Tech-induced globo-paranoia, crimes against humanity, enduring parasitic epidemics and the general collapse of civilization spark in mind as the frantic, high-functioning skulls behind Athens, Greece-based technical thrash metal quintet BENEFACTOR DECEASE return a decade later for an inspired sophomore full-length album. Too significant an upgrade to be considered a direct follow-up to their debut ‘Abnormal Attachments‘ aims its psychic blitzkrieg at fusing classicist notions of technical/progressive thrash metal and their abstraction beyond the late 80’s, sporting a deranged yet tragedian affect throughout. Untamed in its erratically shot focus and given to eerie, often interruptive movements we find the band’s work transformed by time and the ever-ramping horrors of the new world. Still, their focus is yet intently upon the riff enough to guarantee both tech-thrash heads and prog metal minds will find inspiration within the maniac vortex conjured.

Benefactor Decease formed back in 2007 for a shared love of ‘old school’ styled thrash metal, at the time neothrash was mid-explosion the world over but from what I’ve gathered these folks weren’t aiming for the usual modern shit from the start. I’d venture a guess that internal issues among prior band members is the reason I can’t find their demo, EP, and split releases on the internet today but you can catch them playing some early songs live at their first show over on YouTube. All that happened between formation, a 2010 split/hiatus, a 2012 reformation and a long-delayed walk up to their debut LP (‘Anatomy of an Angel‘, 2015) isn’t fully accounted for. What I can say is that we could’ve considered them contemporaries of bands like Mentally Defiled and Violent Definition back in the day with some of those folks likewise being associated with The Crucified and whatnot in the 2000’s. If you are a fan of Greek thrash metal the best comparison for this band’s debut was probably Verdict Denied‘s own debut where stoic late 80’s Bay Area thrash sounds met up with the early 2010’s brief obsession over technical thrash (ah via Sadus‘ ‘Swallowed in Black‘) beyond Vektor‘s debut. It was a fine album thanks to a heavier handed focus on the riffs and their (then) bassist/producer’s virtuosic touch on the bass. We do not find that exact same band here ten years later, though, as the only original members from the past are rhythm guitarist Zissis aka Coroner and vocalist Panos “Cut-throat” Toufexidis.

If you can process an analogy entirely in terms of early 90’s Slavic underground thrash metal: With ‘Abnormal Attachments‘ Benefactor Decease shift from a Shah-esque busied riff-fest with echoic almost group-shouted vocals to something closer to Аспид (or even earlier KGB at times) where their riffcraft is now doubly diabolic, a ranting tornadic spree of technical feats set atop acidic rasps and prog-metallic drumming. This is not some ultra polished-up troupe nor are they aiming to weird things up for the sake of it so much as redefine their impact via much improved musicianship with less of a focus on fully ripe production values. For my own taste there is a rugged unevenness applied here in terms of sound design which directly reflects their taste in technical and progressive thrash metal sounds while amping the aggression/speed of their work.

Of course classic Sadus will come to mind per the distant, electrified gnarl from Toufexidis and spastic inclination of Zissis‘ exceptional hand but you will find ‘Abnormal Attachments‘ goes -many- places and doesn’t simply huddle around the riffs for warmth the entire time. “Imprisonment Atrocities” delivers all of this via a seven minute flexing of their vision in exacting order spiking their opus with numerous fusion inspired breaks orbiting an otherwise snarling, spastic abstraction of speed metal movement. The song even has a cheesy neoclassical lead guitar break ~4:53 minutes in, a freak-thrash moment that’ll stand out in mind and catch the passing ear within one of the biggest, most complex pieces from Benefactor Decease to date. Before we get to that point opener “Archbishops of Death” gives us our first taste of the weird shit found in between songs such as the pitch shifted narration, distant harp-like guitar effects and early Obliveon style riffs. From my point of view those first three tracks reflect the growth of the band’s guitar-driven sound over the last decade while setting the listener up for the wilding ride ahead.

There is an element of surprise, an inadvisable level of interruptive sonic experimentation (re: opening for “Gospel of the Antichrist”) which keeps the full listen beguiling in its spread as seemingly incomplete ideas, vignettes, monstrous sounds and longform opuses are sidled together in a frantic, messily presented vision. The effect of these elements clashing and feuding throughout ‘Abnormal Attachments‘ is estranged yet reactive, a level of activity which you’ll have to numb to before appreciating the immersive value of Benefactor Decease‘s general flow. The three songs that make up the middle portion of the album, from “Acid Stalker” through the title track, ultimately become a font of focus (the bulk of the more straight forward action available) as they crack through those ~18 minutes of juddering rhythmus while inserting power/speed metal textures and prog-metallic melodrama to keep the blood flowing. By way of a few good riffs, some shredding and steadying use of tropes they make this work even at their most incoherent (re: “Urban Decay“).

If you are as much a fan of technical thrash metal as I am ‘Abnormal Attachments‘ should immediately catch your attention even if the album art is kinda odd, the full listen is at-times tonally unfocused, and the production values here are somewhat awkward. The lack of bass guitar interest beyond a solo break or two is somewhat disappointing beyond Benefactor Decease‘s debut but this is quickly made up for via a huge leap made per the riff count and quality. While it isn’t the most memorable prog/tech thrash adjacent work in recent times the band’s personality is yet louder and more distinct than ever. Album number two hits like a true upgrade overall and a fine record from a band who create from point of determined fandom and musicianship rather than the latest trend. A moderately high recommendation for the general metal fan but a much higher thumbs up for the thrash obsessed interested in something kinda off-kilter.

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