ALBUM REVIEW: The Poison Chalice – Legion Of The Damned

With all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, LEGION OF THE DAMNED surge forth once again with their latest album. Don’t let the intense onslaught of rapid-fire riffing and pummelling drums deter you though; there is more than meets the ears to the ten tracks of The Poison Chalice. With their roots stretching back to 1990 with OCCULT, the Dutch five-piece have honed their craft over the past 30 plus years, incorporating thrash, death and black metal elements into a recognisable signature sound. This experience has paid dividends when it comes to their most recent album with everything culminating in one of their most powerful releases to date.

For those familiar with the band’s sound, opening track Saints In Torment might catch some off guard. Previous releases have set about establishing the pace and tone of the album right from the first note. However, LEGION OF THE DAMNED have opted for an atmospheric, almost eerie intro, with chiming arpeggios on the guitars. This is the calm before the storm though, the deep inhale before plunging into icy waters. The track spreads its wings into a resplendent thrashy number delivering furious staccato riffing, a crushing rhythm section and guttural vocals. This is the sound reminiscent of 2007’s Son Of The Jackal and ticks every box one could want from musicians that have been delivering consistently high quality material for the past three decades.

With the quintet found in fine form from the opening track, the album seamlessly falls into place. Contamination picks up from the closing notes of the introduction and ups the ante another notch. It’s unapologetic thrash; the guitars deliver intense riffs and lead the melodic charge, the rhythm section is more than a match delivering punishing bass and drum lines, and the vocals take a middle role in the mix. They thicken the texture and maintain the pace, however, even with the constant musical assault, they never get lost in the mix or become muddied. This has been a factor on previous releases, but throughout The Poison Chalice they are both easily picked out yet comfortably sit within the overall delivery.

With the band establishing their groove in the early stages of the album, it is pleasing to see that they do not run out of steam and then leave the remainder of tracks as filler. The likes of Skulls Adorn The Traitor’s Gate and Retaliation offer up the brutal edge of the signature LEGION OF THE DAMNED sound and could sit comfortably in a set list of their most popular works. Savage Intent features some excellent, intricate guitar melody; the counterpoint to the unrelenting riffing works to perfection allowing the track to stand out as one of several highlights on the album. The title track and closing number showcases everything that the band have been able to achieve thus far. Tight thrashy riffs envelop the guttural vocals that are charged with aggression. The charge is relentless and the framework is supported by the colossal sounding rhythm section, which, like a turbo-charged steamroller, drives the dynamic range and enables a well thought-out and delivered ebb and flow to give the track space to breathe while maintaining a solid textural presence.

While it may not have quite the same wall to wall aggression of previous album Slaves Of The Shadow Realm, The Poison Chalice offers up additional layers to the band’s capabilities.  They’ve not necessarily broken new ground, but this is still very obviously a LEGION OF THE DAMNED release. Elements such as the harmonies, melodic leads and dynamic shifts have shown a progressive element to their style. There’s plenty on offer for old and new fans alike and certainly The Poison Chalice will go toe-to-toe with anything else in their catalogue. A heavyweight release for the band and something that will catch much attention across the genre.

Rating: 8/10

The Poison Chalice is set for release on June 9th via Napalm Records.

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