Melodic Death Metal is a trend that arose from acts as AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, SOILWORK and others, but’s a mistake to think of things as a simple mix between the melodies of traditional Heavy Metal with the aggressiveness and weight of Death Metal. There’s tons of ideas on the mix that aren’t so evident at first, so the more one hear to the genre, the more things become clear. It can be said about the work of the North American quintet 72 LEGIONS, of Cleveland (Ohio) on “What a God Could Be”. Unlike Swedish School bands, they work in a way that uses as blueprint for their music the traditional North American Death Metal traits stated by DEATH, MORBID ANGEL, MASSACRE, MASTER and others along some modern elements as breakdowns and groove in some moments (as clearly heard on the song “What a God Could Be”).

It means that they’re not in a kind of ‘pimp comfort zone’, living off what others left, but are fighting to open their own way and show personality. Of course some old geezers will complain a lot due these new elements, but the quintet is really depicting that they’re able to show something different. But what could be expected of a band with former members of NEVERMORE, ANNIHILATOR and others? The recordings of “What a God Could Be” took 10 days at the Custom Audio Mutation Studio (in Ohio), under the guidance of Curran Murphy (production)and was finalized by the hands of Joel Wanasek (mastering). All to create a nasty and old fashioned sonority that bear the crude and aggressive appeal of the past with modern updates (due the level of definition). It’s really a very good work, with very good and nasty instrumental tunes.

“Beautiful in Sin” opens the EP with very good rhythmic contrasts and nasty grunts (being contrasted by harsh screams in some moments), being followed by “Darker and Darker”, where some technical care appears, with nasty and savage guitar riffs and arrangements filling all the spaces (and some Death/Thrash Metal traits in a SLAYER vein appears). Oppressive and filthy is “Invented Purpose”, a maelstromic and intense Death Metal song shaped by melodic Death Metal and Brutal Death Metal elements (and excellent piledriving massacre of bass guitar and drums). And more chaos is spewing forth from “The Lamentations of the Women”, where some Old School Blackened Death Metal melodies arises from the guitars, but the slow paced tempos improves the weight and heavy grasp of this song. And “What a God Could Be” is where the modern elements of their music appear in the middle of the Melodic Death Metal technical elements. It’s a very good release, indeed.

“What a God Could Be” is the second EP of 72 LEGIONS, and it shows maturity enough to have a full length coming soon in the future.