Mayhem - US Legions
Renegade Records - 2001
Rodrigo
/images/covers/Mayhem.jpg
US Legions is the latest offering from the legendary black metal band Mayhem. It offers seven songs recorded during the tour in support for Grand Declaration of War and five preproduction versions of songs found in that last studio album. This is an odd release considering that Mayhem had released Mediolanum Capta Est right in between the Wolfs Lair Abyss and Grand Declaration of War albums. So while you might think that this is just another live album and not worth your time dont forget about those preproduction songs.
The live songs are recorded from various shows in Europe, there is only one song recorded from the USA and that is "Necrolust". It would have been so much better for a release with a full set, not just a mix and match of various recordings. But I guess if you are one of the 500 lucky few who got Live in Marseille 2000 you already got that. (At least I got the DVD of that show.) The other disappointing this about the live recordings is that there are only two songs from Grand Declaration of War and those are "To Daimonion" and "View from Nihil". Technically, this is the live album release of that album but all we get is two tracks from it? I would have expected at least four or five from Grand Declaration of War. Not that there is anything wrong with the songs that did end up in the final tracklisting but I would have enjoyed to hear more live songs from Grand Declaration of War. The other songs are "Carnage", "Chainsaw Gutsfuck", "Pure Fucking Armageddon" and "Fall of Seraphs". Now US Legions is the US release, Europe got European Legions and the only difference between these two is that Europe gets "Freezing Moon" and not "Necrolust"
The main reason to get this album is for the preproduction versions of Grand Declaration of War, if you liked that album at all. I did and it is great to hear these five songs in a more raw and aggressive state. The five songs are "To Daimonion", "View from Nihil", "In the Lies Where Upon You Lay", "Crystallized Pain in Deconstruction" and "Completion". Despite the complaints I have about the live portion of this release, if you enjoyed Grand Declaration of War then US Legions is worth it just for these five songs. Plus, the live recordings are excellent. They sound crystal clear, raw and powerful. They really make me reminisce of seeing Mayhem live this past June.
Renegade Records - 2001
Rodrigo
/images/covers/Mayhem.jpg
US Legions is the latest offering from the legendary black metal band Mayhem. It offers seven songs recorded during the tour in support for Grand Declaration of War and five preproduction versions of songs found in that last studio album. This is an odd release considering that Mayhem had released Mediolanum Capta Est right in between the Wolfs Lair Abyss and Grand Declaration of War albums. So while you might think that this is just another live album and not worth your time dont forget about those preproduction songs.
The live songs are recorded from various shows in Europe, there is only one song recorded from the USA and that is "Necrolust". It would have been so much better for a release with a full set, not just a mix and match of various recordings. But I guess if you are one of the 500 lucky few who got Live in Marseille 2000 you already got that. (At least I got the DVD of that show.) The other disappointing this about the live recordings is that there are only two songs from Grand Declaration of War and those are "To Daimonion" and "View from Nihil". Technically, this is the live album release of that album but all we get is two tracks from it? I would have expected at least four or five from Grand Declaration of War. Not that there is anything wrong with the songs that did end up in the final tracklisting but I would have enjoyed to hear more live songs from Grand Declaration of War. The other songs are "Carnage", "Chainsaw Gutsfuck", "Pure Fucking Armageddon" and "Fall of Seraphs". Now US Legions is the US release, Europe got European Legions and the only difference between these two is that Europe gets "Freezing Moon" and not "Necrolust"
The main reason to get this album is for the preproduction versions of Grand Declaration of War, if you liked that album at all. I did and it is great to hear these five songs in a more raw and aggressive state. The five songs are "To Daimonion", "View from Nihil", "In the Lies Where Upon You Lay", "Crystallized Pain in Deconstruction" and "Completion". Despite the complaints I have about the live portion of this release, if you enjoyed Grand Declaration of War then US Legions is worth it just for these five songs. Plus, the live recordings are excellent. They sound crystal clear, raw and powerful. They really make me reminisce of seeing Mayhem live this past June.
