Behemoth/Slipknot, Royal Arena - a review!

Thursday evening was probably the best evening of my life! I went to the Royal Arena in Copenhagen to catch Slipknot on their We Are Not Your Kind World Tour.

I have seen Slipknot countless times before, so I knew what I was getting myself into. I had, however, never seen Behemoth live before, so I was really excited to see them. Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band, whose gimmick is being a dark, satanic band, who just want to destroy everything they touch. If you are a Christian person, a Behemoth (Hebrew ?????, behemoth (modern: behemot)) is a mythological beast mentioned in Job 40:15-24. Metaphorically, the name has come to be used for any extremely large or powerful entity. In medieval demonology Behemoth ("several animals") is the nocturnal demon of indulgence and holds the ranks of caretaker of wine cellars, grand cupbearer of the royal household, and right watchman. He oversees the feasts of Jinnestan and is responsible for serving the Devil his food and wine. He also entertains with song and music.

For them to open up for Slipknot, was therefore the perfect fit!

Their opening consisted of a picture of Denmark, with an inverted cross across it, signalling that the Devil had arrived. The band took to the stage wearing full makeup and matching outfits, while fire and steam shot up around them. The band are a super talented bunch, and I really loved my 45 minutes in what can only be described as hell. Countless fireballs rose up towards the ceiling, and Nergals roaring vocals made the opening act something to remember.

After a "short" break of 45 minutes, Slipknot finally took to the stage, to the sound of Insert Coin, the opening track of We Are Not Your Kind. It jumped straight into Unsainted, which made the entire arena explode with euphoria. Slipknot was here, ready to make a statement. They wanted Copenhagen to know, that they mean business, and that they truly are one of the best live acts anywhere, of all time. I can agree with that, because judging by the way that Corey has the entire audience in the palm of his hands, Slipknot will indeed be remembered as the best live band ever.

The setlist was a mix of old and new, all of which was received extremely well. There were a few songs that I wasn't sure would go down well live, but they did.

My only gripe with this evening, was that it was on a Thursday evening, and I had work on the Friday. Next time Slipknot is in town, I hope it's on a Friday or a Saturday.

I will give Behemoth a 8 out of 10. Fantastic opening act, and a band I want to see again soon. Slipknot, well they get a perfect 10!