Benediction (Reverend David Ingram) interview
Interview by Mickey E.Vil (Radio Onda D’Urto FM, The Mugshots).
Hi dear David! How is your perception of these weird days of sanitary emergency?
How do! Yeah, this year has been pretty chaotic so far. For me it started with my hospital visits and the hip replacement, then while I was healing up the pandemic began. I think some countries stepped up and treated it very seriously (Denmark being one) but there were many that did not, which has caused this virus, and the lockdown, to last far longer. Let us hope we can have a vaccine and get back to normal soon.
Which has been your feelings as you re-joined Benediction after all these years?
It’s been fantastic, it really has. We soon got back into the old humour from the initial moment. The first 6 months (pre-quarantine) was quite busy for us, with not only working on the new album – writing and recording – but also the gigs that were planned. But 2020 soon proved it was going to be a tough year, and everything was halted.
Scriptures: what shall the fans expect from Benediction’s long awaited come-back? I can hear some good Old School vibes delivered by a damn powerful modern production!
It’s definitely old school death metal, that’s for sure. I mean…would Benediction create anything else? A lot of thought was put into the writing process by all involved, and we reviewed what we had and made any necessary changes to give it the best feel in our minds. The production needed to be precise, and that’s exactly what Scott Atkins gave us. Complete precision.
Which topics have been covered in the lyrics of the album?
Quite a aide range of subjects really, including Satanism, mental and physical illness, Horror movies, Werewolves just to name a few…there’s definitely enough to satisfy all OSDM fans.
Tell us something about Simon Harris’ amazing artwork and about the physical formats of Scriptures. Fans from the old days and also the new ones should be delighted I guess, in this weird digital era!
I’m not totally sure about the formats that are going to be available, though I know there will be CDs and vinyl, and presumably a digital download if one desires. The artwork was amazing, and we loved it from the moment we saw it. We passed on some ideas to Simon, to give it a small tweak here and there and it really turned out perfect for us. The ideal emotional feeling came from it. Here’s something you may not know: The artist Simon Harris used to play bass in Benediction. It was for a short time, but he toured with us around Europe in 1992, along with Bolt Thrower.
What has been the BEST and what has been the WORST of being a Death Metal legend in the glorious Nineties?
If anyone complains about that, or even so much as gives a “I hated this because…” reply then they should have their metalhead card revoked! There was NOTHING bad about being in a death metal band in the 90s. It was pure fun, and pre-internet…so you had to go out and actually get your hands dirty with the work. The 90s were definitely glorious. And as for ‘legend’…yeah, I’ll go with that.
Which are your memories of the days with mighty Bolt Thrower?
There are many great and wonderful memories of my almost 6 year tenure in that band, which I will take with me forever. In fact there are too many for me to list them. Suffice to say it was an absolute honour to be able to be a part of that awesome war machine. I had been a die-hard fan since their first releases, so to actually front the band was a dream come true.
What can you tell us about your renowned activity on the radio both with Metal Breakfast Radio and Lambert’s Basement?
Well “Lambert’s Basement” is currently on extended hiatus, but the old shows are available to listen to over at www.RadioFreeSatan.com – Remember that it’s a Big Band Jazz show, so may not be to every metalhead’s taste. My other show “Metal Breakfast Radio” is still going strong after 12 and a half years, though in a somewhat limited manner (it’s very sporadic, especially in these Corona times) That show is pretty different from other metal shows. We listen to new music, and rate it while it plays. If we dislike it, it gets Exterminated and blown up. It’s a bit like the Gong Show, only there’s more alcohol involved. It can be harsh, but it’s funny. Plus it’s free to download! I’ll put a lot of links at the end of the interview, if folks are interested.
How is the life of a brand new Priest of the Church Of Satan? How much will this issue affect your music?
I’ve been a Church of Satan member for 12 years now. A few years ago I was elevated to the degree of Warlock. Most recently I was once again elevated to Priest. My title is now Reverend David Ingram. It was a very proud moment to receive this, and my eyes did get a little misty. In no way will it affect my music, for Benediction or any of my other band projects. I mean, why would it?
Which final message and greeting would you send out to the Italian fans?
Stay true to the scene and the scene will stay true to you. And each and every one of you STAY SAFE!
Don’t forget to check out my other bands as well as my radio shows at the following links:
www.facebook.com/DownAmongTheDeadMen
www.facebook.com/MetalBreakfastRadio
www.facebook.com/DaveIngramOfficial
www.facebook.com/LambertsBasement
ww.facebook.com/HellfrostAndFire
www.facebook.com/EchelonOfficial
www.facebook.com/UrsinneBand
www.facebook.com/Troikadon
www.metalbreakfastradio.com
www.RadioFreeSatan.com
www.darksentinel.dk
Twitter/Instagram: @MetalBreakfast
There’s more of my music coming in 2021 with Hellfrost And Fire, Echelon, and Ursinne releases.
Oh, and of course………Hail Satan!
