Benighted

Originating in France, the heavy metal band Benighted first explored blackened death metal before committing fully to deathgrind. The group surfaced in the late 1990s, drawing its initial members from regional acts Dishumanized, Darkness Fire, and Osgiliath. Their 2000 debut album generated strong impact, after which they issued a series of influential grindcore and death metal records including Insane Cephalic Production in 2004, Icon in 2007, Asylum Cave in 2011, and Necrobreed in 2018, consistently developing new extremes of sonic violence and lyrical darkness.

Assembled in Saint-Étienne around vocalist Julien Truchan, guitarists Liem N'Guyen and Olivier Gabriel, drummer Fred Fayolle, and bassist Chart, the band unveiled its volatile mix of black metal and grindcore on the self-titled debut in 2000. Adipocere Records took notice and signed them the following year. Adopting a more technical death metal style without blackened elements, they delivered Psychose in 2002. Chart soon exited, replaced on tour by bassist Remy Aubrespin. Additional changes preceded the 2004 release of Insane Cephalic Production, with Eric Lombard assuming bass duties. Kristian Kohlmannslehner produced that album and every subsequent session. The next two years brought nonstop touring with major metal acts such as Morbid Angel, Deicide, Fear Factory, Slipknot, and Soulfly. Adding thrash, groove metal, and hardcore ingredients, they released Identisick in 2006. Longtime drummer Fayolle departed next and was succeeded by Kevin Foley, who appeared on the 2007 album Icon. In 2009 Benighted signed with Season of Mist, issuing their first release for the label, Asylum Cave, in 2011. Carnivore Sublime followed in 2014, and Necrobreed, the band's eighth studio album, arrived in 2017.