Sometimes I forget that Legion of the Damned is still around. One of the most consistent death-thrashers in the business, this Dutch quintet has been crushing skulls for nearly two decades. Not to mention their previous moniker, Occult, dropped five LPs from 1992 until the name change in 2005. While Occult has some tasty records to explore, it wasn’t until their name change that Legion of the Damned started making real standout music. I remember being blown away by the badassery that is 2007’s Sons of the Jackal. Whenever I find myself thinking back on that album, I typically spend a week with it on repeat. But, no matter how old these gents get, they never soften. And this year’s Poison Chalice once again proves that there’s no room for posers, and please keep your hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times.
Legion of the Damned uses a simple approach in the songwriting: slinging trash licks, bone-crunching death charges, and a vocal style that screams at you like when you broke the living room window with a baseball. Sometimes, you’ll hear melodic elements sneaking their way in, along with some soaring solo work. But, typically, it’s short-lived as the song usually turns on itself and devours anything resembling “beauty” in its chords. The vocals alternate between rasps, barks, and sinister lows, and the lyrics are always pissed-the-fuck-off. If you know the band, the only question is, will Poison Chalice reach Sons of the Jackal level? It’s never a question of this new record being bad. I haven’t heard anything terrible from LotD, and I don’t think I ever will.
Like a fucking psychic, I’m entirely correct on that front. You can expect some tracks that don’t hit the mark, but nothing here is bad. The opener, “Saints of Torment,” is one track that doesn’t quite pack the same punch as others It opens with a standard LotD riff and pace, but it isn’t until the back half of the song that I’m really sold. But, while “Saints in Torment” has some redeeming qualities that keep the song interesting, poor “Retaliation” is nothing but filler. It isn’t special because it’s the intermission from sides A to B.
It’s a bummer that “Retaliation” doesn’t cut it because everything after is killer, like the back-to-back duo of “Savage Intent” and “Chimes of Flagellation.” Both songs have similar vibes that swap out the gnarly, deathly attitude of the rest of the album with a not-completely-“upbeat” groove. “Savage Intent” is a super fun track that charges through thrashly licks before erupting into some kickass triplets on the back end. “Chimes of Flagellation” flows along with the same character but with subtle melodic touches that add a pleasing layer. Other tracks worth mentioning are “Contamination” and “Beheading of the Godhead.” The first is a balanced combination of death and thrash that erupts into a back-breaking lick supported by a sinister, low vocal approach to match. “Beheading of the Godhead,” though, is a death trap of mid-paced riffage that hits fucking hard.
In the end, Poison Chalice is not Sons of the Jackal. That said, there’s a lot here to enjoy. Minus a couple of tracks that don’t quite pull their weight, the closing title track rushes by and doesn’t deliver the final punch the album begs for. That aside, Poison Chalice has plenty for older fans (and newer ones) to enjoy. The dueling guitar solos, rumbling bass, and earth-shuttering drum work support the maniacal vocals. And, as I said before, it’s always been that way. So, if you want a bandwagon to jump onto, LotD has a lot of good-to-great albums for you to enjoy.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: Stream (of piss) | Format Reviewed: No idea
Label: Napalm Records
Websites: legionofthedamned.bandcamp.com | legionofthedamned.net | facebook.com/lotdofficial
Releases Worldwide: June 9th, 2023
