- BEHEMOTH w/ Deicide, Rotting Christ, and Immolation
- 04/24/2026 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
- ©Justin Nuoffer
On a very busy Friday evening in the city of Milwaukee, events and outdoor activities were in full swing. The Milwaukee Brewers were playing division rivals the Pittsburgh Pirates. Downtown, restaurant patios were jam packed with people enjoying the warm air blowing in from Lake Michigan. The vibrant spring season was welcomed, and those standing in line outside of The Rave appreciated it as well. The parking lot had a fun vibe, with people hanging out and chatting. Decked out in their finest metal fashion, fans came ready for black metal icons Behemoth.
The doors on the side of the building opened, and patrons were ushered into the basement for a security check. Moving quickly through, they were sent up the stairs to the box office and foyer. Inside, The Rave barroom held the tour merchandise, with lines wrapping through the room and up the stairs. The main floor slowly filled, and the barricade lining the length of the room was packed with the Behemoth faithful. The stage stood roughly five feet off the ground and was loaded with gear.
Above the floor, the VIP section wrapped around the room, stopping just behind the stage. The area filled quickly and featured a private bar and seating, perks for those who paid extra.
The first band on the bill was New York death metal act Immolation. The stage was packed to the edge with equipment, leaving very little room to move, but that did not slow them down. Having released Descent just days before the show, the setlist leaned heavily on new material, opening with “These Vengeful Hands” and “The Ephemeral Curse.”
Guitarist Robert Vigna and bassist Ross Dolan, the band’s founders, held down the left side of the stage, while drummer Steve Shalaty and guitarist Alex Bouks filled out the right. Dolan also handled vocals, his waist-long hair covering his face as deep gutturals filled the room.
Check out the Rotting Christ concert photo gallery below:
While new songs were scattered throughout, the middle of the set focused on fan favorites. “Swarm of Terror,” “An Act of God,” and “Immolation” gave longtime listeners something to latch onto as a massive pit erupted in the center of the floor. Their sound was relentless, heavy, and fast. Closing with “Bend Towards The Death” from the new album, Immolation left a strong impression. The response to the new material was overwhelmingly positive, and the band once again proved why they remain a staple in the genre.
Up next was Rotting Christ. Hailing from Athens, Greece, they took the stage to a warm reception. Having performed in Milwaukee the previous year at Milwaukee Metal Fest, the crowd was already familiar with their intensity. Founders Sakis and Themis Tolis have been a driving force since 1987, and their evolving sound continues to draw fans worldwide.
Opening with “Dies Irae” and “Demonon Vrosis,” the guitar work of Sakis and Kostis Fourkarakis immediately took control of the room. Their chemistry was tight, and their stage presence never wavered. The setlist spanned multiple albums, delivering exactly what fans wanted. Tracks like “Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy,” “Like Father, Like Son,” and “Elthe Kyrie” carried the middle of the set with precision and power.
Check out the Rotting Christ concert photo gallery below:
They followed with “Dub-sas-ta-ke” from 2010’s AEALO, a title that loosely translates to destruction, which perfectly described the scene unfolding in the venue. The room was pure chaos. Closing with the Thou Art Lord cover “Societas Satanas” and their own “Grandis Spiritus Diavolos,” Rotting Christ let their blackened death metal speak for itself. Picking up right where they left off the previous year, they once again delivered a crushing performance that gave fans exactly what they came for: relentless heaviness and nonstop movement.
As direct support in the evening was the legendary Deicide. The Florida death metal outfit has had plenty of controversy follow them, and it makes their appearance exciting every time out. With “deicide” loosely meaning the killing of God, the content of the songs should come as no surprise to anyone. Opening with “When Satan Rules His World” and “Bastard of Christ,” the insanity of their music took hold.
The floor of the venue began to shake as the circle pit took over. Crowd surfers sailed over the outstretched hands below. Band founder, vocalist, and bassist Glenn Benton was in prime form, screaming his way through material older than most of the people in the crowd. Their sound was fresh and held strong as they ripped through songs like “Once Upon the Cross,” “Sacrificial Suicide,” and “Forever Hate You.” The other founder, Steve Asheim, was perched behind his kit. His performance was lightning fast, loud, and creative. It truly is the driving force behind the band’s fire-and-brimstone approach.
Check out the Deicide concert photo gallery below:
On each side of the stage, guitarists Taylor Nordberg and Jordan Gonzalez shred. Each has a very different style, but together they form a unifying force. They tear through the classic death metal riffs that put Deicide on the map, pumping out “Scars of the Crucifix” and “Dead by Dawn” to an eager Milwaukee crowd. Much like two years earlier at Milwaukee Metal Fest, Deicide put on a killer, career-spanning set that thrilled the fans. Closing with “Homage to Satan,” Benton continued his vocal onslaught. With every scream and growl, the fans went rabid. Death metal owes a debt to bands like Deicide. They have never changed their formula and are unapologetically themselves at every turn.
The Rave’s lights dimmed, and fog began to roll over the stage. A catwalk lining the front edge was engulfed, while the back of the stage held a massive drum riser that stretched the full length, with stairs leading up on both sides. Three snake-wrapped microphone stands lined the front. The indestructible biblical monster known as Behemoth has long been manned and guided by the larger-than-life figure Nergal. He took the stage and walked to the center microphone, guitar in hand. With the rest of Behemoth right behind him, they launched into “The Shadow Elite” as blue lights flashed and pockets of darkness filled the stage.
The band, covered in their traditional corpse paint, taunted the eager crowd, moving onto the catwalk and screaming at everyone. Their sound was loud and abrasive, and their visuals felt archaic, pulled from the pages of history. The papal garments added another layer to the performance. The hellish landscape they projected overwhelmed the senses as they tore through “Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer,” “The Becoming Eternal,” and “Conquer All” in one relentless run. The flow of the show was on a different level compared to everything else that evening.
The Rave’s floor was in full-blown chaos and beyond rowdy. Fans slammed into each other as bodies were thrown around the pit. Heat and condensation visibly rose, helping fog the room. “The Shit ov God” opened with Nergal standing in front of the drum kit on the riser, spotlights fixed on his body, giving off crucifixion-like imagery. Everything was timed perfectly. The song even gave rhythm guitarist Seth an extended solo opportunity at center stage. Behemoth are without a doubt a blackened death metal band, but at times they step outside that mold to pull in other influences. The middle of the set is where the older material appeared, and Nergal addressed the Milwaukee faithful.
“I want to ask you, how many of you are first-timers? The Behemoth virgins. Where the fuck have you been the last thirty-five years, eh?”
Hands shot up around the venue. He continued, “At least for these couple of hours, this is our church. Our Mass.”
The crowd erupted as Behemoth blasted into “Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica.” Vintage tracks like “Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel,” “Nomen Barbarvm,” and “Bartzabel” followed, unleashing a fury of screams and chants. As an homage to those before them, they delivered a Bathory cover. “The Return of Darkness and Evil” had bassist Orion and drummer Inferno playing at what felt like an even faster pace.
The pair were in lockstep, dishing out a crushing low-end assault, which led into the darker and grittier “Ov Fire and the Void.” The slow, prodding chugs built an oppressive weight that refused to let up. Just when it felt like it might ease, Behemoth doubled down with “The Deathless Sun.” The chilling, overbearing tone rattled the spine.
As if more was needed, they continued to hammer through well-crafted black metal songs for all to witness. After all, it had been eighteen years since they last graced The Rave. The final track before the encore break was “Chant for Eschaton 2000.” Behemoth pulled out all the stops. Bassist Orion left the stage and climbed onto the barricade, performing face to face with the crowd.
Step by step, he stopped to greet fans. Nergal and Seth shredded while moving along the catwalk, looking as energized as ever after more than an hour of relentless performance. The vicious, bone-crushing breakdown at the end had everyone chanting for one more song.
Check out the Behemoth concert photo gallery below:
The encore break was short, but the energy only built as the stage was bathed in deep red light, flashing to signal the band’s return. Operatic voices carried through the speakers as Behemoth reemerged wearing large cloaks. Their faces were partially covered, and Nergal’s voice rose to begin “O Father O Satan O Sun.” The seven-minute epic from 2014’s The Satanist had the crowd singing along word for word. The song builds like a ritual, almost a prayer, before slowly fading as the stage goes dark.
Behemoth are visually stunning. Every movement and moment in the set is carefully curated. The lighting plays a major role, allowing the band to focus on performance while their “church” accepts the offering. The evening was a perfect blend of black and death metal. The bands that paved the way for the current generation sharing one tour could not have delivered more. This is a must-see tour for anyone who appreciates the art form and the genre. On the way out, fans were still buzzing, stopping in front of the courtyard sign to take photos and capture the night.
Catch Behemoth on the Road…
