Deicide-Legion
 

Released in 1992 Deicide's second album Legion follows in its predecessors satanic footsteps while giving the overall sound a polishing. Typically dubbed a death metal band (despite the lyrical content which would otherwise make them more at home in the black metal category) due to the overall complexity of their music, there are moments when they sound like they should be credited as an early influence on technical death metal. The guitars constantly jump around in a sharp, piercing tremolo style in tandem with the uber-fast, uber-precise drumming. You'd swear the vocalist actually was a demon of some kind. The bass gallops like an army of evil dead horses about to enslave the earth. Very compelling. Very intense. All with a production sound that itself sounds as black and demonic as the lyrics. Despite the fast tempos and overall harshness of the sound it is typically easy to discern when something like a guitar riff has occurred. Though not recommended for someone who thinks Metallica is too rowdy. The music sound something like a twisted offspring of George Crumb's Black Angels and Deep Purple's "Child In Time". The sounds themselves, not the structure of the music.

For those concerned about the satanic stuff (because they actually apparently were like legit Satanists):

- Who really cares?
- Music has always been at least a little evil (from tritones to Vivaldi "Sympathy for the Devil" to Deicide) there has always been a touch of evil in that art. Even when it is trying to be the opposite.
- Art depicts all sorts of things. This music sounds like evil itself. Naturally the image would have to be too. It may just be a marketing ploy on their part. For the record, Deicide were the second best selling death metal band of the Soundscan Era next to only Cannibal Corpse (!). There are lots of ways to sell out. And besides, one gets the impression that when Deicide sing of worshipping Satan, what they really mean is to form a band and play music like them. Hardly the worst thing to imagine a person doing. No it isn't.


Tracklist:
1) Satan Spawn, the Cacao-Daemon
2) Dead but Dreaming
3) Repent to Die
4) Trifixion
5) Behead the Prophet (No Lord Shall Live)
6) Holy Deception
7) In Hell I Burn
8) Revocate the Agitator

Rating: 5/5
Because the song structure, musicianship, and production quality is a legit improvement over previous efforts and remarkable on its own. I find the album to be worthy of multiple listens. Because the album's themes and imagery seem...well researched and accurately depicted (really good mythologizing). The historical (and political) significance of the controversy this kind of music participated in (of which this is an excellent example). Genre influence is worth noting (metal outside black metal is more indebted to Deicide than it is Bathory or Mayhem; and neo-shock rockers like Marilynn Manson also had a bandwagon to jump on). Tracks one, two, three, four, and six are best.

The Wikipedia pages on Deicide and this album helped in making this review/analysis.

Good review

Why do you think so?

I like the George Crumb reference for one.

The fact that it was there at all or that it was on a Deicide review?

I think it’s a clever way of thinking about their music.

Thank you very much

Thank you for writing a really goddamn good review.

If you ever want to write a review of anything on freak fighter have at it

Does the review have to be positive? I've mostly been reviewing stuff I know I like but have thought of doing something else.

No man. Say your piece (or is it peace?).