A Birmingham act formed in February 1989, BENEDICTION is sadly more noted in their home country for having supplied vocalist Mark 'Barney' Greenway to NAPALM DEATH than their musical achievements. However, outside of Britain, BENEDICTION, affectionately known in their home city as "The Bennies", have garnered a sizeable following through ever improving albums and constant touring.

The group, borne out of an earlier band entitled STILLBORN, debuted with 'The Dreams You Dread' demo in June 1989 which secured the band a deal with German label Nuclear Blast, a stable base of operations for the band to the present day. The opening formation found Greenway backed by guitarists Peter Rewinski and Darren Brookes, former ABSOLUTION bassist Paul Adams with Ian Treacy on the drums. The inaugural audio generated by this union came with a split 7" single, 'Confess All Goodness', shared with Austrian gore-mongers PUNGENT STENCH. From the outset it was clear that the group was intent on breaking down genre stereotypes, effortlessly amalgamating Thrash and Death stylings, capping mid-paced, low end rumblings with Greenways effective, if thoroughly indecipherable, roar.

Following the release of the September 1990 first album, entitled 'Subconscious Terror' and co-produced by the band together with NAPALM DEATH's Mick Harris, Dave Ingram stepped in for Greenaway on vocals and contributed to promotion activity during the year which included British supports to PARADISE LOST and AUTOPSY.

The band undertook a further British tour opening for BOLT THROWER prior to recording their follow up at Silverbirch Studios in Birmingham, the Paul Johnston produced effort 'The Grand Leveller', this outing seeing BOLT THROWER's Karl Willetts guesting on the track 'Jumping At Shadows' and closing out with a rendition of CELTIC FROST's 'Return To The Eve'. Before the record came out the band undertook further headlining dates throughout 12 countries, capitalised on by selected British and German dates upon its release. 1991 shows included gigs with label mates DISMEMBER and MASSACARA.

At the dawn of 1992 BENEDICTION hit the road once more with BOLT-THROWER on a bill including ASPHYX that enabled the band to embark on the 'World Violation' world tour across the European continent, the USA, Canada and also played a date in Tel Aviv, Israel. In October BENEDICTION released the 'Dark Is The Season' EP, which featured a reworking of the old ANVIL chestnut 'Forged In Fire' with former singer Barney Greenway guesting. The group endured another line-up change when bassist Paul Adams departed, BENEDICTION favouring ex-CEREBRAL FIX man Frank Healy to take his place.

The April 1993 album 'Transcend The Rubicon' opened up more new ground as the band tackled a one take studio jam of THE ACCUSED's 'At the Wrong Side of the Grave' and re-worked the songs 'Artefacted Irreligion' and 'Spit Forth The Dead' from the 'Subconscious Terror' sessions. BENEDICTION topped the bill of a European tour with ATHEIST and CEMETERY as support. Dates included visits to Ireland, Portugal and Mexico. BENEDICTION, backed by an interim EP 'The Grotesque / Ashen Epitaph', supported BOLT THROWER on their American club tour, but found themselves as headliners on latter dates as problems hit BOLT THROWER forcing their withdrawal. BENEDICTION also appeared at the legendary Milwaukee Metalfest during the same year, on a bill alongside fellow heavyweights BIOHAZARD and SLAYER. The travelling cost the group the services of drummer Ian Treacy though, the skinsman quitting and being superseded by the 18 year old Neil Hutton in time for the Nuclear Blast New Year festivals in January 1995. 'The Dreams You Dread' arrived in June, being promoted with a European trek aligned with DEATH.

That Year Neil Hutton and Dave Ingram formed the side project WARLORD UK, releasing the 'Maximum Carnage' album on Nuclear Blast in 1996. The album included covers of AMEBIX and SLAYER songs.

Frontman Dave Ingram lent a helping hand to BOLT THROWER for a batch of live dates during 1997, when their vocalist Martin Van Drunen bailed out without warning. However, the 'helping hand' turned out to be more permanent and BENEDICTION promptly pulled in Dave Hunt to fill the vacated vocal position. BENEDICTION's March 1998 album 'Grind Bastard', the first to have erstwhile SABBAT guitarist Andy Sneap in control of the faders, ambitiously included covers of both JUDAS PRIEST's 'Electric Eye' and TWISTED SISTER's 'Destroyer'. Digipack variants hosted another cover, in 'We Are the League' originally by the ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE. Once again the group forged a touring partnership with DEATH, Chuck Schuldiner's last live expedition, prior to uniting with Norwegian Black Metal combo IMMORTAL.

BENEDICTION would make a return with the September 2001 record 'Organised Chaos' once again produced by Andy Sneap. Road work had the band in familiar company, co-headlining a January 2002 European expedition with BOLT THROWER backed up by FLESHCRAWL. Once these commitments had been fulfilled drummer Neil Hutton opted out to join STAMPIN' GROUND. In September 2004 the band headed up the 'Thunderstorm Over Europe' tour allied with GODHATE and NOMINON. The group also rendered their interpretation of SLAYER's 'Necrophiliac' for the 2004 Blackened tribute album 'Slatanic Slaughter'.

In early 2005 the band announced the high profile addition of CRADLE OF FILTH, LOCK UP and DIMMU BORGIR drummer Nick Barker to the ranks. Barker made his live debut with the band at Austria's 'Devil Days' festival on 10th June. Initial recordings laid down by the new formation included a cover version of SACRILEGE's 'Lifeline' including the guesting BOLT THROWER duo of vocalist Karl Willetts and guitarist Barry Thompson.

Nuclear Blast once again handled the 2006 BENEDICTION album, 'Killing Music'. In April the band revealed they had laid down studio cover versions of 'Seeing Through My Eyes' by BROKEN BONES, 'Into the Void' by BLACK SABBATH, and 'Banned from the Pubs' by PETER & THE TEST TUBE BABIES. Studio guest musicians included Karl Willets of BOLT THROWER, Kelly Shaefer of ATHEIST, Billy Gould from FAITH NO MORE, The Fog of FROST, Markus Staiger, owner of Nuclear Blast Records, and Thorsten Zahn, from 'Metal Hammer' magazine in Germany. In early May the band announced a temporary suspension of activities due to Nick Barker breaking his foot in what was described as "an incident in Estonia".

Despite working up new album tracks in early 2007 BENEDICTION band members would be involved in a variety of outside activities. Nicholas Barker would be helping out TESTAMENT on their live dates, Dave Hunt contributing vocals to both MISTRESS and ANAAL NATHRAKH whilst Frank Healy was playing bass in the reformed CEREBRAL FIX, sessioning for ANAAL NATHRAKH and instigating side project THE BURNING DEITIES.

'Killing Music' was given a belated release in North America on 23rd September 2008 via Locomotive Records. German Thrashers HOLY MOSES teamed up with BENEDICTION for a European co-headlining tour in September and October. 

Garry Sharpe-Young