Legion Of The Damned

Descent Into Chaos

Written by: MST on 07/03/2011 13:38:05

Before comparing the grades of this review and AB's review of Legion of the Damned's 2008 opus "Cult Of The Dead", readers should note that I disagreed with that review, because I think that "Cult Of The Dead" was a very good album. "Descent Into Chaos" is the fourth studio album from the Dutch thrash metallers since they abandoned their old band Occult. The last three, "Malevolent Rapture", "Sons Of The Jackal" and "Cult Of The Dead" have all been very good records according to this scribe. Does the new album deliver the same quality as the rest of their discography?

The first thing that jumps to my mind after listening to the record is the apparent lack of energy overall compared to any of their past records. Don't get me wrong though, if you listen to any of the recommended tracks you'll get LOTD doing what they do best. We're talking thrash metal with bucketloads of energy in songs like "War Is In My Blood", "Killzone" and the excellent "Holy Blood, Holy War" which contains a riff that I've been unable to get out of my head for several days, and must be the most catchy riff they ever wrote. LOTD master their genre perfectly, and they always have, which is why it puzzles me that they, for some mysterious reason, chose to write a couple of slow songs that I simply do not understand. "Shrapnel Rain" and "Lord Of The Flies" are the type of songs that would provide an appreciated pause in speed and brutality in some genres but simply do not belong in this type of thrash metal (in my opinion, at least). A quick search on the internet reveals that there are plenty who think that "Shrapnel Rain" and "Lord Of The Flies" are some of the highlights though, but that's all about personal taste. What I love about LOTD (showcased best on this album in the song "Holy Blood, Holy War") is what they've done on 95% of all their past songs, and I never get tired of it.

The last song on the album is a re-recording of their classic song "Legion Of The Damned" from their first album "Malevolent Rapture". I don't see the purpose of this re-recording as the production then and now is more or less the same, and there have been only tiny modifications to the song. It is however still a great song that leaves an example of how LOTD should sound, which makes "Descent Into Chaos" look like a decent record for fans of the genre, but a slight letdown for LOTD fans like me who love the unrelenting energy of their fast songs.

7

Download: War Is In My Blood; Holy Blood, Holy War; Killzone; Desolation Empire
For The Fans Of: Dew-Scented, Slayer, early Sepultura
Listen: MySpace

Release date 07.01.2011
Massacre Records

Related Items | How we score?
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

Legal

© Copyright MMXXIV Rockfreaks.net.