Behemoth + Cannibal Corpse @ Metropolis

Presented by Evenko

I went to go see Cannibal Corpse and Behemoth: A sordid tale

Cannibal Corpse holds a special place in my heart. Being that they are one of the most well-known bands in death metal (perhaps even the flagship of the genre), I discovered them early in my voyage into the world of heavy metal. Their famed gory album covers would always get impassioned reactions from friends, classmates, teachers, and other members of the community. The cover of Bloodthirst was always good for getting elders to gasp in horror, as was Butchered at Birth. Behemoth are also a band, and I enjoy them greatly. I got on the metro and made my way to Metropolis.

The first band that played was Tribulation. They are band of fellows that play some blackened death metal of the atmospheric variety, though not of the kind that involves keyboards. No, these gentlemen create deathlike soundscapes through the power of their guitars. Their songs, while atmospheric, are also catchy. The moshing was not super intense, but it was still impressive considering that they were the first band to play for the evening. Very good stuff.

Aeon were next. Their brand of death metal is more technical, though they also have quite a bit of groove sections in their songs. Their songs were not as catchy as the other bands that night, but it was still an interesting view and sound to behold. People seemed to want to move around a little bit more than earlier in the evening. It was OK.

The third band of the night was Cannibal Corpse. This was a fabulous set. They played a number of newer songs, but classics like "Skull Full of Maggots" and "I Cum Blood" were still present. George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher proved himself to be a charismatic front man as he spoke to the crowd as a leader of metalheads. There was some extreme moshing, and it was as intense as some of the most intense pits that I have ever seen. People were in a frenzy. The insanity reached its peak for "Hammer Smashed Face", as everyone from the back ran to the front to take part. Just about the entire floor was embroiled in the moshing. It is a rare sight to see an audience react like that, and I was glad to see it.

The last band was Behemoth. They had an elaborate stage setup, and were dressed to the nines. The band launched into a set full of their unique brand of black metal. I was actually taken aback by the talent of their drummer, Inferno. It's all too common to hear crazy drumming on albums, and then drumming that doesn't quite match the recording in a live setting, but no. This guy is super precise and hits cleanly with power. They trawled through the many songs from their catalogue, and created a suspenseful air of brutality with their instruments and voices. It was great. I would definitely see this again. After the show ended, I beamed good feelings all the way home on public transit. Yes I did.

--Sean Z. is the host of Sublime State of Doom, every Monday at 8 PM only on CJLO 1690AM.