THY LEGION - MALTA

THY LEGION - GRAND COSMIC FUNERAL - ART GATES  
For a rare sense of pure anti-commercial and grim black metal with no heed to the mainstream, Thy Legion is as macabre as its name suggests. The Maltese band is a surprise signee to the Art Gates stable. It is completely underground and has no chance of hitting any significant sales figures. The band is also unusual because it has two singers.
Black World Funeral has notable lyrics and title, but the song itself with the rumbling drums is just a passable affair. The contrast between the song title and the album name caught my attention though. Midnight Malediction is more of what I like. The vocals pick up, the drummer becomes berserk and the guitars remain undermixed, which is at least preferable to the absent bass. Black World Funeral is the type of song a black metal fan appreciates. Midnight Malediction is the type of song a black metal fan enjoys. Dark Mother has a good first half and then a raging second. Thy Legion has two veins and exercises them both. The melody beneath the guitar is pretty similar to Rime Of The Ancient Mariner. Upon A Wretched Throne is a fave and is left to the end. It is a long one that lurches from a sense of adventure to fast parts, but then again ends with keyboards.
The riffs are menacing. The vocalists use effects from lands across the styx for the sub woofing. The music itself is mostly treble. The mix forgot the bassist, but the drummer would have remained the star of this show anyway. - Anna Tergel