Legion of Doom - The Tyrant with the Seven Heads EP (2015)

Had you asked me 15 or more years ago, I might have told you that Greece's Legion of Doom was a competent proponent of traditional European black metal that, while secondary to their more sonically unique, better known countrymen, were capable of holding their own. Sadly, while the ensuing decade produced one album of worth (The Horned Made Flesh in 2008), it was simply not a benchmark of evolution within the band's sound or songwriting to the degree that it would make many waves in a scene whose flagships had already set sail or were still in the process of treading sea. Their surrounded efforts, including 2012's The Summoning of Shadows were perhaps the most mundane in their substantial 25 year history, but the Legion presses on with a new, limited run 7" featuring two tracks.

Though they've undergone more savage transitions in the past, The Tyrant with the Seven Heads is a fairly seasoned array of melodic black metal, with heavy emphasis placed on the melancholic majesty of its tremolo picked guitar lines and the ungodly rasp of bassist/vocalist Daimon. Rhythmically the focus is on blast beat patterns interspersed with fills, pretty standard sounding fare that many would find indistinguishable from countless other bands throughout the 90s and beyond. That's not to say they execute this style poorly, because the instrumental mix here is quite nice, the guitars are very often level and harmonized and they thankfully don't rely on endless repetition of the same riffs, but at the same time there are very few guitar progressions throughout the choices here that will resonate for long since they are primarily just alterations upon others the veteran black metal listener has heard hundreds if not thousands of times before. Bass lines are buried between the rhythm guitars though it wasn't a loss I really felt much listening through.

While they do at least one breakdown of note in the B-side title cut, and a few guitar-only passages, there is just so little of note when it comes to variations in tempo or ideas, so the two tunes really feel like one-trick ponies and that's only going to appeal to a portion of the genre's loyalists who fell in love with that style through albums like De Mysteriis dom Sathanas or Transilvanian Hunger and found themselves unable to disengage in any further exploration. This is by no means a categorically  bad recording, and in fact I'd say the songs are the equal or better of most on their last full-length, but it doesn't hold out much hope that these long time under-groundskeepers will knock a record out of the park any time soon. Sure, there is an argument to be made for the fact that they stick to their guns, but the attention span of much of the black metal audience has become bulletproof in the ensuing decades, pursuing either grisly, archaic retro sounds, total headcleaning blasting blitzkriegs, or nuanced folk, prog, speed and heavy metal influences. Legion of Doom will forever have my respect, but without better and/or more interesting songs, that won't translate into a share of my ever- diminished listening time. This EP is a serviceable intro to their style, but interested parties would be better off tracking down For Those of the Blood or The Horned Made Flesh.

Verdict: Indifference [5.75/10]

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Legion of Doom - The Summoning of Shadows (2012)

The hurdles faced by Athens' Legion of Doom are not those of musical competence or authenticity, but those of redundancy and the dearth of ingenuity which plagues a lot of those mid-tier European black metal outfits, even those with a 20+ year history. These Greeks have a solid backlog of records like For Those of the Blood and The Horned Made Flesh, and have never truly disappointed, yet they're still complacent in arm wrestling against the law of averages. Certainly, they've powered through most of their matches to emerge victorious, but not without a struggle. One that persists through this latest offering The Summoning of Shadows out through Zyklon-B productions. For all intensive purposes, this is a solid, proficient black metal album with a mild atmospheric flair, but that's unfortunately where it begins and ends.

To put it bluntly: a band which has been around as long as this one has no choice but to provoke higher expectations from the black metal audience, expectations which are simply not met with this fifth full-length. The strange torment of the vocals, and the atmospheric embellishments are about the only things keeping this from an utter state of banality due to the bland riffing sequences. Legion of Doom, once kicking their death and grind roots to the curb and transforming into the black metal entity most would recognize, have never shared that sense for novelty as their peers like Varathron or Rotting Christ. Apart from the infusion of classical and orchestral elements that have occasionally appeared through their records, this is more of an 'assembly-line' style of black metal with its roots in groups like Mayhem, Emperor, Marduk, Enthroned, and the like. Tremolo picked notes and rapid ridges of chords and dissonance that never really deviate from predictable outcomes. Double bass and blast beats which feel more obligatory than passionate. Symphonic intro and outro which in this case are sadly thwarted by the muddled, masculine goofiness of their narration. The bass never feels important whatsoever.

This would all be fine if the tunes at the core of The Summoning of Shadows were any good, but I found it incredibly difficult to generate any interest with the vapid progressions in "An Infra Calling" or "The Garden of Flesh", which are little more than retreads of Northern forebears. Don't get me wrong: Legion of Doom play in key, they play in syncopation, and they can muscle their way through material as if the dynamics on offer were second nature. Fits of cold hostility are balanced with more soothing segues (like the cleaner melodic guitars in "The Garden of Flesh"), but when one steps back a few paces and absorbs the work as a whole, it feels all too comfortably structured. Those with a massive amount of nostalgia for the Norse and Swedish studio efforts of the later 90s might appreciate this sense of familiarity which clearly left and imprint on these Greeks' creative process, but even in that particular niche there is no feeling that this music excels or pays lavish tribute to its inspirations. Coupled with the cheesy bookends, and the lack of much content, this is easily the least impressive Legion of Doom record I've heard yet.

Verdict: Indifference [5.75/10]

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Legion of Doom - The Horned Made Flesh (2008)

Legion of Doom had already released a few good albums in their earlier years, namely Kingdom of Endless Darkness and For Those of the Blood, but neither was necessarily outstanding, just a decent and competent foray into a mildly symphonic style of Norwegian and Swedish styled black metal with reasonable production qualities and solid riff-writing. Call it a 'maturation' if you will, but The Horned Made Flesh attempts to further integrate these classical elements directly into its storming metal core, and succeeds, easily supplanted its predecessors as the band's best. However, I should say that if one is not interested in the mid-90s eloquence bands like Emperor and Dimmu Borgir incorporated into their classic records, then The Horned Made Flesh is not apt to change that opinion.

Still, it's quite good, a natural copulation of cosmic and mythological themes with melodies of bewitchment and grandeur, and the entire album is fairly pleasant to listen through. In fact, outside of Daimon's pernicious rasping, I'd daresay that this was one of the more 'accessible' Greek black metal records I've heard, and by no means do I mean that as an insult. Everything is superbly and professionally mixed, from the sweeping orchestral synthesizers to the clean and distorted guitars, drums and vocals. But fear not, because Legion of Doom haven't lost that edge of aggression required by their genre; tracks like "The Astral Ur" and "Sacred Spirals" still blast along with muscle and finesse, and the construction of guitars is not a far cry from For Those of the Blood or their third, less impressive album God is Dead. Though none of the songs here is so bloated as to wear thin its welcome, I was actually impressed by the more spacious tracks like the 7+ minute "Serpent of Caduceus", with its yawning, ritual intro and eerie chanting.

They've also included an update to "For Those of the Blood" from the album of the same name, which is streamlined here with the newer content through the production, but fits in extremely well. The Horned Made Flesh does have one mild weakness in that a lot of the riffs are not the sort that could support themselves without the flair and fashion of the orchestral ingredients, instead cut from a pretty stock array of Scandinavian style chord maneuvers in the dark, but then, you're not being asked to listen to them independently. In short, it's not full of instant thrills, or highly memorable melodies, but something that must be taken as a whole. It might feel a decade out of place (most of their albums do), but there is no questioning the consistency and professionalism with which Legion of Doom produces their material, and The Horned Made Flesh has set them a new waterm...err, slaughter-mark to surpass.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

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Legion of Doom - God is Dead (2005)

Perhaps the most melodic and atmospheric of Legion of Doom's works, God is Dead expands upon the average but appreciable legacy of the prior albums with a better sense for variation and narrative embellishments. That's not to say that I necessarily like it more than Kingdom of Endless Darkness or For Those of the Blood, and in fact I feel it has less of an ultimate impact. But it's clearly a positive that the band would mildly reinvent themselves for such a release rather than persist as a 90s Scandinavian sound-alike. The classic artwork and Nietzschean overtones of the title seem like a swerve away from the mythological and fantastic Greek elements the band were lyrically incorporating, but this is not actually the case: God is Dead is just as concerned with the divine, occult and ritualistic as its precursors.

The Legion of Doom truly paces itself with this album, giving the majority of the tracks room to breathe. "Necromantion" is almost Cradle of Filth-like, with a ton of Gothic based keys, a cutesy rasp and deeper, conversational narrative being applied to the thrusts of moderate speed. "Bridge of Lunar Tears" returns to a raunchier, desperate melodic strain of writing with thick streams of melancholia in the notation; while "Lasselanta" hones further in on the guitars, for some memorable, mid-paced melodies that accelerate much like a lot of the Swedish 90s melodic death metal (At the Gates, Dissection, old In Flames or Dark Tranquillity). Ditto for "Sacrifice and War" and "Ancient Wisdom Within", the latter my favorite single track on the album. There are also a couple of pompous, ambient/organ pieces like "Message from the Gods" and "Illusions" that are very well managed, although they don't necessarily do wonders for the overall structure of the album.

God is Dead does feel a decade too late. Had this album dropped in 1995, it would have likely become a veritable cult favorite. The sound, the riffing, all seem highly redolent of black and melodic black/death releases of that period, and it carries a clear current of accessibility when compared to either of the previous records. Then again, they DID release two decent efforts during that period, and received little fanfare, as those fascinated by the emergent Hellenic scene were likely more interested in the unique sounds of Rotting Christ, Necromantia, etc. I will admit that the album plays it rather safe, and there's not a song among these which I'd rank alongside past pieces like "ARSIS...God of Brutal War", "The Black Queen", "For Those of the Blood" in terms of total quality. The cleaner production and generally slower tempos here are not unwelcome or unpleasant, but it doesn't scream cult classic either. One of those albums I could listen to and nod along with, then subsequently forget that I ever had experienced.

Verdict: Indifference [6.75/10] (I ignore them from my throne)

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Legion of Doom - For Those of the Blood (1997)

It's rather a surprise that Legion of Doom's sophomore effort was not more highly regarded upon its inception, because its easily one of the better produced black metal records of its day, and takes some marginal strides beyond the debut Kingdom of Endless Darkness in terms of songwriting quality and overall impact. Perhaps it was the fact that people were not yet suckling at the trough for the Greek underground (sadly, they still aren't), or the NSBM connotations the band had developed (though most of their lyrics dabble elsewhere), but For Those of the Blood deserved better than it got. Granted, this is hardly a front runner for cult classic status, and it's not the most innovative nor memorable record in its class, but it's timeless enough that it doesn't sound an inkling less fresh now than then.

You'll note that the synthesized symphonic touches have increased here, not only through the pure organ/ambient segues "Sunrise of the Golden Dawn" and "Το Μυςτικο Του Κοχυλιou" but also incorporated straight into the charging black metal rhythms; especially useful in the grand, desperate opener "Narjniian's Eternal Winter", through which the grinding melodies are granted a Gothic grandeur of anfractuous organ play. Or the bridge of the title track, in which the band's draconian thunder is adjoined by a soaring keyboard clarion. Mostly, I'm reminded of the 1994 epic In the Nightside Eclipse by Emperor, only slightly less complex in execution and decidedly cleaner in production. I never got the same impression of tortured, wintry darkness as there, but Legion of Doom played pretty fast and unrelenting without ignoring the virtues of variation, and I enjoy how some of the blasts drop out, spoken words are introduced over the still-driving chords ("For Those of the Blood"), a prime precursor to hostile escalation.

Still, there are songs in here which do become rather vapid and predictable in riffing patterns ("Ερινυες... Δαιμωνες Φτερωτoi" or the brief "Messenger..."), and even at its heights, the first three tracks, the album is not strictly memorable. There's nothing here necessarily that you hadn't already gotten better from several predecessors out of Scandinavia, and it does ignore the characteristic Greek glories of slower to mid paced material overborne with pagan eccentricities. The lyrical topics here range from mythology to pride to black magick, and they definitely pay homage to their country's great past here, through Daimon's grimy and constipated rasping. To its credit, For Those of the Blood does sound just as polished and potent as it did those many years ago, and for those seeking out the balanced attack inclement in much of the European black underground of the mid-90s, it's worth hearing. Just don't expect to be struck down by a feat of Herculean proportions.

Verdict: Win [7.25/10]

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Legion of Doom - Kingdom of Endless Darkness (1995)

Legion of Doom have an interesting parallel to Rotting Christ in that both bands started their careers within the death/grind mold and then branched out into the black metal genre. However, the end result of this mutual transformation were quite different. Where the latter breathed new life into the style through their glorious, unique writing imbued with the dry thrash tone and melodic climes, Legion of Doom simply hammer the listener with a hypnotic repetition not unlike one might find in the majority of Scandinavian black metal, or perhaps earlier Graveland (though these Greeks are less sloppy). That's not to say that this more predictable approach is worse for wear, because they can write a half-decent riff and slather it in a ghastly architecture and atmosphere with the best of them, but I've certainly felt like nodding off at several points on this album, despite its strengths.

Kingdom of Endless Darkness was their first full-form release, after a handful of splits and demos starting in 1990, and it seems primarily centered around the 16 minute bloat of its title track, "Kingdom of Endless Darkness (ADES)". Pretty ambitious for your debut album, and sad to say that this track becomes too highly repetitious, with only mild variations in the actual riff construction. I'm not opposed to the technique if the core guitar lines are suitably expressive and evocative, but these are not, and it seems to rely too heavily on the grisly vocals, which stretch above it the monotonous mass like a blood lusted raptor wheeling above its prey, the clarion carrion calls drifting some distance on the death stench. Once you get to the shorter tracks like "Hymn to the Fiendish Veleth" or glorious, driving "ARIS...God of Brutal War" (with its potent subtext of distorted bass), the album is far more successful. For 2-5 minutes, these chaps can carry a tune like a battle standard, and such can also be said through "The Black Queen". There is one other, extended tune in "The Desecration", but this is choked with infernal, thriving melodies and variation which rescue it from the same claptrap as "Kingdom...", not to mention its only about half the length.

I do love the production here. Archaic and ghoulish like an unending nightmare, but not without a subtle hint of glory spiked through its warlike carapace. The vocals are superb, the guitars at the right amount of abyssal fuzz, the drums solid and the bass ugly where it needs to be. Of all the 'first wave' Greek black metal acts (let's say from about 1991-1995), Legion of Doom is closest to creating an aural mirror to the tale of Tityos, the giant who was doomed to have its entrails fed on daily by a pair of ravenous vultures, in the hellish prison of Tartarus. Malevolent, assured, and steadier than almost any of their peers, they also presented one of the more spiteful extremes of the genre, lyrics wreathed in hatred for the devout who walked in the light above. Kingdom of Endless Darkness might actually represent the most 'traditional' or approaches to the black metal genre in all of the Hellenic sect, but outside of the far too swollen title track, they make a reasonable and appreciably wretched work of it.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

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