You know that feeling when you hear the first few notes of an album and you instantly realize that you are going to love it? That’s the exact same feeling I had when I heard the opening and title track, “Metall, Blod & Aska.”
Last Legion is a Swedish band that formed in 2009. After releasing an EP in 2021 the band return with their debut full length album. And it’s a helluva debut too. It’s equally savage as it is thrashing; Black ‘n Roll madness. If you are a fan of Midnight, Hellripper or Cloak this is definitely worth your time checking out.
After the first neck snapping track Last Legion changes gears a bit with “Dodens Falang.” With it’s somber and atmospheric beginning it helps showcase that the band is not just your average Black Thrash band. The violins add the perfect uneasy touch. The band quickly blasts the speed back up towards the midpoint of the track. Last Legion blends in plenty of classic Black Metal eerines and savagery to keep it compelling.
All of the lyrics are sung in the groups native Nordic language. Although many English speaking Metalheads may not understand the lyrics, they are delivered perfectly savage here. Something about the lyrics being sung in their native language ups the brutality for me.
This album contains tons of hooks, groovy riffs and plenty of blast beats. At some times it feels Black N Roll or Black Thrash and at other times it feels like classic tried and true Black Metal. However at all times, they are savage as fuck. While they aren’t offering anything we havent’t heard before, they are giving us one hell of a ride.