On the surface, Benedictum are a five-piece heavy metal band from San Diego that, despite a few surprises under the surface, seems to have a dominating obsession with Ronnie James Dio.

      To begin, after several listens I finally looked at the booklet and discovered that the Dio sound-alike on vocals is actually a woman named Veronica Freeman. Secondly, Benedictum choose to include not one, but two Dio-era Black Sabbath covers on this album ("Heaven and Hell" and "Mob Rules"). Thirdly, the Dio connection goes even a bit further by way of producer Jeff Pilson, best known as bassist for Dokken who also played with Dio. Pilson also plays all of the bass tracks on the recording. And last but not least, guitarist Craig Goldy – formerly of Dio, Rough Cutt, and Giuffria – makes a guest appearance on "Valkyrie Rising" and "Jimmy Bain."

      That said, Benedictum are not a Dio tribute band. They tend to lean a lot more toward progressive metal than Dio and also leave out the dragons in favor of more tangible subjects. The musicianship is top notch, with huge sounding guitars, spectacular drumming and tasteful use of keyboard fills.

      Guitarist Pete Wells lets loose with terrific solos in "Wicca" and "Benedictum," while drummer Blackie Sanchez plays like a quasi-limbed beast on "Them." But in the end it is Freeman who steals the show. She propels herself into the ring of elite metal singers alongside Geoff Tate, Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson. Yes, she is that good. Freeman demonstrates tremendous vocal range throughout the album and is extremely powerful in her delivery.

      Frankly, the album's only downfall is the inclusion of the straightforward cover of "The Mob Rules." Seriously, two Black Sabbath covers on one album? Oh well, nobody’s perfect, but this album is extremely good and a must have for anybody looking for that elusive out-of-the-mainstream gem.

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