Review BENEDICTION “Ravage of Empires”

Benediction stand for oldschool death metal from Birmingham, UK, and with “Ravage of Empires” the quintet has a new album in the starting blocks. Four years after the release of their brilliant “Scriptures” album, the guys have recorded eleven blasting death metal songs. Although they never officially disbanded, Benediction took twelve years to release “Scriptures” and fortunately fans don’t have to wait that long for some neck-breaking death metal made in Birmingham.

Benediction don’t waste any time and open with a real blast. The merciless “A Carrion Harvest” is a brutal and up-tempo death metal song that refers to some old school death metal from the UK. Excellent guitar work and Dave Ingram’s barking vocals are the main pillars of Benediction 2025 and what hits your eardrums is a treat for fans of extreme metal. The opener, as well as the roaring ‘Engines of War’, also reflects some thrash metal references, adding to the headbanger factor.

Benediction never push the pedal too hard and mostly stay in a mid-tempo framework. It is more the monstrous riffs and raging rhythms that define Benediction and their songs on “Ravage of Empires”. The Birmingham metal machine unleashes the big meat-cleaver riffs, relying on groove as well as sheer intensity. And the moment the five-piece shifts up a gear, thinking of the massive title track, the trademarks are still intact.

Apart from the shorter death metal blasts, the album also contains songs like “Beyond the Veil of the Grey Mare”. The latter is a five-minute death metal statement, proving that Benediction have more to offer than just short and to the point death metal songs. “Beyond the Veil of the Grey Mare” shows the songwriting skills of the powerhouse, as the song never feels lengthy or becomes boring at any point. Whether it is a three minute smasher or a song like “Drought of Mercy”, Benediction are firing on all cylinders and hitting you with freight train power.

Benediction deliver with their new effort an album that reflects oldschool death metal while sounding modern and powerful at the same time. The guys pick it up where they left off with ‘Scriptures’. It is a face smashing longplayer and I would not be surprised if we can find this release in some year polls in 2025. Horns up.