Since their blackened inception in the early 90s, it must be said that BEHEMOTH bandleader Nergal’s (a.k.a. Adam Darski) dogged determination is–at this point–beyond question. In a genre awash with blasting, technical death metal, the plain-as-day fact is that BEHEMOTH are at the top of the heap…and on top of their game.

While that game is crowded, indeed, Nergal and Co. put so much thought into their art–yes, I’m calling death metal “art”–that their unmatched superiority is nearly impossible to deny. Evangelion drives this point home yet again, inserting a well-deserved cerebral center into an often bull-headed genre. Anchored by the inhuman drumming of Robert “Inferno” Prominski and the subtly effective bass playing of Tomasz “Orion” Wróblewski, the arrangements of Evangelion cleverly weave their spell around the listener, incorporating both hyperblast and mid-pace to their best advantage.

Indeed, it’s this instinctive tempo change which lends Evangelion its own unique flow; something which definitely serves to set itself apart from the single-mindedness which marred its predecessors, 2007’s The Apostasy and 2004’s Demigod. Nergal’s ever-present emphasis on atmosphere also elevates Evangelion above so many of death metal’s also-rans; though admittedly the album’s headache-inducing blast sections can get to become incessant after a while, resulting in a certain numbness overall.

While it’s easy to be skeptical of merits within the clinical, Pro-Tooled death metal of the modern day, Evangelion’s merciless might–to paraphrase a certain Mr. Perry--doesn’t stop believin’…and rarely lets up throughout its forty-five minute running time. BEHEMOTH sets the bar, and sets the benchmark. (Metal Blade)

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