HELL-O Dave. Congratulations on the monstrous new album Scriptures. It is a rager from start to finish. What were your motivations heading back into the studio for the first Benediction album in over a decade?
Thank you, and thanks for the interview! Well it was really about time to get a new album out. Prior to my return, the band had begun writing new material. We put our heads together and, while I wrote lyrics and made demo versions of the vocal tracks, the guys finely tuned the songs. We gave them extra tweaks wherever necessary, and chiseled the san of OSDM out of our collective creativity. It was hard work but it sure paid off.
I heard a lot of homages to Napalm Death, Terrorizer, and even Dark Angel in Scriptures. Was this intentional?
Strange, as I don’t hear any similarities to those bands. And they certainly aren’t homages, coz this is all Benediction ourselves. But if anyone hears such things in our tracks then that’s cool. It certainly wasn’t intentional. Lyrically there’s a lot of call backs to previous albums, and other things that I am personally involved with. There’s a few Easter eggs in there for sure!
What's your method for delivering those harsh death metal growls?
Stand in front of a microphone and shout loudly. There’s really not much I can say to explain it, besides trying to sing from the stomach instead of the throat - you’ll do yourself an injury otherwise! I also feel that taking care of one’s voice in key, especially as we’re all getting older. I quit smoking 10 years ago, which was a great help. Warming up before a performance is a good idea, as is making sure you stay hydrated...and not just with beer.
You're the host of the Metal Breakfast Radio podcast, where you blast gnarly metal tunes and life. What is one of your favorite pairings of beer and metal?
Hard to nail that one down, mate. It’s all an ever-changing thing in regards to the show. There’s always something new to be had, whether it’s beer or music. But if I were to say a personal favourite then it would have to be either Black Sabbath Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or Celtic Frost To Mega Therion with a good IPA. You could also do the same with some Queens of the Stone Age, who I’m also a huge fan of.
What do you think makes the perfect death metal song?
Anyone from Scream Bloody Gore. For me it has to be something with a d-beat. I’m quite fond of Paganizer (and pretty much any of the d-beat bands Rogga Johansson does) and Entrails, too. Both excellent bands. Another to watch out for are Danish metallers Undergang. They have the ability to melt people’s faces off with a single riff.
What is one album that holds a special place in your heart, and why?
The aforementioned To Mega Therion by Celtic Frost. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that album. It saved me from doing something I shouldn’t even have contemplated doing in the first place. Thank you, Tom.
What band did you lose your heavy metal virginity to, so to speak?
It was the also aforementioned Black Sabbath album, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. I can remember my sister putting it on and that initial riff kicking in. I was standing in the doorway and heard it for the first time. The world melted away and I was lost within the riff. I knew from that moment that the heavier end of the music spectrum was going to play a large part in my life. I was 7 years old at the time.
Aside from the new album, what is your personal favorite Benediction album? Do you have a favorite deep cut from your catalogue?
I think it would be doing a disservice to the newest release if I - or any musician in any band, for that matter - were to have a favourite other than the band’s latest. The same goes for favourites from past releases. What I will say is that the track “Scriptures In Scarlet” is my current favourite, and that’s mainly because of it being the first of the tracks that I wrote lyrics for, and because it’s written about my favourite horror franchise...the Evil Dead!
Who do you think one of the most criminally underrated bands is in the metal world?
Oh man, there’s a lot who are underrated. In fact there’s too many to count, so we should really be looking at the overrated bands. Thing is, most OSDM fans know who they are already and avoid them. As for me, I’ll listen to anything as long as it is written from the heart.
Tell me about one of your favorite concerts, whether it was one you performed at or one you spectated?
There’s been plenty of both of those, but I think the absolute best concert I’ve ever been to was Queens of the Stone Age, when they were out on their Lullabies To Paralyze tour. They had The Eagles Of Death Metal as support (another band I love greatly) and the venue wasn’t a HUGE stadium but a real concert hall. It had a much cozier atmosphere, plus the sound was perfect. Definitely my favourite gig of all time.
What else is on the horizon now that the album is unleashed on the world?
Once this damn pandemic is over we can see about getting back to normal and playing shows. The vaccine is on it’s way (hail Science!) and if we are lucky - and continue to comply with mask wearing, washing hands, and social distancing while the vaccine gets to work - then we can hopefully have normality well before the summer.
Thanks for going one on one with the GRIM-1. What would you like to say in closing?
Many thanks for the interview, mate! Nice one all round. Here’s a few links that may be of interest to the readers, which are to all the projects I am involved with. Thanks again, and to all the fans...stay true to the scene, and the scene will stay true to you. And most of all STAY SAFE! Old School Death Metal forever!
https://www.facebook.com/DownAmongTheDeadMen
https://www.facebook.com/MetalBreakfastRadio
https://www.facebook.com/DaveIngramOfficial
https://www.facebook.com/LambertsBasement
https://www.facebook.com/Benedictionband
https://www.facebook.com/EchelonOfficial
https://www.facebook.com/UrsinneBand
https://www.facebook.com/Troikadon
http://www.radiofreesatan.com/
http://www.metalbreakfastradio.com/mbr/DEATHPOD/DEATHPOD.html
https://twitter.com/MetalBreakfast
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