- BIOGRAPHY -
Following in the footsteps of such legendary bands as Warrior, Rough Cutt and Psychotic Waltz, BENEDICTUM are San Diego, California's mightiest ambassadors to the world of heavy metal.
Invoking power reminiscent of early Rainbow and definitive sound of Savatage, BENEDICTUMS's stylish, epic brand of metal delivers on all fronts: Aggressive riffs, fierce rhythms, strong melodies, shredding leads and delicate textures converge at the crossroads of tradition and 21st century innovation. Veronica Freeman's vocal gymnastics are the pit-bull on the pant leg of heavy metal.
BENEDICTUM quickly came to the attention of Dio guitarist Craig Goldy. Impressed with what he heard, he turned the group on to long-time friend and former band mate, Jeff Pilson (DOKKEN, DIO, FOREIGNER). Equally blown away by the bands raw talent and untapped potential, Pilson took on the role of producer and recorded BENEDICTUM at his Los Angeles area studio, with ZuZu Recording production partner, former Warlock bassist Tommy Henriksen, sharing mixing duties. The result of this collaboration was the incredible debut CD “UNCREATION” in 2005, and released to enthusiastic, fist-pumping reviews. Guest appearances included Jeff Pilson, Craig Goldy and Jimmy Bain.
Producer Jeff Pilson collaborated with vocalist Veronica Freeman, guitarist Pete Wells, drummer Blackie Sanchez, bassist Jesse Wright and keyboardist Chris Morgan. The result was an epic TKO in the face of the hard rock scene, with BENEDICTUM being selected one of the top bands to watch in 2006 by Classic Rock magazine and one of Rock Hard Germany's top 50 albums for that year. Guest appearances on the CD included Jeff Pilson, Craig Goldy and Jimmy Bain.
A second collaboration between Jeff Pilson and BENEDICTUM was their 2008 release, "Seasons of Tragedy", which saw them evolve into a metal force which could not be denied. With Veronica's raw and powerful vocals, songs with memorable melodies and the magical talent of Pete Wells along with new drummer Paul Courtois and the guidance of Jeff Pilson, the CD further solidified the fact that there was something quite special at work here. The album featured guest appearances by Jeff Pilson, Craig Goldy and George Lynch, who added his special flair to the track "Bare Bones" and the cover of ACCEPT's "Balls to the Wall".
Their driving music and energetic shows allowed BENEDICTUM to grace the stage of many festivals, including Wacken Open Air, Gods of Metal and Hard Rock Hell, and landed the band a support tour with DORO.
PISTONS POPPIN
Now ready for yet another amazing chapter, Benedictum are off on a new and exciting musical episode as they have signed a contract with Frontiers Records. Building upon their great foundation Benedictum has recruited Grammy Award winning producer Ryan Greene (Megadeth, F5, NOFX) and are firing on all cylinders. With members Chris Shrum now on bass, Mike Pannone on drums and Tony Diaz on keyboards, the new music promises to continue to expand the horizon for BENEDICTUM and is sure to please current fans as well. Veronica's robust, scruff-grabbing vocals punch through the sound barrier, blasting open the musical spectral envelope.
From the onslaught of the opening track "Dominion" to the epic "Epsilon" and the heartfelt acoustic track "Sanctuary", this album has it all. Adding to the already explosive sound of "Dominion" are guest appearances by Jeff Pilson, Craig Goldy and none other than Rudy Sarzo on the fist-pumping track "Bang".
Crank it up and become a "Victim of Benedictum"!