All previous shows of Benediction I attended they were a support act, but now with a new album, titled Killing Music, recently released, these English lads went for a headlining tour through Europe. Unfortunately not too many people showed up, in Rotterdam, maybe a hundred or so.

The opening act of the afternoon was the Dutch Headhaunter whom I didn’t know. They turned out to be playing a rather generic form of thrash metal. Even though it wasn’t bad, it has been done thousands of time before.

Next another Dutch band The Dead Normality. Again I didn’t know them beforehand. They also play a kind of thrash metal, but with some more death metal influences. Their songs were okay in general, but like the first band nothing really special.

Nominon was as far as I know the first band of the tour packages. These Swedes play the typical Swedish old school death metal kind a la Grave, but they have sped it up a bit. It touches a bit on the early Merciless works. Their latest album has been released a more than a year ago – Terra Necrosis. So naturally they played a lot from that, but mixed it with songs from both Diabolical Bloodshed and Recremation. Overall a steady gig.

When it comes to German thrash metal, there are three classic bands: Sodom, Kreator and Destruction. But at least as old as these is Holy Moses. I never cared much for this band though. And not without a reason, they’re simply never as good as the aforementioned big three. And it showed on stage, even though former Sodom drummer Atomic Steif plays in the band now. The music is basically rather simple thrash with some slight death metal influences and sort of half grunted vocals. But it never really grabs my attention. It’s okay to watch live once.

Then at last Benediction started. The intro of the new album was played over the PA and the band played the album opener The Grey Man. They play quite a few songs of the new album. And they sound a lot better live than on the CD as I dislike the production of that album. Anyway, they have a pretty big back catalogue to refer to and they do. They play quite a few songs I haven’t heard them play live before including Nightfear, Unfound Mortality, The Dreams You Dread and even the mighty Jumping At Shadows. This is probably the best Benediction gig I attended, and not in the least because the band just seems to have a lot of fun playing and the great set list. Some of the other songs they played: Agonized, I Bow To None, Nothing On The Inside, Shadow World, They Must Die Screaming, Burying the Hatchet. They closed the set with the more or less mandatory Subconscious Terror. The only negative point I can point out is no more Dark is the Season. For the rest a great show.