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REVIEWS
Someone's Speaking
Mouth of Madness
Golden Voyage
Nothing Lasts Forever
The Demon's Arm
Try to See Me
Memories of You
So Happy
Mall Cops of Freedom
Mouth of Madness (Käpt’n K's Malgorhythm Remix)
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Legion Within
Mouth of Madness
KMFDM Records
Posted: Friday, August 21, 2009
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor
Marrying the despair of goth with the clamor of industrial, Legion Within's fourth album offers an enticing brand of politically-charged darkness.
The connections between gothic and industrial rock are too many to mention without delving into the common history both genres share, but even as both delve into the darker recesses of human experience, it's rare to see a marriage of the two forms in such a seamless manner as what Legion Within accomplishes with its sound. With the band's fourth album, Mouth of Madness, the Seattle quintet continues its exploration of the conventions of darkwave, blending classical themes of human emotions and introspection with the harsher, more in-your-face, and socially conscious approach of industrial rock. Even the album cover mirrors the political overtones with the image of the Statue of Liberty broken by an array of cephalopod tentacles, making a strongly visual statement on our freedoms being dragged down by a vicious leviathan. Such subjects make Legion Within a perfect fit on KMFDM Records, as well as the acidic blend of grinding synthesizers with shimmering goth rock.
From the opening arpeggios of "Someone's Speaking" to the distorted screeches of "Try to See Me," the band's industrial qualities immediately sets the music apart from others in the darkwave echelon, adding a more corrosive edge that would remind more of the electronically-minded style of Clan of Xymox and latter-day Ikon. Also adding to Legion Within's unique style is William Wilson's remarkable voice, which while to many will sound like a carbon copy of Peter Murphy, more than adequately conveys the turmoil and angst behind the lyrics. Just listen to the man seethe and suffer on the desperate waltz that is "The Demon's Arm" and try not to get engulfed in the foggy ambience of despair and scorn. This is especially true when things get political on songs like the frantic title track, which will surely remind many of early '80s post-punk in the vein of Bauhaus, and "Nothing Lasts Forever" as the shouts of "The Empire is burning" resonate through the speakers amid a tense buildup of drums and guitars. The same can be said of the surprisingly upbeat and strangely bluesy "Mall Cops of Freedom," adding a slight bit of abrasive whimsy that would certainly appeal to fans of KMFDM.
Mouth of Madness ends as the previous album, The Empty Men, did with a remix by the Käpt'n, Sascha Konietzko, although it's easily one of the man's more minimalist remixes as very little is done to the song beyond a few added electronic effects and vocal manipulations. Still, it's an effective conclusion to what is ultimately an enjoyable and angry album of industrialized goth. If you're a rivethead who always felt goth was too whiny or if you're a goth who couldn't get into industrial's clamor, Legion Within will reconcile these differences for you; Mouth of Madness is the proof.
From the opening arpeggios of "Someone's Speaking" to the distorted screeches of "Try to See Me," the band's industrial qualities immediately sets the music apart from others in the darkwave echelon, adding a more corrosive edge that would remind more of the electronically-minded style of Clan of Xymox and latter-day Ikon. Also adding to Legion Within's unique style is William Wilson's remarkable voice, which while to many will sound like a carbon copy of Peter Murphy, more than adequately conveys the turmoil and angst behind the lyrics. Just listen to the man seethe and suffer on the desperate waltz that is "The Demon's Arm" and try not to get engulfed in the foggy ambience of despair and scorn. This is especially true when things get political on songs like the frantic title track, which will surely remind many of early '80s post-punk in the vein of Bauhaus, and "Nothing Lasts Forever" as the shouts of "The Empire is burning" resonate through the speakers amid a tense buildup of drums and guitars. The same can be said of the surprisingly upbeat and strangely bluesy "Mall Cops of Freedom," adding a slight bit of abrasive whimsy that would certainly appeal to fans of KMFDM.
Mouth of Madness ends as the previous album, The Empty Men, did with a remix by the Käpt'n, Sascha Konietzko, although it's easily one of the man's more minimalist remixes as very little is done to the song beyond a few added electronic effects and vocal manipulations. Still, it's an effective conclusion to what is ultimately an enjoyable and angry album of industrialized goth. If you're a rivethead who always felt goth was too whiny or if you're a goth who couldn't get into industrial's clamor, Legion Within will reconcile these differences for you; Mouth of Madness is the proof.
