Benedictum - Seasons of Tragedy (2008)

   Even though ordinary heavy metal is the most popular/mainstream aspect of metal music, the number of newbies is quite low in this style. That's not only because it's a style that's extremely hard to play good and without ending up as a self-comedy project. But the audience also doesn't seem so opened for new bands.
   The reason that heavy meatal sounds old fashioned nowadays is easy to shoo off, since Benedictum is the living proof how to sound modern while playing like how the oldies of the late '70s/early '80s did. Lately it became a new direction to sound vintage, exactly how the music of the big names sounded in their times, but the sound development left it's mark in Benediction's music. The good production and the clean sound are only the beginning, they were also not afraid to play more intense and occasionally wilder than how heavy metal bands used to be. This might make easier for younger generations to catch the feeling, since all generations having their specific styles and actual directions they can feel to relate to. And while "Seasons of Tragedy" counts definitely as a modern album, there are plenty of nostalgic elements to find on it (it was weird if there wasn't any). The strong '80s feeling is mainly represented in the person of Miss Veronica Freeman, who may remind to the performance of Frau Doro Pesch of Warlock. Not only because of her powerful voice, but the ultimate heavy metal bombshell queen appearance also counts as a reference. In total "Seasons of Tragedy" is a great album, competitive both on the fields of vintage and modern metal.