Benedictum
Obey
Frontiers Records
2013
Have I told you how much I fancy women in metal music? Not only when they became a “trend” a few years ago but since the 70s/80s. Of course, women musicians weren’t many back then, but they were talented, beautiful & sexy and they could seduce the manhood audience. When they started growing by numbers some of the elements above were lost along the way but the sexuality was more than before. No matter what, none can bitch about not seeing sexy women on cover artworks or fronting numerous metal bands today.
Benedictum is fronted by such a dynamic, gifted (musically & physically) & sexy lady. Were I to make any comparisons I would call Veronica Freeman, the Leather Leone of the 00s. You see they are both ladies with “ballz” with the good term of the word. The band’s new fourth studio album also introduces us to two new members… the well-known drummer Rikard Stjernquist (Jag Panzer) & the bassist Aric Avina (Tynator).
“Obey” is a heavy metal album, in the actual term of it. It’s made the way heavy metal albums were made in the 80s. Heavy guitars, powerful vocals & solid rhythm section. The solid production was delivered by Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Foreigner) who has worked with the band again in the past. I kinda think that Veronica’s vocals are a bit upfront in the mix and I would probably prefer the guitars a bit heavier. It’s not much of a deal of course, especially if you do not pay too much attention to minor things like I do.
I sense that the album is a bit longer than it should be. For instance, take all those 80s heavy metal albums; they were almost never more than 40-45 minutes and there was a reason for that. Anyhow, “Obey” is damn decent heavy metal album. None can claim that Benedictum cover new ground… they just follow the same road that some great bands have paved before them. They won’t ever lead the way but as long as they are good at what they do none will ever whine… that’s the damn truth!
Benedictum is fronted by such a dynamic, gifted (musically & physically) & sexy lady. Were I to make any comparisons I would call Veronica Freeman, the Leather Leone of the 00s. You see they are both ladies with “ballz” with the good term of the word. The band’s new fourth studio album also introduces us to two new members… the well-known drummer Rikard Stjernquist (Jag Panzer) & the bassist Aric Avina (Tynator).
“Obey” is a heavy metal album, in the actual term of it. It’s made the way heavy metal albums were made in the 80s. Heavy guitars, powerful vocals & solid rhythm section. The solid production was delivered by Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Foreigner) who has worked with the band again in the past. I kinda think that Veronica’s vocals are a bit upfront in the mix and I would probably prefer the guitars a bit heavier. It’s not much of a deal of course, especially if you do not pay too much attention to minor things like I do.
I sense that the album is a bit longer than it should be. For instance, take all those 80s heavy metal albums; they were almost never more than 40-45 minutes and there was a reason for that. Anyhow, “Obey” is damn decent heavy metal album. None can claim that Benedictum cover new ground… they just follow the same road that some great bands have paved before them. They won’t ever lead the way but as long as they are good at what they do none will ever whine… that’s the damn truth!