Artillery - Legions

Thrash Metal
Metal Blade
2013








1. Chill My Bones (Burn My Flesh)
2. God Feather
3. Legions
4. Wardrum Heartbeat
5. Global Flatline
6. Dies Irae
7. Anno Requiem
8. Enslaved To The Nether
9. Doctor Evil
10. Ethos Of Wrath

Well, here we are again with a new vocalist for Artillery. I remember the last time this happened I was pretty worried. Flemming Ronsdorf was a big part of Artillery's sound and one of my favorite thrash vocalists. Soren Nico Adamsen erased any doubt I had about the band being able to continue though as he was a perfect fit. I absolutely loved When Death Comes and My Blood so once again, I am sad to see an Artillery vocalist go. This time I'm slightly less skeptical though. I mean if the band managed to find a new vocalist who kicked ass the last time... maybe they can do it again here.

Then again... Maybe not. It didn't take me long listening to this album to know where this review was headed. After a few tracks it became painfully obvious that the high and and thin vocals Michael Bastholm Dahl simply do not have the muscle for thrash material. I know Artillery has always had somewhat of a power approach to the vocals, but these are just way too lightweight. The vocals just have little force, no variation like the band has had in growls or screams... Nothing. It's sad really because the songs are quite good. The Stutzers lay down some awesome riffs here and the music is extremely headbangable thrash. The music is aggressive as hell and loaded with energy. It has that nice clean sound with some middle eastern flair the band has had since By Inheritence and the band's trademarks are firmly intact on everything. This is almost everything I expect and want from Artillery... but the vocals. Oh man the vocals. Dahl's not an incompetent singer and I bet he'd be ok, if not spectacular, in a power/traditional band, but the singing just sucks the fire right out of this album.

This has got to be the most tragically flawed album I have heard in some time. The end result is I just can't get around the singing. It's actually really frustrating because this could have been an excellent album. As is... it's just too depressing to listen to. May this new vocalist's stay in the band be short. Is there any way I could personally bribe Soren to come back to this band?

Highlights: Chill My Bones, Enslaved To The Nether

Rating - 3.0/5