There are two main ways a band can behave during its lifetime: to evolve as time passes by, or become attached to a form of music defined in the early works of it. There's no 'wrong' or 'right' side on such ways, because they're just descriptions of how a band plays. And due to such a fact, when a name as the Death Metal masters of BENEDICTION is to release a new album, the fans become anxious. And "Scriptures" is here to tear apart many doubts.

Due the return of Dave Ingram to the vocals, the main question was how the band would sound with him: like on "The Grand Leveller"/"Transcend the Rubicon" age (when the band has a more aggressive insight), or like "The Dreams You Dread"/"Grind Bastards" era (when they had a cleaner form of musical expression). The answer is simple: a fusion of both, because the band is sounding aggressive, brutal and oppressive, with many Hardcore influences pulping into their music. But they used the cleaner ways to make things even better than before. It's massive and full of a savage and young energy, aggressive and hooking as always, but defined. And they created a true masterpiece!

The band recruited Scott Atkins (the same one who previously worked with CRADLE OF FILTH, ONSLAUGHT and VADER). This is from where the defined sound comes, because everything is sounding loud and clean, with the right instrumental tunes, but never sounding 'castrated' from the band's trademark aggressive sound. It's the opposite: the cleaner Scott made the sound quality, the nasty and massive they play!

After 12 years always from the studio, "Scriptures" shows a band with still a lot to offer musically, and that can teach some lessons on Death Metal to beginners. To begin with the album, "Iterations of I" (with a massive and crushing energy, fast and sharp as the quintet is used to sound), "Scriptures in Scarlet" (with a great and simple work from bass guitar and drums, creating a set of nasty and oppressive mid-tempos in a way similar to CELTIC FROST), "Stormcrow" (another song where the tempos are so fast, but it bears a clear Hardcore influence, and what great grunts), "Rabid Carnality" (a true British Death Metal song, with great guitars and a massive impact, and it's clear why it's the first Single of the album), "Embrace the Kill" (a song with a simple technical work, but the simple in the hands of these grizzled assassins is always a fine approach), "The Blight at the End" (another classic Death Metal song, with another fine exhibition from the rhythmic session), and "We Are Legion" (the closing of the casket, with a bitter and slow approach in the beginning, with great guitars; but it gains some energy in certain point and incites the head banging with a massive and nasty energy). But after the first hearing, the listener will start it all again with all the songs for sure.

Only time can say if "Scriptures" will be a classic. For now, the best part is that BENEDICTION is back, hungier for music and to teach what means to play Old School Death Metal.

The teachers are in, so prepare your necks!