1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Hail and thank you for the interview! So Legion was formed in the dark Winter of 2009 by myself and Jason (drums) as we had a history of playing in other bands and wanted to create a band much like the bands we liked to see and listen to. Arek and Kris joined soon after. The aim was to create a death metal band that drew a lot of influences from the old school sounds but also with a modern twist, so to speak.
2. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
Simply put, old and pure gold. There is a definite progression in our sound from the early recordings ("Mark Of The Legion" 2011 and "Legio Luporum" 2013) to the present one "Bringers Of The Dark Sleep". The musical sound is very important to us as we always aim for clarity and sheer heaviness. Nothing more and nothing less. There is so much good production and sound engineering out there that it is only fitting to use it to enhance the recording and afterward listening experience.
3. The band has been around since 2009 but so far has only released 2 demo's and a full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the gaps in between releases?
Not really, I mean we just write tracks and this takes time. Everything good and valuable takes time- just like a good wine or whiskey, right? We never rush the creative process as this tends to spoil the process. Instead we allow nature to take its course and when the tracks are ready they are ready. It was important for us to go the route of demo and then album as far too often these days it seems everyone is releasing an EP and no one releases demos any more. Having been a member of the Irish scene for many years and the underground days since 1992 I always tape traded and bought demos- it was a natural thing to do whereas now no one treads the boards any longer and the first release is an EP It takes time to develop your sound and creative process, to gel as a band, as personalities and this is often done in the demo(ing) phase of a bands career so when the album does finally arrive hey presto everyone is comfortable with what they do and how they do it. That is not to suggest that the developing process ends with the album merely that at the beginning it is so important to spend time on the foundations of the band if it is to last and stay the course.
4. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
The lyrical subjects concern dark mythologies, various theogonies, history and themes borrowed from movies that we like. The writings of Hesiod, Homer, Pseduo Apollodorus, Pindar, Cicero, Ovid, Seutonius, Robert E. Howard, all influence me personally in a big way when I am writing - as the subjects of mythology and theogony, in general, hold a big interest for me and as such is like a massive treasure chest from where I can delve into whenever I need some inspiration when forming an idea. Movies, as I said at the beginning, also play a big part when it comes to ideas for writing lyrics.
5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Legion Of Wolves?
Every band needs a suitable moniker that means what it says and says what it means so the name concerns who we are and what we do. The name came from an idea that I had about an almighty Legion from the distant past who are devoted to their father Lykaon, the original Wolfgod and the music of death that by all accounts he seemed to enjoy. Wolves being ancient servants of nature and masters of their particular domain appealed to what I had in mind when envisioning the concept of the band. Roman History and Greek myth were the undoubted inspiration behind the name as I am deeply interested in these subjects. So when I put history together with nature and myth the name Legion of Wolves came to me quite quickly. We are a band of brothers, who are deeply devoted to death metal and have a passion for playing it, much the same as a Legion has a passion for conquering, so to speak.
6. What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We have played so many but some that stick in my mind are Gothenburg Deathfest 2013 we got to play not only in that wonderful city but meet some really cool folk and see some awesome bands- personal highlight was the cover of Autopsy - Twisted Mass of Burned Decay by the opening band. Then we have played in Poland- that was another good memory - it was a festival at our vocalists home town. We played hard and partied harder :-), as one does when in Poland. Our album launch party in Dublin was really, really cool event in October just past. We got to share the stage with some really good bands and hang out with some old friends also. Our stage show is some special actually - Kris(vocals) assumes the role of Centurion and wears Roman armour - with our banners draping our amps and Kris' skulls hanging from his custom microphone stand it makes for quiet the experience. Live shows are just as important to any band as the recorded output and product- as such effort should be made to make every live show something special for the fans and folks who come to view it - Our live shows try to give the viewer something a little extra in the overall experience.
7. Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
We have a show at the end of January and also some other shows are being considered for late Spring early Autumn. Some tours are being discussed but right now I don't want to say anything more until what is being discussed is set in stone, but if things did work out then it would be a kick ass experience for us and for you (if you manage to catch us live) Metal Scrap Records have been quiet supportive of us and our plans for more live shows in Europe so fingers crossed we get to play a show in a city near you.
8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of Death Metal?
Overall the feedback has been very positive from the fans. Generally speaking across the board everyone has been very supportive and this has been shown in sales of merch, music and attendance at our shows.
9. Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?
I play bass in a melodic black metal band called Aeternum Vale and thats about that. The rest are solely devoted to the Legion.
10. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We are going to keep it as it is - We don't see any reason to deviate from the style or genre of music that we are a part of right now. The Legion was formed from a love of metal, we love death metal and with our heritage firmly rooted in old school death metal then why would we want to change? I know that we are painting ourselves into a certain corner but we are very happy to do that, with what we play and be a death metal band. I think we will progress, progression is a natural aspect of any art, but this progression will always be exclusively within the genre and the style of music that we play.
11. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Straight up - Bolt Thrower, Pestilence,Master,Bloodbath, Cancer,Asphyx,Motorhead, Demolition Hammer,Dark Angel, Incantation, Vomitory, Carcass,Grave, Old Cannibal Corpse, old Massarce, Old Death, Entombed, Unleashed, Dismember, old Deicide, early Slayer. These days/currently I am listening to Vomitory - Blood Rapture, Bloodbath - Nightmares Made Flesh, Insision - Terminal Reckoning, Grave - As Rapture Comes, Marduk - Panzerdivision Marduk, Immortal - Battles in the North, Exhorder - The Law and Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith (because you can never have enough Judas Priest :-))
12. What are some of your non musical interests?
We all have our own individual non musical interests but my own would be reading (history, philosophy, mythology, art, poetry), watching movies and documentaries, travelling, writing, drinking fine red ales whilst holding conversation beside roaring open fires and imbibing some good Polish and Russian vodka in fine company.
13. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks for the interview and taking time out to read it. Always support your passions and follow your gods wherever they may lead you. Please check us out on Facebook for up to date information/news concerning our movements, merch sales, live shows and releases. Get in touch with us or Metalscrap to book us to come to your town or city. Always support and honour your passions and follow your gods wherever they may lead you.
Hail and thank you for the interview! So Legion was formed in the dark Winter of 2009 by myself and Jason (drums) as we had a history of playing in other bands and wanted to create a band much like the bands we liked to see and listen to. Arek and Kris joined soon after. The aim was to create a death metal band that drew a lot of influences from the old school sounds but also with a modern twist, so to speak.
2. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
Simply put, old and pure gold. There is a definite progression in our sound from the early recordings ("Mark Of The Legion" 2011 and "Legio Luporum" 2013) to the present one "Bringers Of The Dark Sleep". The musical sound is very important to us as we always aim for clarity and sheer heaviness. Nothing more and nothing less. There is so much good production and sound engineering out there that it is only fitting to use it to enhance the recording and afterward listening experience.
3. The band has been around since 2009 but so far has only released 2 demo's and a full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the gaps in between releases?
Not really, I mean we just write tracks and this takes time. Everything good and valuable takes time- just like a good wine or whiskey, right? We never rush the creative process as this tends to spoil the process. Instead we allow nature to take its course and when the tracks are ready they are ready. It was important for us to go the route of demo and then album as far too often these days it seems everyone is releasing an EP and no one releases demos any more. Having been a member of the Irish scene for many years and the underground days since 1992 I always tape traded and bought demos- it was a natural thing to do whereas now no one treads the boards any longer and the first release is an EP It takes time to develop your sound and creative process, to gel as a band, as personalities and this is often done in the demo(ing) phase of a bands career so when the album does finally arrive hey presto everyone is comfortable with what they do and how they do it. That is not to suggest that the developing process ends with the album merely that at the beginning it is so important to spend time on the foundations of the band if it is to last and stay the course.
4. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
The lyrical subjects concern dark mythologies, various theogonies, history and themes borrowed from movies that we like. The writings of Hesiod, Homer, Pseduo Apollodorus, Pindar, Cicero, Ovid, Seutonius, Robert E. Howard, all influence me personally in a big way when I am writing - as the subjects of mythology and theogony, in general, hold a big interest for me and as such is like a massive treasure chest from where I can delve into whenever I need some inspiration when forming an idea. Movies, as I said at the beginning, also play a big part when it comes to ideas for writing lyrics.
5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Legion Of Wolves?
Every band needs a suitable moniker that means what it says and says what it means so the name concerns who we are and what we do. The name came from an idea that I had about an almighty Legion from the distant past who are devoted to their father Lykaon, the original Wolfgod and the music of death that by all accounts he seemed to enjoy. Wolves being ancient servants of nature and masters of their particular domain appealed to what I had in mind when envisioning the concept of the band. Roman History and Greek myth were the undoubted inspiration behind the name as I am deeply interested in these subjects. So when I put history together with nature and myth the name Legion of Wolves came to me quite quickly. We are a band of brothers, who are deeply devoted to death metal and have a passion for playing it, much the same as a Legion has a passion for conquering, so to speak.
6. What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We have played so many but some that stick in my mind are Gothenburg Deathfest 2013 we got to play not only in that wonderful city but meet some really cool folk and see some awesome bands- personal highlight was the cover of Autopsy - Twisted Mass of Burned Decay by the opening band. Then we have played in Poland- that was another good memory - it was a festival at our vocalists home town. We played hard and partied harder :-), as one does when in Poland. Our album launch party in Dublin was really, really cool event in October just past. We got to share the stage with some really good bands and hang out with some old friends also. Our stage show is some special actually - Kris(vocals) assumes the role of Centurion and wears Roman armour - with our banners draping our amps and Kris' skulls hanging from his custom microphone stand it makes for quiet the experience. Live shows are just as important to any band as the recorded output and product- as such effort should be made to make every live show something special for the fans and folks who come to view it - Our live shows try to give the viewer something a little extra in the overall experience.
7. Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
We have a show at the end of January and also some other shows are being considered for late Spring early Autumn. Some tours are being discussed but right now I don't want to say anything more until what is being discussed is set in stone, but if things did work out then it would be a kick ass experience for us and for you (if you manage to catch us live) Metal Scrap Records have been quiet supportive of us and our plans for more live shows in Europe so fingers crossed we get to play a show in a city near you.
8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of Death Metal?
Overall the feedback has been very positive from the fans. Generally speaking across the board everyone has been very supportive and this has been shown in sales of merch, music and attendance at our shows.
9. Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?
I play bass in a melodic black metal band called Aeternum Vale and thats about that. The rest are solely devoted to the Legion.
10. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We are going to keep it as it is - We don't see any reason to deviate from the style or genre of music that we are a part of right now. The Legion was formed from a love of metal, we love death metal and with our heritage firmly rooted in old school death metal then why would we want to change? I know that we are painting ourselves into a certain corner but we are very happy to do that, with what we play and be a death metal band. I think we will progress, progression is a natural aspect of any art, but this progression will always be exclusively within the genre and the style of music that we play.
11. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Straight up - Bolt Thrower, Pestilence,Master,Bloodbath, Cancer,Asphyx,Motorhead, Demolition Hammer,Dark Angel, Incantation, Vomitory, Carcass,Grave, Old Cannibal Corpse, old Massarce, Old Death, Entombed, Unleashed, Dismember, old Deicide, early Slayer. These days/currently I am listening to Vomitory - Blood Rapture, Bloodbath - Nightmares Made Flesh, Insision - Terminal Reckoning, Grave - As Rapture Comes, Marduk - Panzerdivision Marduk, Immortal - Battles in the North, Exhorder - The Law and Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith (because you can never have enough Judas Priest :-))
12. What are some of your non musical interests?
We all have our own individual non musical interests but my own would be reading (history, philosophy, mythology, art, poetry), watching movies and documentaries, travelling, writing, drinking fine red ales whilst holding conversation beside roaring open fires and imbibing some good Polish and Russian vodka in fine company.
13. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks for the interview and taking time out to read it. Always support your passions and follow your gods wherever they may lead you. Please check us out on Facebook for up to date information/news concerning our movements, merch sales, live shows and releases. Get in touch with us or Metalscrap to book us to come to your town or city. Always support and honour your passions and follow your gods wherever they may lead you.
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