CD Review: Legion of the Damned ~ Descent Into Chaos
January 12, 2011 by Rustyn Rose
Filed under CD Reviews, Legion of the Damned, Reviews
Legion of the Damned ~ Descent Into Chaos (Massacre)
Released: January 7, 2011
Legion of the Damned (formerly Occult) have been bringing horror inspired death/thrash metal to us for two decades now. This week the Dutch metallers dropped their fifth LotD studio album on us, and fans should be happy with the offering. Chaos Into Descent is easily more cohesive and inspired than 2008′s Cult of the Dead. Chaos has a better foundation and sounds more thought out than their previous effort, and it comes across in the music.
Nothing from Chaos is overtly original, but their brand of thrash is like comfort food for the ears. Track after track from the album opener through the final cut, “Schrapnel Rain,” the band lays down a meaty and filling feast. The production is beefy and the guitars crunchy. To overextend the metaphor, Legion of the Damned just may be metal’s equivelent to the taco. While it’s not gourmet metal, its always good and it fills you up.
When listening to Chaos Into Descent you will pick up bits and pieces of bands like Slayer, Kreator, Sodom, and even Destruction. I hear elements of other bands as well, but Legion of the Damned brings it all together in their own blend of death metal thrash. The album is packed with a combination of heavy bottom, crushing riffs, breakneck rhythms and highlighted by menacing vocals. If you like a lot of chug and groove in your thrash you’ll want this record.
Standout tracks include; “Desolation Empire,” “Hand of Darkness,” “Killzone” and “Lord of the Flies.”
Overall, Descent Into Chaos is an album huge in sound and familiar in style. It’s pure aural mayhem. You won’t regret buying it at all, but you likely won’t wear it out either.
Rating 7.7/10
Track List:
1. Intro – Descent Into Chaos
2. Desolation Empire
3. Holy Blood, Holy War
4. War Is In My Blood
5. Night of the Sabbath
6. The Hand of Darkness
7. Lord of the Flies
8. Killzone
9. Possessed Again
10. Shrapnel Rain
Maurice Swinkels : Vocals
Richard Ebisch : Guitars
Harold Gielen : Bass
Erik Fleuren : Drums
