Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Humanity has always liked to believe it is the top dog when it comes to life on Earth, but when it all boils down to it, away from the great art, the spoken word and the ability to make the most beautiful and electrifying music, in the end we are food for either worms or bacteria. It may not be a pleasant thought but one to consider when listening to the unrelenting sound of the Netherlands Legion of the Damned and their brand new album Ravenous Plague.
The Plague could strike fear into anyone’s heart and has done for centuries, just a mere sighting in some far off land could bring the first signs of terror to people’s imagination and yet what this fantastic group from that proud nation have managed to do is bring the thought of death and destruction, terror and war, the myth and the beauty all together into something that may sound dangerous but is just unrelenting, heart thumping and has the ability to make you wonder just who can withstand not enjoying every minute of it.
The crashing guitars, the fury that fights for a semblance of freedom and awe struck drums and vocals that have the intensity and prolonged effect of a medieval battle all combine to contest for space between your ears, each one striking a blow for supremacy and achieving the ultimate aim of making the ear barrage something in which to surrender to completely.
Maurice Swinkles, Twan Van Geel, Harold Gielen and Erik Fleuren bring together tracks together as if joined like chain mail, no way of piercing through the lyrical armour, supplied in great abundance by Tony Manera, which reads like a mixture of the best of gothic horror and witnessing the after effects of a nuclear war with a side helping of the mythical. On tracks such as Mountain Wolves Under A Crescent Moon, Ravenous Abomination, the gargantuan beast like power of Summon All Hate and the chilling Bury Me In A Nameless Grave the music comes thick and fast and is as compelling as you could ever wish for.
It may be one of the surprises of early 2014 but when the moon is high and the soul is restless, you could do a lot worse than plug in the earphones and let the music take you beyond your vision.
Ian D. Hall