Benighten Empire - Live Occultists
Benighten Empire was formed by Sean M Kratz and Nathan Kearns in 2008 from the ashes of death metal band Eviscerated. Over the next few years the duo released three albums and played a handful of shows, but it was a studio project at best. Then that all changed in the summer of 2012 when Sean and Nathan recruited Bassist/vocalist Brent Harris. Soon after guitarists Justin Fiorelle and Taylor Reverendo joined the group to take their sound live, full time, and to the next level. Now with their line-up complete Benighten Empire is prepared to take the world by force with their blackened melodic death metal...!”
Through Hell (Live)
As with most live performances the sound can be a little scatchy at best but being a blackened death metal band they can get away with not sounding too polished and it adds a certain ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’ to the proceedings. The vocals are immense being fiery and obnoxious, while the music is heavy and riff-fuelled.
Omnipotent (Live)
The scourge of deep throated growls rip through the festering riffs and barrage of beats and is a superb exploit by Benighten Empire. The cruel ferocity can be absorbed and digested by the extreme metal head with ease.
Descend From Fire And Ice (Live)
The ferocious turbulence continues with venomous soaked viciousness as the thick threads are pulled together to produce an impressive confrontation hosting a pure evil attitude.
Casket (Live)
This is a shrill sounding track that emerges from murky tempestuous waves of squalor bringing with it deep unbridled emotions. The tones are steeped in scorched energetic lures while still maintaining that dark evil edge.
“The band allows you to get comfortable and then fucks with your mind. Immersing you into brutal seduction Benighten Empire strikes back with potent enterprise and layers that are quick to impress!”
They Will Reap (Live)
Making its presence felt this track delivers a magnetically inflamed rhythmic chunk of madness that swells with high energy pulses. The vocals are deep throated and gruff spewing out what sounds like demonic obscenities – Great track!
Flesh Ripped From Oblivion (Live)
This one twists and turns with a malevolent attitude. The melodic tones are deep seated in heaviness and inescapable! It is a potent muscular offering that forges into its own oblivion. The rhythmic persuasion is spellbinding!
Pale As Death
Makes you stop and think ‘am I listening to a blackened death metal band?’ as the haunting voices float over the top of a rather angelic tone. Its repetitiveness is spine-chilling and I am waiting for a raucous frenzy to begin any second... however, it isn’t forthcoming but the brooding ambience takes over a lot further on in the track and starts to build, making the anticipation literally boil over – this is one amazing track that really showcases the bands diverse writing abilities.
Summary:
As they say it isn’t all doom and gloom in fact with Benighten Empire you get that and more! The superb vocal enterprise is swept along on a feast of hungry riffs and distinct attitude. The band allows you to get comfortable and then fucks with your mind. Immersing you into brutal seduction Benighten Empire strikes back with potent enterprise and layers that are quick to impress.
The sound could be crisper but as mentioned this isn’t really a problem for a band of this genre who exploit their dark side extremely well and bring to the fore a deep creativity that subsequently attention grabs, especially with the final surprise track!
These four guys bring together a united front which in turn provides the listener with deep riveting grooves of metal that intensifies and smothers the emotions in a rich cascade of exciting tones. It is a very robust album that turns incredibly fragile at the end! Personally I think the band should keep this as a trademark!
Through Hell (Live)
As with most live performances the sound can be a little scatchy at best but being a blackened death metal band they can get away with not sounding too polished and it adds a certain ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’ to the proceedings. The vocals are immense being fiery and obnoxious, while the music is heavy and riff-fuelled.
Omnipotent (Live)
The scourge of deep throated growls rip through the festering riffs and barrage of beats and is a superb exploit by Benighten Empire. The cruel ferocity can be absorbed and digested by the extreme metal head with ease.
Descend From Fire And Ice (Live)
The ferocious turbulence continues with venomous soaked viciousness as the thick threads are pulled together to produce an impressive confrontation hosting a pure evil attitude.
Casket (Live)
This is a shrill sounding track that emerges from murky tempestuous waves of squalor bringing with it deep unbridled emotions. The tones are steeped in scorched energetic lures while still maintaining that dark evil edge.
“The band allows you to get comfortable and then fucks with your mind. Immersing you into brutal seduction Benighten Empire strikes back with potent enterprise and layers that are quick to impress!”
They Will Reap (Live)
Making its presence felt this track delivers a magnetically inflamed rhythmic chunk of madness that swells with high energy pulses. The vocals are deep throated and gruff spewing out what sounds like demonic obscenities – Great track!
Flesh Ripped From Oblivion (Live)
This one twists and turns with a malevolent attitude. The melodic tones are deep seated in heaviness and inescapable! It is a potent muscular offering that forges into its own oblivion. The rhythmic persuasion is spellbinding!
Pale As Death
Makes you stop and think ‘am I listening to a blackened death metal band?’ as the haunting voices float over the top of a rather angelic tone. Its repetitiveness is spine-chilling and I am waiting for a raucous frenzy to begin any second... however, it isn’t forthcoming but the brooding ambience takes over a lot further on in the track and starts to build, making the anticipation literally boil over – this is one amazing track that really showcases the bands diverse writing abilities.
Summary:
As they say it isn’t all doom and gloom in fact with Benighten Empire you get that and more! The superb vocal enterprise is swept along on a feast of hungry riffs and distinct attitude. The band allows you to get comfortable and then fucks with your mind. Immersing you into brutal seduction Benighten Empire strikes back with potent enterprise and layers that are quick to impress.
The sound could be crisper but as mentioned this isn’t really a problem for a band of this genre who exploit their dark side extremely well and bring to the fore a deep creativity that subsequently attention grabs, especially with the final surprise track!
These four guys bring together a united front which in turn provides the listener with deep riveting grooves of metal that intensifies and smothers the emotions in a rich cascade of exciting tones. It is a very robust album that turns incredibly fragile at the end! Personally I think the band should keep this as a trademark!
- Through Hell (Live)
- Omnipotent (Live)
- Descend From Fire And Ice (Live)
- Casket (Live)
- They Will Reap (Live)
- Flesh Ripped From Oblivion (Live)
- Pale As Death
