Recent Reviews

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

December 2023

November 2023

[ More Music Reviews ]


Benesser: The Start Of Something New
Benesser - The Start Of Something New Album Review

Benesser: The Start Of Something New

Modern/Alternative Melodic Hard Rock
3.5/5.0

The story of Sweden's Benesser begins when three youngsters, neighbors as it were, only nine years old begin jamming in a old barn. The practiced and played under the name No Brakes for many years, hitting some prominent festivals and winning some band competition. Eventually No Brakes got old and three changed the name of the band to Benesser, the first inhabitant of there village. The Start of Something New is their first full-length album, after 15 years of being together.

Benesser Photo

Benesser: what's around the corner?

Benesser plays what could be generally called modern or alternative melodic hard rock. Some have compared them to Muse, thanks to layered sound of big riffs and atmosphere, and there's something to that comparison when listening to Is It You, by example.

Something that puts them ahead of other modern alt band is Henric Hermansson's traditional yet compelling rock guitar solos, and their ability to fuse a bit of progressive rock into their arrangements. You'll hear the former throughout the disc, but the guitar work is quite inspired within Sleepless Nights, Colors, and the brilliant Is It You (definitely the best song here). You get the latter prog nuances with Where Silence Prevails and For the Eyes of the Lord, another big sounding song with massive riffage played against some light guitar work.

That's some of the surprise with Benesser: you think a song is going to be merely a wall of riffs, but then something interesting erupts within. Examples are Colors which seems all riffs and bass, then explodes with a whopping big guitar solo, or the title track which ends with some vigorous guitar work and a flourish of drums.

The Start of Something New is solid and interesting accomplishment for Benesser, even while the enter the competitive modern music market. Yet they could easily find audiences for their music from Sweden to the UK to the States. Recommended.


Benesser - Where O Death (Official Music Video)





CraigHartranft.net - New fiction, crime fiction by Craig Hartranft

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

In Short

With The Start of Something New, Sweden's Benesser enters the competitive modern alternative rock market with solid and persuasive album that should appeal to fans of the genre.

Find A Review

Alphabetical Index

a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z #
New & Notable
Read the Lords Of Black: Mechanics Of Predacity Album Review

Once more we return to multi-national band Lords Of Black which features Ronnie Romero (v), Dani Criado (b), Jo Nunez (d), and founder, guitarist, and principal songwriter Tony Hernando. After a three year ... [ Read More ]