Deicide - Legion (1992) Reissue [2014]

 

Deicide is an American death metal band formed in Tampa, Florida on July 21 1987 by drummer Steve Asheim and guitarist brothers Eric and Brian Hoffman as "Carnage", then hiring bassist/vocalist Glen Benton and becoming "Amon". Within a month, they had recorded the Feasting the Beast 8-track demo in Benton's garage and had started playing the occasional gig in the Tampa area. In 1989, Amon recorded their second demo, Sacrificial, at Morrisound with producer Scott Burns.
 They would later change the band name to Deicide in 1989. The band rose to mainstream success in 1992 with their second album Legion, and is credited as the second best-selling death metal band of the Soundscan Era, after Cannibal Corpse.

Legion is one of Deicide's most musically ambitious releases, incorporating more technical riffing and song structures. The band considers this album to be its most difficult, and claims it is too chaotic. When the Hoffman brothers quit the band, Eric Hoffman stated that one of the main reasons was Glen Benton refusing to play longer sets and being unable to perform the technical bass guitar riffing required for Legion's material. Though the album is a favourite of fans, "Dead But Dreaming" is the only song from it to remain in the band's live set (though as recently as 2010 the band has begun playing "Trifixion" and "Holy Deception" as well). Unlike Deicide's first album, no pitch shifters or harmonizers were used on Benton's vocals. However, delay, reverb, and multi-tracking were among the studio manipulations used to achieve the vocal effects on the album.
The first track, "Satan Spawn, the Caco-Daemon", features a backward message. At about twenty seconds, a voice can be heard repeating the song's title.
Steve Asheim said of Legion, "For Legion, I was too busy worrying about how we were going to get a second album out to really think about what it meant, I was just trying to stay in the music business and stay brutal.

-Tracklist:

Side A:
1. Satan Spawn, the Caco-Daemon     04:26
2. Dead but Dreaming     03:13
3. Repent to Die     03:59
4. Trifixion     02:59

Side B:
5. Behead the Prophet (No Lord Shall Live)     03:44
6. Holy Deception     03:19
7. In Hell I Burn     04:37
8. Revocate the Agitator     02:47

 

-Line up:

• Glen Benton: Bass, vocals, lyrics
• Eric Hoffman: Guitars
• Brian Hoffman: Guitars
• Steve Asheim: Drums.

Label: Metal Blade Records.

Produced by Deicide.
Recorded and mixed at Morrisound Recording, Tampa, FL.
Mastered at Fullersound, Miami, FL.