Benediction: Transcending The Death Metal Scripture
“Don’t get me wrong. It would be nice to have that yacht and a Porsche outside, but that’s not my motivation. It’s not what sold me the deal then and it’s still not now. If you’re here to be this multi-millionaire, then I think you’re here for the wrong reasons. You’ve got to be in it for the music – because it’s the only way you’ll be able to take the fucking knocks that come with it. When we first started out, it was all about what came from inside – it didn’t matter if you were a bit loose, not the most technical or fastest band – and I think that’s what we’re still doing now. We’re reintroducing that old school death metal back to the people. Because when we wake up on a morning, we still want to feel enthused by it all – and we can only do that by making the music that makes US feel good.” Lineup melees, seven albums and countless worldwide shows later, Darren ‘Daz’ Brookes of BENEDICTION is unequivocal proof that humility and a continued hunger for one’s craft can still coexist after three decades on the proverbial job.
Speaking to Distorted Sound from his home in Birmingham, the original guitarist and mainstay (alongside fellow axeslinger Peter Rew) is affable yet unmistakably sharp in his observations and ruminations; with a sense of humour that’s often biting as he recounts various less-than-favourable encounters on the road with fellow musicians. Spend just a few minutes engaged in conversation and you’ll be quick to recognise that Brookes falls very much into the “grateful but not to be fucked with” category – a mindset borne out of zero initial expectation backed up by unwavering endurance.
“We never expected it to last this long, it’s fucking mental ain’t it?!” Daz chuckles, that unmistakable accent still very much in place after years of global adventures. “We were one of the first death metal bands so we didn’t know if the press were gonna accept it or the punters were gonna accept it or if it was just gonna be a flash in the pan situation. We thought we’d just be playing the clubs about town and it was gonna be a hobby. But 31 years later, I’m still here doing it and releasing albums and doing interviews. But yes, we’re still playing those toilet venues believe you me!”
Granted, it’s a self-deprecating – if not glib – quip, but it’s unsurprising given the onus Brookes and his fellow bandmates place upon the act of remaining humble in this line of work. For these guys, it’s the very people they see in front of them at shows and festivals that have ultimately allowed them to see their dream be played out. “There’s a load of bands I’ve toured with that just go backstage when they’re finished and they’re all “oh I wonder how many T-shirt’s we’ve sold”. The first thing we do is have a quick wash then we get out there and meet the fans, have beers and just be ourselves and chat you know?” Daz insists, his voice rising passionately. “We don’t stand there and pull fucking faces and take ourselves too seriously. I’m in the punters face – I’m just enjoying this gig as much as they are! You’ve got to appreciate [the fans] ‘coz they’re the people who put you up on that stage. You’ve got to do it for yourself first, but you cannot let it go to your head. We’re just lucky people man.”
And the revitalised five-piece are set to let the world have it with eighth album (following a twelve year wait) Scriptures, due for an October 16th release via Nuclear Blast. Having pretty much grown up with the label (“when we started out, they were still working from Markus’ [Staiger – founder] bedroom at his mum’s house”) there’s a mutual level of respect which when combined with an unwillingness to follow trends, resulted in a band carving out their own sound while following their own rules. “Simply put, we don’t release anything we’re unhappy with. We didn’t put blastbeats in ‘coz we were asked to or keyboards, or female vocals. When we wake up on a morning, we still want to feel enthused by it all and we can only do that is by making music that makes US feel good,” he reiterates. “I don’t want to be this rock star earning millions – I just wanna play music that I enjoy. And that’s what’s kept us going. If you’re here to be this multi-millionaire, then I think you’re here for the wrong reasons. You’ve got to be in it for the music. When I write a song, I don’t so much listen to it as look at it. I imagine what it’s gonna look like with the five of us stood onstage – and that’s how I write the music. That’s my philosophy and I’m keeping it! Fuck your so-called blueprints!”
Unfortunately, with Coronavirus continuing to plague life as we know it and Daz’s recalcitrance towards the live streaming concept (“I need that energy of the punters in front of me to give it back to them”) the opportunity to witness BENEDICTION version 2.0 remains to be seen. But, as our conversation draws to a close, the survival of live music in the meantime according to this OG, is simply not to let people forget it – or the artist – exists. “We just need to remember that it’s there. Maybe there’ll be scope to do a live album. But we just don’t know when this is gonna end – if it’s gonna be next month or next year. It’s like something out of a fucking apocalyptic movie,” Daz concludes. “We’ve just got to get in people’s faces, on the interwobble and then when those floodgates finally do open again, we need to make sure we’re at the front of the queue ready to go. And with this album – without trying to sound big headed – I think we’ve got a pretty good chance.” And with no gimmicks, sales or anything else but honesty in mind, we think both fans and newcomers would place their bets on BENEDICTION 2020 too.
Scriptures is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.
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