BENEDICTUM - Obey

Benedictum is a band that comes from the other side of the Atlantic, presenting their version of Classic Heavy Metal with this new album, the forth in their career. The band is playing a style that combines all the classic elements of Heavy Metal, but sounds fresh and interesting at the same time, something that makes this album one of those that would stick into your player for a while. With the addition of a new drummer and a new bass player, the band presents their fourth work, and I am sure that they have every reason to be proud of it. Consisting on a female vocalist, Veronica Freeman, who not only has the looks, but has also the skill to sing in various ways, with the same high quality, she manages to color each song with her distinctive vocals. From every aspect, the vocals are a big plus, and one of the strong points of the album. Then there's the guitars of Pete Wells, who is also a gifted musician, something obvious from the first riff to the last complex solo melody. A solid rhythm section, with enough parts that will make your head bang with the groove, and plenty of melodies here and there to make things even more catchy and interesting. Another notable thing here, is that the band is not limited to just a style, but tries to incorporate various influences, not shifting from the traditional path though. This leads to songs that are a bit better than others, but this doesn't spoil the result or diminish the rank. One of the top moments of the album is the Power Ballad "Cry" where there's a duet with Tony Martin, "Evil That We Do" for it's groovy rhythm and the way the refrain sticks into your mind, "Fractured" for the frenzy rhythm, just to mention a few. All in all, the album is fun, although as I said before, some moments might tempt you pressing the skip button on the player. It's groovy and preserves enough of the 80's feeling in music, but it can't be described as retro in any moment. If you liked their previous works, or simply enjoy good Heavy Metal music, check them out.