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Song of Freedom, Word of Warning

by Benefactor

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Jewel case with full-color, 4- panel insert featuring lyrics and original cover art by Vinnie Tweten, printed by Copycats Media.

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    “Song of Freedom, Word of Warning” CD bundled with new Benefactor logo T-shirt designed by Vinnie Tweten. White ink on black shirt- extra comfy Belle Canvas shirt, printed by Jensen Creative.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Song of Freedom, Word of Warning via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    “Song of Freedom, Word of Warning” CD bundled with new Benefactor logo T-shirt designed by Vinnie Tweten. Black ink on grey shirt- extra comfy Belle Canvas shirt, printed by Jensen Creative.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Song of Freedom, Word of Warning via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days

      $22 USD or more 

     

  • Cassette + Digital Album

    “Song of Freedom, Word of Warning” on limited edition cassette, courtesy of See You Never Records. Blue variation of artwork by Vinnie Tweten. Album on Side A, bonus track on Side B. Only 25 printed!

    Includes unlimited streaming of Song of Freedom, Word of Warning via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days
    edition of 25  7 remaining

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  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 4 Benefactor releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Song of Freedom, Word of Warning, Live in Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium 07/24/13, Antiphon, and Survive. , and , .

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1.
All I carried with me into death was the hope that I’d see tomorrow through kinder eyes that grace would provide me the strength to forgive Our Murderers All I knew as I stumbled back to life were the last words of a madman shouted through fever unto deaf ears You and I were made to carry this knowledge to fall through a hole in black space to wonder at the nothing we made God in every moment falling reaching for one another, our murderers our souls inert
2.
All I carried with me into death was the hope that I’d see tomorrow through kinder eyes that grace would provide me the strength to forgive Our Murderers All I knew as I stumbled back to life were the last words of a madman shouted through fever unto deaf ears You and I were made to carry this knowledge to fall through a hole in black space to wonder at the nothing we made God in every moment falling reaching for one another, our murderers our souls inert
3.
Consider the failure of the witness at his desk- to punish the conqueror through the reckoning of hindsight to revive the missing in history they remain defaced to acknowledge a science of misery an account settled in death What would you do with his name? The truth of his lineage, the dead who carried him here? You’d strike them from river and rock to stand over him again this hour. Flesh denied origin Souls made currency Unnamed at birth Unmade in bondage The end of dignity is the mandate of Hell. How does one labor to buy back his name? He takes up the yoke, to deliver foul masters. What is his name, divided from his dead? An anthem of torture, the hymn of the slaver. Brother, may fire reclaim you to speak prophecy from behind charred teeth to gather remains in smoldering hands.
4.
Your are not my first lost cause no leader among ghosts no author of new blasphemy You wish to drown beneath gravel and broken glass the fragments of other lives drown out the sound of daylight. When you emerge from this canyon and cast off the filth of our travels you may discover the source of your affliction and recognize the name of your captor. When you discover my mark and the lash in my hand remember that I lead you from nothing out of collapse into ecstasy. I will draw the sound out of you to deafen all travelers behind us This is the price of living- my name the song of freedom a word of warning inscribed in breath carried a lifetime devoid of meaning

about

Fargo, ND – Brace yourself for an exhilarating experience as BENEFACTOR make their much-anticipated return after six years away from the stages. Their new album, Song of Freedom, Word of Warning, is slated for release at the Dakota Decibel Festival on August 26th, and features the raw intensity, passionate lyrics and pure battering heaviness that Benefactor is known for. The album promises to leave fans old and new in confused awe, crushed in wake of Benefactor’s beautiful destruction.


Song of Freedom, Word of Warning showcases the essence of Benefactor at its finest. The songs come alive through the collaborative brilliance of Max Johnk, Tyler Loranger, and Cody Zitzow. Their 17 year partnership brings forth a potent mix of Zitzow’s dissonant guitar riffs, Loranger’s thundering drums, and Jonhk’s pummeling basslines. Through Johnk’s profound and haunting lyrics the album explores the complexities of history, oppression, resilience, and the pursuit of dignity and justice. The powerful imagery and emotional language express a sense of urgency, and reflect on the human experience.


“The music on Song of Freedom, Word of Warning is many years old at this point, some dating back as far as 2014. We had planned on recording this album long before we stopped playing in 2017, but life intervened. With it being so old at this point, we’ve been talking amongst ourselves about how much of this music was a natural development from what we’d done earlier, rather than being a radical departure. I think we were just getting to our “mature style”, where we were informed by our influences, rather than directly imitating them. We had refined our songwriting too- I’m certainly biased, but I think these songs have clearer structures and more meaningful development than our oldest material. These songs are still long, but we hope that the listener hears things evolving and constantly shifting, and that the momentum doesn’t lag. I think we’d absorbed some noise rock and black metal textures into our thing over the years too- hopefully in a way that feels natural,” says Max Johnk.


Firmly entrenched on Fargo’s Mount Rushmore of metal bands, Benefactor has cultivated a loyal fan base over 17 years of electrifying live performances. With their latest release, the band aims to reach a wider audience while intoxicating metal enthusiasts close to home and worldwide.


Be prepared to immerse yourself in Song of Freedom, Word of Warning this fall, and stay tuned for more news from Benefactor as they make their long-awaited return.

credits

released September 1, 2023

Max Johnk- Bass and Vocals
Tyler Loranger- Drums
Cody Zitzow- Guitar


Music and lyrics originally composed 2014-2017.
Resurrected, refined 2023.
Music - Johnk, Loranger, Zitzow
Lyrics - Johnk


Recorded May 29 - July 11, 2023 in Moorhead, MN.
Engineered and mixed by Max Johnk.
Mastered by Ryan Cofer.
Album artwork and logo by Vinnie Tweten.
Physical album layout by Max Johnk.

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Benefactor Fargo, North Dakota

Benefactor is a dynamic progressive sludge metal band hailing from Fargo, ND. With their compelling blend of thought provoking lyrics, masterfully crafted, beautiful, yet horrifying sounds, and legendarily sweaty performances, the band has cemented their place in the Midwest metal scene. Now back from early retirement, Benefactor continues to push the boundaries of the genre with each release.. ... more

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