Album
Type : Full Length
Date
Released : 26/11/2013
Label
: Metal Blade Records
Legions, album
track listing :
1). Chill My Bones (Burn My Flesh) 06:06
2). God Feather 05:133). Legions 04:38
4). Wardrum Heartbeat 05:53
5). Global Flatline 06:57
6). Dies Irae 04:54
7). Anno Requiem 04:14
8). Enslaved to the Nether 05:28
9). Doctor Evil 05:53
10). Ethos of Wrath 06:06
Bio :
Artillery was formed in Copenhagen in 1982, and released their debut
album "Fear of Tomorrow" in 1985 and the follow-up, "Terror Squad,"
in 1987. Afterwards, the band saw a turbulent time with line-up changes, but by
1990 the band released the much acclaimed "By Inheritance" record.
Artillery released their final effort with singer Flemming Rønsdorf in 1999
called "B.A.C.K."
Fast forward to 2007: the band reformed with singer Søren Adamsen and released "When Death Comes "in 2009 and was followed by "My Blood" in 2011. The year 2012 saw a change in line-up, when founding member and drummer Carsten Nielsen decided to leave, shortly followed by singer Søren Adamsen.
Two new member where recruited in late 2012 with Josua Madsen being the new drummer and Michael Bastholm Dahl the new singer. The band headed off to Miami to perform at the Barge to Hell metal cruise. Work on new material was already underway and after a successful European tour in May 2013, the band entered Medley Studios with acclaimed producer Søren Andersen at the mixing board.
With the new album recorded in June 2013, the band stands strong and ready to unleash their metal upon the world. A US tour is booked, as well as a South American tour, so the future looks bright and big plans have been made. Artillery is coming your way and ready to embark on a new chapter
Fast forward to 2007: the band reformed with singer Søren Adamsen and released "When Death Comes "in 2009 and was followed by "My Blood" in 2011. The year 2012 saw a change in line-up, when founding member and drummer Carsten Nielsen decided to leave, shortly followed by singer Søren Adamsen.
Two new member where recruited in late 2012 with Josua Madsen being the new drummer and Michael Bastholm Dahl the new singer. The band headed off to Miami to perform at the Barge to Hell metal cruise. Work on new material was already underway and after a successful European tour in May 2013, the band entered Medley Studios with acclaimed producer Søren Andersen at the mixing board.
With the new album recorded in June 2013, the band stands strong and ready to unleash their metal upon the world. A US tour is booked, as well as a South American tour, so the future looks bright and big plans have been made. Artillery is coming your way and ready to embark on a new chapter
The Band :
Michael Bastholm Dahl |Vocals
Michael Stützer | Guitars
Morten Stützer | Guitars
Peter Thorslund | Bass
Josua Madsen | Drums
Michael Stützer | Guitars
Morten Stützer | Guitars
Peter Thorslund | Bass
Josua Madsen | Drums
Review :
Danish
thrashers Artillery have been around as long as I can remember (on and off,
that is) and even worked with Flemming Rasmussen back in the day, but I could
not have claimed to be particularly familiar with their work. Until hearing
this album, that is...
Chill
My Bones (Burn My Flesh) opens with a rather Eastern sounding intro that soon
gives way to old school thrash with soaring vocals. The production is spot on
(the bass drums really sound like bass drums) and the whole effect is one of
proper thrash- you know, like Overkill or Testament; the good stuff.
God
Feather
summons similar melody and fury. The vocals are stellar- clear and distinct,
proper old school metal- and they lift the release even higher than the other
quality musical elements would indicate. Michael Bastholm Dahl does a sterling
job. The Stutzer brothers deliver fast paced riffing and work together very
well indeed, following in the tradition of great metal brother pairings (Young,
Hoffman, Bjorler, Coyle and so on). The title track, Legions, is a true
riff-fest and features plenty of mid paced stomp to go with some very nimble
higher speed passages.
Wardrum
Heartbeat
delivers more of the same- high quality thrash that is hard as nails with a
distinctive old school/NWOBHM aspect brought about by the vocals. Good passages
of solos segue into great passages of riffs and so on. The ingredients that
make this type of metal successful are easy to pinpoint but hard to actually
come up with: great riffs and a high standard of musicianship.
With
Global Flatline comes the half way mark of this excellent release. An
atmospheric intro slows the pace down and allows the listener a little respite.
The production utilises clean guitar (electro acoustic?) to good effect and
Dahl goes for some real histrionics on this most old school of old school
tracks. Things, naturally, pick up after a few minutes and the band run riot
over the remainder of the playing time. Guitars shred, drums thrash and all is
returned to very real thrash tempo. A very Maiden section is thrown in for good
measure and the band gallops for the finish line. Heavy metal heaven is right
here.
Dies
Irae
has a military feel to the drum intro that gives way to a groove allowing the
band to use dynamics and up the tempo when needed. Anno Requiem has an
excellent intro and a very strong main riff. Josua Madsen excels himself behind
the kit on this one- his performance on the whole album is very strong and he
brings a resolutely real and energetic feel to proceedings. The bass of Peter
Thorslund anchors the sound well, allowing for Madsen's more flashy moments by
holding the rhythm down expertly.
Enslaved
to the Nether
has a clean intro with wailing lead overlaid and again drops the tempo for a
ballad type feel- once more, not something that you encounter too much on
thrash albums these days. It offers variety to the release and also makes it
feel authentic; Artillery are one of the oldest European (Scandinavian!) thrash
bands and thus do not need to pander to what critics think should be on a
thrash album as they have earned their place at the table.
Doctor
Evil
gets the album back to thrashing ways with a half stepping riff giving way to a
nifty melodic riff that brings classic Maiden to mind (the vocals hit a very
Bruce-esque register). The tempos are played around with and keep things
interesting as the melody nestles against much harder thrash sections. Ethos
of Wrath then closes the album very strongly with over six minutes of the
highest quality thrash metal.
Overall,
this is a very strong record and another fine offering from both the band and
Metal Blade. If you like your thrash metal with traditional vocals and a very
old school ethos then this is the album for you. Armed and dangerous!
Words
by : Richard Maw
You can buy it here
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