Behemoth are not a band to do things by halves. During the pandemic there have been countless front room gigs and streams from artists to provide entertainment and comfort; Behemoth pulled people together their virtual congregation from all corners of the globe to an abandoned church in rural Poland for a show of collective strength and black metal magic. In Absentia Dei is a document of the bands streamed performance from 2020. Musically and aesthetically, this release really is something special. With a setlist culled from a vast discography, the band showcase their power and strength in spades. Broken into four acts, In Absentia Dei opens with the band riding forth to their destination to being their blasphemous observation. Through a fiery arch the four members of the band enter with smoke shimmering at their feet. This kind of imagery is paramount to the production. Pyrotechnics reign throughout and some of the imagery created with actors is truly disturbing. You can see the blood (literally), sweat and fear that is poured into the performance. A loose narrative sees Nergal shift between costumes showing a different layer of demonic possession in each act. The backdrop for the service is truly resplendent; cinematically, it is awe inspiring seeing the church lit up amongst the rural setting.