Tales From the Script.
Benediction – an invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance usually after a church service.
My friends we are all engaging with life’s ups and downs in our own way, we have our hopes, desires and struggles, we must accept that we are all different and want different things. When Benediction vocalist of 20 years, Dave Hunt declared an interest in completing a PhD, his bandmates did not stand in his way, the vacancy was filled by none other than Dave Ingram who returns triumphantly to the fold. They formed in 1989 in my beloved Birmingham and were taken under the wing of Nuclear Blast, who they remain with to this day. A stellar partnership that yields a stellar body of work, ladies and gents, the boys are back with the proverbial bang, and then some. Beginning with ‘Iterations Of I’ we have the punishing sound that is present through the record and with lyrics like ‘mentally it’s looking bleak’ well you’re at the right place my friends, take a seat. They unleashed ‘Rabid Carnality’ out of this ferocious pack to test the water, it was received with open arms, and commanded high praise. Over-flowing with tumultuous blows that rain down on your skull, it’ll take a little more than fire and brimstone to shoo away this lot.
‘Stormcrow’ gives us an insight into armchair Death metal, it should be an Olympic sport. Who says you can’t sit in a comfy chair, with a bottle of wine and still give a banging performance? A super charged effort, with no nonsense, quality vocals, fearsome fretting and diabolical drums to get you into a tizzy. Dipping their toes into the world of literature we have references to Lovecraft, so let’s raise a demon or two and exalt this record to the highest. The thunder and the lightning is brought to you by ‘In Our Hands, The Scars’ where we learn that ‘when the intellect grinds to a halt’ I think we can safely say this applies to the vast majority after 8 months of lockdown. When you play this album, make sure the neighbourhood is tuned in for an assault and an awakening of the senses,
Classic OSDM, precision gut-skewering, manic and maniacal musings abound all gloriously done to a turn, get in my friends and eat it up greedily!
Benediction – Scriptures out now via Nuclear Blast.