LEGION OF THE DAMNED in the end of November issued a statement to clear things out about the album Feel The Blade that will be released in the 4th of January. The fact is that Feel The Blade is not a new album and is not recorded recently. Actually, this recording saw the light of the day with the title Elegy For The Weak under the OCCULT moniker. To make things more enticing the band added two new songs and a bonus DVD that clocks about 127 minutes.
LEGION OF THE DAMNED made and impressive debut with Malevolent Rapture comprising a fine blend of Death and Thrash Metal rapped in an 80s atmosphere. Their second album Sons Of The Jackal even more raving reviews that some of them characterized them as the new SLAYER. So, let me write some things about this LEGION OF THE DAMNED release and try figure out if they can ever be like SLAYER.
Nuclear Torment opens the album and literally grabs you by the throat; double drum pedaling, fast rhythm guitars and throat tormenting vocals. The track has a distinct SLAYER feeling with groovy guitar riffs but personally I found more influences from the late DESTRUCTION works. Nocturnal Predator and Slaughtering The Pigs (excellent title) continue with the same neck snapping rhythm and focus more on the solid rhythm guitars. Slut Of Sodom and Feel The Blade are two classic riff driven Thrashers that feature some SLAYER breaks that will blow you away! Warbeast and Obsessed By The Grave is fast, heavy and really evil bringing in front the clear influences from the German Thrash scene and especially from the prime SODOM.  The three new tracks continue with the same power and speed although they sound more technical (compared to the OCCULT recordings) with some guitar leads and solos.
The bottom line is that LEGION OF THE DAMNED are very good in capturing the 80s feeling on the Thrash sound but definitely need more to do to get the chance of looking SLAYER straight to eyes. Of course we will enjoy and will watch them try because their attempt will produce some very (hopefully) good Thrash oriented albums. Two thumbs up for them!