploded onto the stage with ‘Ov Fire and the Void.’

The crowd went nuts as the bodies of crowd surfers flew forward while the band played ‘Demigod,’ ‘Conquer All,’ ‘Slaves Shall Serve,’ ‘Decade of Therion’ and numerous others. Behemoth frontman Adam ‘Nergal’ Darski displayed such power onstage that it was hard to believe that he recently battled leukemia.

At one point Nergal howled, “It’s good to be alive!” and fans roared as his words seemed to breathe new life into them. The powerful set ended with ‘Lucifer,’ which was enough to make the big man downstairs shake with fear.

Swedish black metal band Watain brought intense vigor with a wild set as they had animal carcasses mounted onstage. They also stunk up the place as they burned something funky, which smelled like rotting flesh that spread all throughout Irving Plaza.

The Devil’s Blood, hailing from the Netherlands, describe themselves as “horror soul.” The female fronted act somehow managed to bring a hint of elegance along with their wrath onstage, as they were covered in blood.

The Swedes of In Solitude hit the stage with a lot of incense burning all over the stage and a lot of passion, while the New Jersians of Evoken kicked off the night of metal madness.

Check Out Photos From the Decibel Magazine Tour's Stop in New York City