Benighted has certainly earned their place amongst the death metal greats that have come to light within the last 5 years. I earnestly look forward to a new release of theirs each and every time it comes around. In fact, their last few albums have all been winners to me, which always gives me a little worry. Eventually, every band has to release a stinker, and I always fear that day with such a great band like Benighted. Obscene Repressed is finally here for us to be able to judge whether or not that time is now.
Obscene Repressed sees the return of the same personnel from Necrobreed, the previous release. This was a pretty dangerous combination, and it’s a great sign to see them all back. The absolute onslaught of brutality that Benighted is known for comes back in full force almost immediately. But one of the best things about the band is their ability to be able to craft a death metal album that isn’t just one extremely fast song after another. While a song like “Nails” might be right what we expect from a Benighted album, “Implore The Negative” hits us with a much more groovy take on their sound. It helps more songs stand out a little clearer in a large sea of the ruthless violence presented in Obscene Repressed.
We’re actually treated to a story in this album, and man it’s a doozy. Vocalist Julien Truchan himself has stated that it’s about a psychotic little boy with “oedipal issues”. He also suffers from a cleft palate, to which his mom finds repulsive. Truchan continues…
“As an act of ‘going back inside mom,’ he surprises her with dinner, cooking a meal with his own lips that he cuts off with his dad’s razor. His mother only realizes what she just ate when he takes off his bandages at the end of the dinner.”
It’s certainly about as colorful as the rest of their lyrics in their history, but it’s a pretty cool step in the band’s progression to have a centralized theme in their albums.
There are also a good number of guest artists on the album, as per tradition. Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) appears on “Implore The Negative”, Sebastian Grihm on “The Starving Beast” (Cytotoxin), and Karsten Jäger on “Mom, I Love You The Wrong Way” (Disbelief). And in the same vein of tradition, if you happen to pick up the deluxe edition of the album, you’ll also be treated to a cover of Slipknot’s “Get This” done in the ways that only Benighted can achieve.
Overall, this album is a great addition to Benighted’s already glowing library and another top addition to death metal in the new decade. It’s a great album but not exactly the best. As much as Obscene Repressed does do a much better job than many other bands in constructing their albums, there are really only a few songs that I can point out by memory; “Implore The Negative” and “Mom, I Love You The Wrong Way”, and that might be because of the guest artists. Again, each track is crafted masterfully with virtuosic musicianship on every second, but that doesn’t always make for highly memorable songs. But make no mistake, there is still plenty of meat to chew on Obscene Repressed, and it’s absolutely a recommendation for any death metal fan to check out.
Score: 8/10
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