Following in the footsteps of such legendary bands as Warrior, Rough Cutt and Psychotic Waltz, BENEDICTUM are San Diego, California’s latest and mightiest ambassadors to the world of heavy metal.
Conjuring the power and mystique of early Rainbow and classic Savatage yet forging a sound that is uniquely their own, BENEDICTUM’s stylish, epic brand of metal delivers on all fronts: Awesome riffing, fierce rhythms, strong melodies, shredding leads and delicate textures converge at the crossroads of tradition and 21st century innovation topped off by what is truly one of the most extraordinary voices in metal, courtesy of Veronica Freeman, whose pipes have to be heard to be believed.
BENEDICTUM came to the attention of Dio guitarist Craig Goldy who was impressed enough with what he heard that he turned the group on to long-time friend and former band mate, Jeff Pilson (ex-Dokken, Dio). Equally blown away by the bands raw talent and untapped potential, Pilson took on the role of producer and recorded BENEDICTUM at his Los Angeles area studio, with ZuZu Recording production partner, former Warlock bassist Tommy Henriksen, sharing mixing duties.
The result of this collaboration was the incredible debut CD “UNCREATION”. Selected by Classic Rock magazine UK as one of the top bands to watch in 2006 and now selected by Rock Hard Germany and Classic Rock UK as one of the top 50 albums of 2006, BENEDICTUM are laying it down in a big way! After coming off of a successful tour with the legendary Doro Pesch, BENEDICTUM followed up with "Seasons Of Tragedy" produced by Jeff Pilson.
Prior to commencing work on their third album, Dominion, the band underwent significant lineup changes with only core members Veronica Freeman and Pete Wells remaining. Benedictum would also leave their original record company, Locomotive Music, and sign a new deal with Frontiers Records.Due to Jeff Pilson's commitments with Foreigner, main producing duties for the new album were handled by Grammy Award winning engineer/producer, Ryan Greene, whose credits include Megadeth and NOFX. Pilson and Craig Goldy would make guest appearances on the album as did legendary bassist Rudy Sarzo on the song "Bang". Continuing the tradition of covering at least one cover track on each album, the band cut "Overture" / "The Temples of Syrinx" / "Grand Finale" off of 2112 by Rush, which is featured as a bonus track.
New members Rikard Stjernquist (ex-Jag Panzer) on drums and Aric Avina on bass were recruited in 2012 to record their latest album Obey, released in November 2013.
Performers:
Veronica Freeman – vocals
Pete Wells – guitar
Aric Avina – bass
Rikard Stjernquist – drums
Studio albums
Uncreation (2006)
Seasons of Tragedy (2008)
Dominion (2011)
Obey (2013)
Bäng
Benedictum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We made it out on a wing and a prayer
Sometimes I think that this world wants to hurt me
But if I’m going down it’s with my fist in the air
Millions of people are feeling unworthy
Shuffling 'round feeling empty in side
It’s time to rise, we won’t let them define us
They tore us down for no reason but like the phoenix we rise
This is out time, it’s our season
Our anger is on the rise
I said bang
Release that primal rage
Like animals in a cage
And free yourself
Bang your head with me
With fists up in the air
The horns now if you dare
Our time has come
Let me feel your rage
They shut us out for no reason
But with our fists in the air
We’re not just one we’re a legion
One mission is crystal clear
Bang
Release that primal rage
Like animals in a cage
And free yourself, let them feel your pain
With fists up in the air
The horns now if you dare
Our time has come
Let me feel your rage
Bang your head with me
Kicked down for no Godly reason
They treated us with disdain
We are not silent, we’re screaming
We shall not be contained
Bang
Release that primal rage
Like animals in a cage
And free yourself
Bang your head with me
With fists up in the air
The horns now if you dare
Our time has come
Let me feel your rage
You were meant to be free
So shout it out with me
Our time has come
Show them we remain with fists up in the air
the horns now if you dare
Our time has come
let me feel your rage
In "Bang," Benedictum opens with lyrics about being oppressed and facing adversity. They describe being cut down by an unknown force and shown no mercy, but managing to escape by the skin of their teeth. The tone is one of defiance and assertion that even if they go down fighting, they will go down with their fists up in the air showing they will never back down. The second verse calls out to the millions of people who feel worthless and empty in life, telling them it's time to rise and not be defined by others. The chorus plays off the idea of releasing primal rage and expressing it physically, like animals in a cage. They declare their time has come to break free and shout it out with power.
The lyrics of the song make clear reference to the concept of rebellion and protest, both individually and collectively. In society, oppression and suppression can be demonstrated in various ways, but music has always served as a platform for raising your voice against such negativity. The song speaks to those who have faced adversity and feel they have been "cut down" like Benedictum’s lyrics suggests, and encourages them to keep fighting back. They highlight the importance of resilience, the need to rise up, fight back, and fight for freedom as a personal and collective right. The song is a primal call to action, one full of strength, hope and encouragement, and above all, the spirit of determination.
Line by Line Meaning
They cut us down and they showed us no mercy
We were unfairly attacked and faced no kindness or compassion during that time.
We made it out on a wing and a prayer
We managed to escape by luck or chance, with little to no help from others.
Sometimes I think that this world wants to hurt me
I often feel like the world is against me and looking for ways to cause me pain.
But if I’m going down it’s with my fist in the air
Even if I am defeated, I will do so while standing up for myself and leaving my mark.
Millions of people are feeling unworthy
A large number of individuals are experiencing feelings of inadequacy and low self-worth.
Shuffling 'round feeling empty in side
Many people are wandering aimlessly, feeling unfulfilled and purposeless.
It’s time to rise, we won’t let them define us
It's time to take charge and not allow others to control or limit us.
Just give 'em one finger way up high
We should stand up to those who try to bring us down and show them that their words or actions do not affect us.
They tore us down for no reason but like the phoenix we rise
We were unjustly attacked or defeated, but like a phoenix rising from the ashes, we will come out stronger.
This is out time, it’s our season
Now is the moment for us to take action and make our mark on the world.
Our anger is on the rise
We are becoming more and more frustrated with the way things are and more determined to make a change.
Release that primal rage
Let go of all your pent-up frustration and let the anger out.
Like animals in a cage
Express your anger with the wildness and abandon of an animal trapped in a small space.
And free yourself, let them feel your pain
Let go of your burdens and show those who hurt you how it feels to be in pain.
We’re not just one we’re a legion
We are not individual victims, but rather a united force against those who seek to harm us.
One mission is crystal clear
Our goal is straightforward and well-defined.
Kicked down for no Godly reason
We were knocked down or oppressed without any justifiable explanation or divine intervention.
They treated us with disdain
Those who hurt us showed a complete lack of respect or regard for our wellbeing.
We are not silent, we’re screaming
We refuse to stay quiet and are using our voices to be heard and spark change.
We shall not be contained
We will not allow ourselves to be limited or boxed in by those who seek to control or oppress us.
You were meant to be free
Each individual has inherent freedom and should be able to live life without unnecessary restriction or oppression.
So shout it out with me
Join me in speaking out for our rights and freedoms.
Show them we remain with fists up in the air
Raise your fists in defiance to show that we are still here and fighting back.
Our time has come
Now is the moment for us to make our stand and create change.
the horns now if you dare
Show your support by raising the metal horns with me.
Let me feel your rage
Join me in expressing your anger and let it fuel our fight for justice and freedom.
Contributed by Cole O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mpforshaw71
Frikin awesome
mpforshaw71
Frikin awesome
mpforshaw71
Frikin awesome