Year: 2024 
Total Time: 36:48 
Label: Season Οf Mist 

Recently BENIGHTED have released their tenth studio album entitled “Ekbom”. The French Brutal Death Metal scene is not famous for the large number of bands it produces, however it can be proud of the quality of those bands. BENIGHTED is surely one of them, a band that slowly but steadily managed to gain respect in the metal community. Even if their albums are not few, they still haven’t made an album that will stand out and alert the Metal community! Nevertheless, I would describe the band as honest and loyal to the Extreme Metal sound.

In “Ekbom” the French Death Metallers do not escape their characteristic sound, despite the line-up changes occurred through the years. The album consists of eleven songs, lasting between two-three minutes, except for the last one which exceeds four minutes, plus a short intro lasting just over a minute.

BENIGHTED with this album, shows that they can bring out some technical elements which weren’t found at the past releases.  From the beginning of the album you understand what is coming next. Tough, brutal Metal with many Death/Grind elements. “Ekbom” tends to win you over with every audition. This is proved with songs like “Scars” and “Flesh Against Flesh”. However, the band is not famous for its technical character, but for the leveling Brutal Death/Grind Metal.  This can be found at “Le Vice des Entrailles”, “Nothing Left to Fear” (Oliver Rae Aleron of the Canadian ARCHSPIRE contributes here as a guest on vocals), In “Fame Of The Grotesque” there is also a guest appearance by Xavier Chevalier (of BLOCKHEADS) on vocals. The rest of the songs move in more pure Death Metal forms, without remaining in intensity and brutality than the previous ones I mentioned. BLOCKHEADS

The main and constant pillar of the band is Julien Truchan, who is also its voice. The band’s drummer also plays an important role for this remarkable result. Kevin Paradis is an excellent drummer who unleashes attacks on every song, without mercy. We are talking about a normal bombardment. Emmanuel Dalle turns the six-stringed goddess into a barrel machine gun that shoots riffs,  but also stands worthily in most technical parts. The lethal quartet is completed with Pierre Arnoux on the bass, who of course is also in charge of the backing vocals.

“Ekbom” is an album where you will encounter this creative rot, the extreme brutality that you will like (if you already are in the Extreme Metal sound). In case you are not a fan of the Extreme Metal, be careful with this release, cause it might blow your head and speakers of with the aggressive form of Death Metalthat includes!

Rating: 7/10
Editor: Andreas Fytros
Related Link: BENIGHTED – Official Page