Review: Benediction - “Killing Music”

Band: Benediction
Album: Killing Music
Year: 2008
Label: Nuclear Blast

Track list:
1. Intro
2. The Grey Man
3. Controlopolis (Rats In The Mask)
4. Killing Music
5. They Must Die Screaming
6. Dripping With Disgust
7. Wrath And Regret
8. As Her Skin Weeps
9. Cold, Deathless, Unrepentant
10. Immaculate Façade
11. Burying The Hatchet
12. Beg, You Dogs
13. Betrayer (bonus track)
14. They Bleed (bonus track)
15. Seeing Through My Eyes (BROKEN BONES cover song)
16. Largactyl (AMEBIX cover song)

There is no need for a special introduction since Benediction have for years been an uncompromising stronghold of old school death metal. This is their second album in this millennium, after “Organized Chaos” from 2001, and also the second one with Dave Hunt of Anaal Nathrakh and Mistress on vocals.

Benediction always respected the hardcore punk/crust scene (just to quote their MySpace page: “Never under estimate the influence of punk/hardcore on extreme metal scene.”). On this album you can feel this influence stronger than ever, especially when you hear two songs they covered on album – “Largactyl” originally written by Amebix (which is just to mention, one of the most important UK punk bands ever) and “Seeing through my eyes” by Broken Bones.

The opening song for the album, “The Grey Man”, even begins like a typical crust core song with hard hitting drums and biting guitars. Hunt’s vocals are harsh and guttural, and naturally fit well with the aggressiveness of the music. Regarding the production, the band decided to get back in time and capture that feel of the early nineties death metal albums - boxy and closed but with massive energy pouring out from every pore.

Simple song structures and the sheer explosive energy depict every track on the album (think punk). This maybe isn’t the highlight of their career (when thinking about their albums “Transcend The Rubicon” is my personal favorite), but is still well worth a listen.

Overall, a solid album, and a very good invitation for the fans to see them on their upcoming “No Reunion Needed” tour along with Nominon and Holy Moses. My verdict is: