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Legion
Studio album by Deicide
Released	June 9, 1992 (1992-06-09)
Recorded	1992
Genre	Death metal
Length	29:01
Label	Roadrunner
Producer	Deicide, Scott Burns
Deicide chronology
Deicide (1990) Legion (1992) Amon: Feasting the Beast (1993)

Legion is the second album by American death metal band Deicide, released on June 9, 1992 by Roadrunner Records.

Background and recording

Though the album is a favourite of fans, "Dead But Dreaming" is the only song from it to remain in the band's live set (though as recently as 2010 the band has begun playing "Trifixion" and "Holy Deception" as well). When the Hoffman brothers quit the band, Eric Hoffman stated that one of the main reasons was Glen Benton refusing to play longer sets and being unable to perform the technical bass guitar riffing required for Legion's material.

According to Joe DiVita of Loudwire, a rumor exists that the album had to be retracked due to its extremely high tempos causing it to be too short.

Composition

Kelly Simms of Invisible Oranges assessed that on Legion, Deicide deviated from the "extreme elements" that were abundant on their debut album and pursued a "more straightforward brutal aesthetic." Frontman Glen Benton believes the album was "ahead of its time" and that the album's high tempos "caught everybody off-guard". He described the album's sound as "fuckin over the top".

Legion is one of Deicide's most musically ambitious releases, and is considered to be more technical than its precedessor. It has also been noted for containing more blast beats than its predecessor. Joe DiVita of Loudwire called the album "29 minutes of sheer technical chaos." Unlike Deicide's first album, no pitch shifters or harmonizers were used on Benton's vocals. However, delay, reverb, and multi-tracking were among the studio manipulations used to achieve the vocal effects on the album.

The album's guitar riffs utilize tremolo picking and have been described as "sinister", "chunky", "hooky" and "catchy". The album's guitar solos have been described as "chaotic". According Zeke Ferrington of Gear Gods, "the scratchy distortion hides all the killer riffing behind a veil of obnoxious, high frequencies. All that you’re really left with are chugging rhythms with no discernible pitch." Benton's basslines follow the guitar parts of the Hoffmans.

The first track, "Satan Spawn, the Caco-Daemon", features a backward message. At about twenty seconds, a voice can be heard repeating the song's title.

Reception and legacy

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Kerrang!
Metal Storm	8.0/10

Metal Storm said Legion is "in general a good album, some songs are well executed and with complex musical writing, but there are others that are just very simple and repetitive".

Vincent Jeffries of Allmusic stated, "Legion stands out as a musically complex but familiar offering from the band. Live favorite 'Trifixion' is indeed one of the better cuts from the release, but it's easier to consider this disc (and most records like it) as a whole. Deicide's compositions and performances are solid and serious throughout". He also suggested, "newer death metal fans will do well to start off their collection with Legion".

Glen Benton recalled the album's reception upon its release, saying "Everybody fuckin hated it, all the magazines hated it; now it’s years later and everybody loves it."

Track listing

All songs written by Deicide (Glen Benton and Steve Asheim).

Personnel

• Glen Benton – bass; vocals
• Eric Hoffman – guitars
• Brian Hoffman – guitars
• Steve Asheim – drums
• Deicide – production
• Scott Burns – production, mixing

References

1. DiVita, Joe DiVitaJoe (2017-11-07). "15 Sick Death Metal Albums That Turned 25 in 2017". Loudwire. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
2. Simms, Kelley. "Deicide's Unholy Second Coming: A 30-Year Retrospective on "Legion" (Review)". Invisible Oranges - The Metal Blog. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
3. "Glen Benton interview". www.markprindle.com. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
4. Purcell, Natalie J. Death Metal Music: The Passion and Politics of a Subculture. McFarland. p. 62.
5. https://www.allmusic.com/album/legion-mw0000614503
6. DiVita, Joe DiVitaJoe (2017-11-07). "15 Sick Death Metal Albums That Turned 25 in 2017". Loudwire. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
7. Ferrington, Zeke (2016-11-18). "The Best "Worst" Distortion Tones Ever – Great Death Metal with Disgusting Distortion". Gear Gods. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
8. Simms, Kelley. "Deicide's Unholy Second Coming: A 30-Year Retrospective on "Legion" (Review)". Invisible Oranges - The Metal Blog. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
9. ^ Jeffries, Vincent. "Legion - Deicide". Allmusic. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
10. Chirazi, Steffan (May 30, 1992). "Rekordz". Kerrang!. No. 394. EMAP. p. 20.
11. ^ Deicide – Legion Review – Metal Storm
12. https://www.markprindle.com/benton-i.htm

• 1992 albums
• Deicide (band) albums
• Roadrunner Records albums
• Albums produced by Scott Burns (record producer)
• Albums recorded at Morrisound Recording
• Death metal albums