(Todd Manning prepared the following dual reviews of the latest albums by two UK legends, Benediction and Cancer, out now on Nuclear Blast and Peaceville, respectively.)
Resurrecting old school bands can often be a hit or miss affair. At least half, if not more than half, fail to capture anything resembling the magic of their earlier years. However, for those who do pull it off, listeners are beyond thrilled.
For some of us, the early ’90s were one of the greatest eras of metal. The death metal bands from then created such amazing music, full of brutality and a unique atmosphere. While we often hear about Swedish, New York, or Floridian death metal bands, we can’t forget the great British masters as well. Carcass and Bolt Thrower, of course, top that list, but Cancer and Benediction were important as well, and they both have new albums out.
Benediction
Benediction’s Ravage of Empires came out courtesy of Nuclear Blast, the band’s original label. For better or for worse, the first several songs are very by-the-numbers death metal. Fun enough if you have a couple of beers or in a live setting, but pretty unremarkable to just sit and listen to. Only “Genesis Chamber” shows greater creativity, with its guitar melodies and spoken-word sections.
Surprisingly, the album makes a jump in quality starting with “In the Dread of the Night”. This is a kick-ass tune with a greater emphasis on atmosphere. One may even detect a little Swedish influence creeping in. The rising tide lifts all boats. Every song after feels more kick-ass. “Drought of Mercy” will surely inspire a vicious pit, and “Psychosister” again engages in a creepier atmospheric vibe. The title track closes the album and finds a happy medium between Slayer and Bolt Thrower.
If you have a strong opinion of Benediction already, Ravage of Empires is unlikely to change your mind. Had they taken the final four songs and added in “Genesis Chamber” from early in the record, this could’ve been a remarkable EP. Instead, they released a full-length that, while not terrible, lacks impact because of too much filler.
https://www.facebook.com/Benedictionband/
Cancer
Cancer’s latest, Inverted World, is not fated to such middling opinions. While early records such as To the Gory End and Death Shall Rise are well respected, the new album has me revisiting their entire back catalogue and surprised by both how much they’ve put out in the intervening years and how good it is.
Their early sound seems to draw from early Pestilence, early Death, and country mates Bolt Thrower. Cancer has also always had a thrashier edge that they’ve retained. Over their history, a technical edge has worked its way into their sound without dominating their style. This mix of classic death metal and both raw and technical thrash is where we find them on Inverted World.
The opening riffs of “Enter the Gates” make clear the nuance in their songwriting approach. While certainly heavy, they employ chords with unusual tones to deepen their sound. The drums are nimble, often avoiding clichéd beats in favor of jagged rhythms that outline the riffs.
The release is full of highlights. The unusual rhythms of “39 Bodies” emphasize the remarkable drumming that is present throughout. The opening riff of “Amputate” is reminiscent of Coroner, a band that seems like it might be a big influence on Cancer, and that’s certainly not a bad thing. A personal favorite is “Covert Operations”, which is one of the fastest tunes on the record. They comfortably bounce between high-speed thrash and a little bit of blasting as well.
Inverted World is engaging throughout its entire runtime; every song is well-crafted yet unpredictable. I’ll definitely be going back to some of the material they’ve released since their early classics — that is, if I can manage to shut off Inverted World.