Review by Rosh on February 19, 2022.

Some well-established bands in metal maybe blend a little too well into the scene they originated from, pioneered, and inhabited. They have a degree of historical recognition shed upon them, and are always treated as relevant when brought up, but seldom are actually brought up as their own entity. One of the best examples of this phenomenon is Benediction, a band largely taken for granted in death metal. They're at the very heart of the UK scene, notably fostering Napalm Death's most enduring vocalist and eventually providing a vocalist for Bolt Thrower (both more well-recognized bands). It actually seems like this band only comes up tangentially when discussing the latter British pioneers, which is very disappointing considering how well the Dave Ingram-fronted lineup introduced on The Grand Leveller functions independently.

Ingram, who is today a notable vocalist in the death metal scene, certainly carries this 1991 effort pretty far thanks to his distinctly gruff and deranged tone, but he isn't inherently better or worse suited to Benediction than his predecessor in Barney Greenway. Both vocalists were relatively inexperienced at the time of joining Benediction, but they were primal and convincing in their delivery, belting out the lyrics in a memorable fashion. Despite the apparent interchangeability of the two frontmen at this time, The Grand Leveller nonetheless comes off as a steady improvement from the 1990 debut, Subconscious Terror. While the musical style here is generally still the same mid-paced, hardcore-tinged, early Celtic Frost-influenced death metal that defined the debut album, the sequencing of the riffs is more thought out this time. With that said, this seemingly subtle improvement to the song structures benefits this release far more than it would if Peter Rew and Darren Brookes were not the consistently strong riff writers they are - everything they play contributes heavily to memorable songs on The Grand Leveller, and this is a massive part of why I see it as the deadliest Benediction offering.

To put the latter claim into context, most of the Benediction lineup featured here would shift towards a faster-paced, more typically "brutal" sound on their 1993 album Transcend The Rubicon; the aforementioned guitarists would turn away from the atmosphere-driven style of the first two albums and even the 1992 follow-up EP in favor of sheer moshability, Dave Ingram's vocals became more of a full-on growl rather than the measured, varied, and unpredictable style here, and the overall production job was significantly more crisp. Now, Transcend The Rubicon is a fantastic death metal album, especially for 1993, and none of these aspects detract from it - it goes hard. It is, however, not the most authentic nor the most essential Benediction experience. This band's writing style thrives more on tension-and-release and I would say that their best works such as The Grand Leveller are a prime example of why "old school" death metal is commonly considered somewhat slower-paced than its modern counterparts. Examine tracks such as opener 'Vision In The Shroud' or fan favorite 'Jumping At Shadows'; ambiance is set with dreary melodies before the heavier rhythms enter the fold. Eventually, these buildups prove to be rewarding, giving way to moshable sections based on both power chord and tremolo riffs. This is a key example of the riff sequencing being applied outstandingly here.

Furthermore, the production on this album does not sound crisp, professional, or smooth by any stretch of the imagination - it is very muddy and decrepit sounding to the point of being a potential turn-off for new listeners. In fact, the average even semi-professional death metal demo released in the 2010's and onwards likely sounds better than the original mix of this studio full-length. However, the far-reaching benefit of the decrepit production style is that nothing is lost despite not being excessively pushed up in the mix either. Regarding this Benediction effort specifically, it is substanial sounding in a very organic way. The bass consistently contributes heavily to the infectious nature of the guitar riffs, and Ian Treacy's drumming is allowed to shine; you can tell he has both endurance and restraint as a drummer. When the time comes to belt out the textbook, pummeling UKDM beats, Treacy's performance is as satisfying as you'd hope. One of the faster-paced cuts from this album, 'Opulence Of The Absolute' is a good example of this for most of its playing time, but it too nonetheless slows down after a tremolo break, in order for the formidable guitar duo to dish out more eerie melody (this time bringing to mind some of the contemporary work of Autopsy). This is a top-tier instance of dynamic songwriting in death metal, as is 'Born In A Fever', albeit inverting the latter approach to tempo shifts.

The Grand Leveller is very much the type of album you'll appreciate heavily if you are particularly really into the "old school", mid-paced, and less produced style of death metal. It also shines within the context of the UKDM scene, but even there it is partially overlooked despite its influence and the quality of its songs. Eerie, foreboding, and unnerving with its overtone, and generally more deranged, decrepit, and uncouth than Bolt Thrower's contemplative approach - all of which makes Benediction's musical personality unique in death metal. Recommended companion pieces for The Grand Leveller that seem to match its sullen tone would be the debut albums of Wombbath and Morta Skuld.

rating: 9.5 out of 10