So, British death metal legends Benediction return with new album Ravage of Empires, their first in five years, and I gotta say, it is pretty damn good. I’m a fairly simple man and I know what I like. This sucker hits a lot of my hot buttons, that’s for sure.
I mean “A Carrion Harvest” is all the proof you’ll need, but come and see what else is crack-a-lackin’. “Beyond the Veil of the Grey Mare” is a great way to follow that monster of an opener, while “Genesis Chamber” has a lethal combination (at least to these ears) of hammer and fury. Good one! Along with the opener “Deviant Spine” for sure got my head banging and toes tappin’ in a nice bouillabaisse of metal aggression. So that as a definite favorite for sure. Another one HAS to be “Engines of War” cuz lemme tell ya this beast sounds like Satan’s nail gun! Love that!!
A very endearing trait of this record is the guitars. Crisp, sharp riffs abound like a fine ham. And the vocals hit with all the power and viciousness of a twelve-gauge, so you really can’t go wrong here. The title track and closer is yet another pummeler (a word I just made up?) on a disc full of them. All told this album is a welcome return for one of death metal’s long-running greats and one I highly recommend. Benediction is back, ladies and germs! Pick up Ravage of Empires, and do it quickly.
Standout Tracks: “Ravage of Empires”, “Deviant Spine”, “A Carrion Harvest”, “Genesis Chamber”.