BENEDICTUM - review added 14th February 2011
Album Review: Dominion (2011)
For fans of: Metal... and progressive rock
USA metal band Benedictum - Veronica Freeman on vocals, Pete Wells on guitar, Chris Shrum on bass, Tony Diaz on keys, and Mikey Pannone on drums - was formed in 2005 and debuted with the Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Dio, Foreigner) produced "Uncreation". "Seasons of Tragedy" (again produced by Jeff) came along in 2008.
"Dominion" is the band's 3rd release and sees Grammy Award winning producer Ryan Greene (Megadeth, 5, MXPX, NOFX) taking the reins. Guest appearances by Jeff Pilson, Craig Goldy and Rudy Sarzo give an air of class.
The band's sound is a mixture of heavy rock and metal with elements of thrash and prog binding the whole thing together. The guitar playing is exceptional. The rhythm section is good 'n' solid, if not necessarily standout. The dominating force however is Veronica's vocals. She has a thoroughly meaty sound that makes singers like Doro and Lita Ford sound like Minnie Mouse. To be honest, the first time I heard the album it took a few tracks to realise it was actually a woman singing. As "Dominion" plays through, Veronica's more feminine side makes the occasional appearance, but as a whole she gives a brutish, strong performance that's a real breath of fresh air over more traditional styles. The fact she can actually sing, and her voice isn't just a big loud gimmick, is a good thing too.
Song wise, this is an album built as an album, not a collection of individually great songs. Throughout the release there are huge riffs, great vocal progressions, cool beats and catchy hooks, but few of the songs really leap out and shout "look at me!". The lack of memorable tracks is both a blessing and a curse. It's nice to be able to extract songs to throw on an iPod playlist, but it's also great to have such a cohesive piece of work.
In Summation:
This is a classy, boisterous album featuring a load of neat performances. It lacks that instant factor, and wants for catchier songs, but as a whole it's easy to recommend to people who like to work for their pleasures.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
Musicianship:
Vocals:
Song Writing:
Production:
Overall (Not An Average Of The Above):
Check out... Those vocals. Love or hate?
Track List:
01. Dominion
02. At The Gates
03. Seer
04. Grind It
05. Prodigal Son
06. The Shadowlands
07. Beautiful Pain
08. Dark Heart
09. Bang
10. Loud Silence
11. Epsilon
12. Sanctuary (Bonus Track)
13. Overture/The Temples of Syrinx (Bonus Track)
Label: Frontiers Records
Artist's website(s): Benedictum | MySpace | Facebook
