Review of Benighted - I.C.P

This ladies and gents is how I like my death metal; down tuned, crushing, groovy and brutally honest. France’s Benighted, while wholly generic, just simply do everything right I want from a death metal album. There’s nothing remotely progressive or experimental about Insane Cephalic Production, as it's pure European death metal similar to Fleshless, Iniquity, or Deranged. That means the songs are not one continual high-end blast beat, but rather chunkier, controlled blasts. Still, Benighted deliver enough reckless speed to please all death metal fans and with the dual screams/ultra guttural vocals, the grind fans might actually dig this too (the 1 minute wrecker “Dementia” especially).

The pure unabashed unoriginality is wiped clean by stout song writing that obviously isn't redefining the genre but is something that death metal has been missing recently for me; pleasing. Just the right amounts of massive grooves are littered within the expected death metal chaos, double bass blasts, burps and sonic beat downs. But I first became aware that Benighted might appeal to me when the surprising solo that breaks up album opener “Bestial Breeding” started; a harmony most unexpected for such an album, and Benighted pull it off superbly, although I could have done without the Soulfly breakdown. The aptly titled “Stay Brutal” rips and tears with suitable pacing that just seemed more fulfilling than most pure death metal I’ve heard recently. Also of note is the use of the native tongue for two of the songs, “Foetus”, “Insomnies”, and the title track, although you’d have no idea as Julien Truchan’s squeal and burp are equally indecipherable, no matter the language.

There are 2 real moments of glee that arise two fold during “Deviant”. At the 00:34 and 2:43 mark, Benighted use a speaker destroying bass line/kick in that had my stereo pleading for me not to rewind. Include yet another harmonic solo and it amounts to simply killer stuff. “Perpetual Cannibalism”, has one of the album's coolest breakdowns that has a chord progression I rarely hear in single riff breakdowns. I really could not find a weak track on the album that bored me provided I was in the mood for brutal death metal, only when feeling the urge to move onto another genre did Benighted cease to entertain, as within its genre, it’s a solid, solid album. “Lacerations” uses a neat two guitar effect during its required breakdown that’s thoroughly, adding yet another eye brow raising and entertaining moment to the carnage.

The no name production is thick and beefy delivering the material with a syrupy feeling that’s how death metal should sound. Quite simply, Benighted doesn’t fuck about, and is only restricted by their chosen genre that’s already full of likewise bands. Still, in a weak year for death metal, even from the legends (Dismember? Kataklysm?) Benighted have delivered a solid, wind sucking blow to the body that fans of death metal should check out, even if they are French.

Release Details

Benighted

I.C.P

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