Review Summary: Nothing more, nothing less: quality thrash / death metal.
The band formerly known as Occult, a Dutch thrash / death metal group, Legion of the Damned (
this name sounds much more impressive, doesn't it?), has released a new album after more than four years. Despite their years of experience (
they have already released eight albums under this name), the band was relatively unknown to me until now, but my encounter with their latest work,
The Poison Chalice, was actually a truly satisfying experience.
In terms of style, Legion of the Damned's music is relatively simple: it's straightforward, crushing thrash metal enriched with death metal elements. One can sense the influence of several major thrash bands (Testament, Kreator, Morbid Saint - and the list goes on), and the good ol' Vader-esque death metal essence is crystal clear in every minute of their music. So, the formula is simple and powerful, but I rarely felt what I experienced with
The Poison Chalice: it's a crushing and adequately diverse album from the very beginning! The album starts with the pleasant and melodic opening of
”Saints in Torment”, but rolling riffs quickly take over the stage, along with fast and snappy solos that reinforce a Vader-esque sensation. To my delight, towards the end of the same track, a few tremolo-picked black metal riffs also sneak in - and I must say, I felt that black metal also left its mark in several places throughout the album. The best example of this is the monstrous song,
"Skulls Adorn the Traitor's Gate", which unintentionally evoked memories of Immortal's most death metal-flavored album,
Blizzard Beasts. (
Bonus homework: compare the aforementioned track with "Mountains Of Might"!) The album's catchiness and absence of filler tracks are strongly supported by excellent studio work as well. Each song is filled with robust riffs, energetic solos (
there's even a bass solo in "Beheading Of The Godhead!"), well-placed tempo changes, all fitting perfectly with the death metal-tailored sound (powerful bass, shredding guitars, raspy growls, thunderous drums, etc.).
Years of experience shows! Legion of the Damned's latest album is an outstanding release, and its forty-seven-minute runtime feels quite ”light" due to its consistently excellent quality. It’s a simply well-written record, without any unnecessary embellishments or deviations - a true thrash / death metal powerhouse that one can happily listen to again and again.
