UMUR "Descent Into Chaos" is the 5th full-length studio album by Dutch death/thrash metal act Legion of the Damned. The album was released through Massacre Records in January 2011. It´s the successor to "Cult of the Dead" from 2008 and features the same four-piece lineup who recorded the predecessor.

Stylistically this is Legion of the Damned as we´ve known them from day one. Thrash metal in the most raw and brutal end of the scale, but performed with great skill and packed in a professional and well sounding production. It´s like listening to 1987-1989 Blackfire-era Sodom meets 1985 Slayer featuring a more contemporary sounding production job. It´s raw, energetic, brutal, and features a caustic level of aggression. Sharp fast-paced riffs, heavy mid-paced sections, thundering drumming, and the raw shouting vocals of Maurice Swinkels in front.

You´ll find next to nothing which will surprise you if you´re familiar with the style and the preceding releases by Legion of the Damned, but what you will find is solid and effective songwriting (I dare you not to scream along to the chorus on "Killzone"), skilled performances, and an overall high quality thrash metal release. What Legion of the Damned may lack in originality they make up for in passion and conviction. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "The Poison Chalice" is the eight full-length studio album by Dutch thrash metal act Legion of the Damned. The album was released through Napalm Records in June 2023. It´s the successor to "Slaves Of The Shadow Realm" from 2019 and there´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as Legion of the Damned have opted to hire Fabian Verweij as a second guitarist, thereby enabling Maurice Swinkels to solely concentrate on performing lead vocals. Although Legion of the Damned was formed in 2005, they operated under the Occult monicker from 1992-2005, releasing several albums under that name, so it´s an understatement to say that Legion of the Damned/Occult are among the longest running Dutch thrash metal acts.

Along with great experience comes high level musicianship, effective songwriting, and a great understanding of production values, and it´s no surprise that "The Poison Chalice" features all those elements. Stylistically the material on "The Poison Chalice" is through and through the sound of Legion of the Damned...fast, sharp, and brutal thrash metal riffs and rhythms, blistering solo work, and Swinkels rabid dog snarling vocals in front. They´ve developed a slight blackened edge over the years, and the guitar solos have also become a little more melodic, but the core sound is intact. This is pretty old school and you won´t find much here you wouldn´t expect to hear on a mid- to late 80s aggressive thrash metal release. It´s raw, aggressive, and packs a punch. While it´s certainly not primitive music, it´s still relatively easy to follow and snarl along to.

So it´s safe to say Legion of the Damned didn´t spend the years since "Slaves Of The Shadow Realm" inventing a new style or developing their core sound much. As mentioned above the lead guitar parts are slightly more melodic than usual, but otherwise you get exactly what you expect from "The Poison Chalice". Good quality thrash metal in the aggressive end of the spectrum. It features the right amount of furious intensity and powerful playing to force you to bring out your bullet belts and studded wristbands, and head for the mosh pit. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Slaves of the Shadow Realm" is the 7th full-length studio album by Dutch thrash metal act Legion of the Damned. The album was released through Napalm Records in January 2019. It´s the successor to "Ravenous Plague" from 2014 (also released in January of that year, which means there are almost exactly five years between the two releases). Five years is a long time betweeen releases but it´s not a result of lineup changes, as "Slaves of the Shadow Realm" features exactly the same four-piece lineup who recorded "Ravenous Plague (2014)".

Since the band changed their name from Occult to Legion of the Damned and began releasing albums under the new monicker, the style of music they have played have been aggressive and brutal thrash (sometimes entering death/thrash territory). They´ve stuck to their guns throughout their career which has ensured consistency of quality and style (although some albums have been more remarkable than others), but it also means that there isn´t much variation between albums, and you probably won´t miss out on much if you don´t own them all.

"Slaves of the Shadow Realm" is one of their more remarkable albums though, and definitely worth a purchase. Aggressive old school influenced thrash metal with a snarling (almost blackened) raw vocalist in front. I´m often reminded of mid-80s Slayer and Dark Angel, but there are also nods toward the early releases by the teutonic trio (Destruction, Sodom, and Kreator). It´s relentlessly aggressive and hard edged, featuring fast-paced tremolo riffs, screaming chromatic solos, and an energetic rhythm section driving the music forward. The band lower the pace on some tracks, and play more heavy riffs and rhythms, and that´s great for the variation of the album, which otherwise is a slightly one-dimensional affair (some of the fast-paced tracks sound very much alike).

"Slaves of the Shadow Realm" features a raw and effectful sound production, which suits the rawness of the material perfectly. So upon conclusion it´s a high quality release and the songwriting is to my ears a little more memorable than what is usual for the band. Therefore a 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Ravenous Plague" is the 6th full-length studio album by Dutch thrash metal act Legion of the Damned. The album was released through Napalm Records in January 2014. Legion of the Damned are quite a seasoned act that in the nineties worked under the Occult monicker and released several albums using that name before changing their name to Legion of the Damned.

After a short classical/symphonic intro (which is a new thing in the world of Legion of the Damned), "Ravenous Plague" treats the listener to one relentlessly aggressive thrash metal track after another. The tracks vary pace between mid and higher tempos, but mostly the latter. The vocals are aggressive, snarling and raw. References to acts like eighties Slayer and Kreator are valid.

The material are generally well written and catchy, but not especially varied. In fact I wouldn´t be completely out of line calling this a bit one-dimensional. It´s not really a surprise though as that have also more or less been the case with all preceeding releases by the band. The sound production is professional and powerful and the music is as usual delivered with fierce conviction and passion. These guys have always meant business and continue to do so on "Ravenous Plague".

Innovation is not in the high seat on "Ravenous Plague" but that and the rather one-dimensional nature of the material are the only issues I can think of. Fans of fiercely aggressive and uncompromising thrash metal should find a lot to appreciate here. "Ravenous Plague" features a professional and powerful sound production too and paired with the strong musicianship and the catchy material, "Ravenous Plague" is another great thrash metal release by Legion of the Damned. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Cult of the Dead" is the 4th full-length studio album by Dutch death/ thrash act Legion of the Damned. The album was released in December 2008 by Massacre Records.

The music on "Cult of the Dead" is aggressive death/ thrash metal with a sneering aggressive frontman. Influences come from acts like early Kreator and early Slayer. It´s amazing that Legion of the Damned on this their 4th album in 3 years sound almost exactly like they did on their debut full-length studio album "Malevolent Rapture (2006)". While the band´s music is powerful, "In Your Face" and very well played it´s impossible not to notice that there aren´t much development in the songwriting department. Neither between songs, and maybe a bit more serious, nor between albums. Even the production on "Cult of the Dead" sounds almost exactly like the productions on the album´s three predecessors. Legion of the Damned´s motto seem to be: "Stick to Your Guns and do what you do best". While I have a ton of respect for that approach just a tiny bit of renewal or experimentation would be welcome by now. A different sounding production, new song structures or just anything new to keep me from thinking that "Cult of the Dead" sounds exactly like the album before it, and the album before that one, and the album before that one...etc.

When that is said "Cult of the Dead" is yet another quality death/ thrash album by Legion of the Damned and a 3.5 star rating is deserved. I wouldn´t recommend that you purchase more than one of the band´s albums though. They simply sound too much the same. Taken one by one they are all great albums though.