Metal Underground.com

After frontman Nergal ate up leukemia and shat it out on a stack of Bibles, watching him tear it up on stage and work a crowd is honestly inspiring. “Evangelia Heretika” is the DVD set Behemoth fans have been waiting for, spanning two full concerts and following the band across the world on tour. The three disc set has a little bit of everything, from the band performing at full force in front of a screaming audience to behind the scenes footage showing that even death metal icons get the jitters before a big show.

The bulk of the set consists of full Behemoth shows in Warsaw, Poland and Paris, France. The Warsaw show will probably be of most interest to a potential viewer, as it includes material from the band’s latest album “Evangelion.” All of the material is a lesson in how to destroy an audience with earth shattering death metal, but watching the live material really showcases how “Evangelion” is the peak of the band’s career.

Although not as over-the-top or interactive with the crowd as a group like Gwar, the lads from Behemoth put on a high energy show with plenty of theatrics and stage props. In a nod to the group’s black metal roots, there is even a brief bout of fire breathing from the drummer. Watching the live shows is a bit like seeing a stripped down version of a Behemoth music video, as the performances have the same general atmosphere as the band’s infamous videos. The footage from the concerts is high quality, using a dizzying array of camera angles mixed in with still photos and some visual effects to keep things interesting. The only downside to the live shows is that the sound quality isn’t as good as on the albums themselves, but that’s something that has to be dealt with in a live setting being recorded.

Nergal and the rest of the band speak mostly in Polish throughout the set, which is a bit of an issue in the Warsaw show, as it doesn’t include subtitles. The documentaries and special features all have English subtitles, however, so it’s not a huge problem. Two separate mini-documentaries are found on the second disc, which go very in-depth into how Behemoth operates on the road. There’s humor and insight in about equal doses, which makes it genuinely fun to watch. Nergal’s reaction to a baby in line at a signing session is a laugh out loud moment, as are some of the camera antics, such as when a crew member points the camera up at a top bunk that is making some suspiciously sexual noises.

Sound quality aside, “Evangelia Heretika” practically demands to belong in the collection of any Behemoth fan, or anyone who wants to see a true metal warrior doing what he does best.