IT’S A simple idea. Reunite most of the classic line-up of a classic band, add a new member, resurrect the glory. A simple concept that so often goes wrong – a hollow shell of a once great act, chasing fading dreams.
Lex Legion – four-fifths Them-era King Diamond, one-fifth Pagan’s Mind – succeeds where so many have failed, and does so at such an astounding level as much as by what they don’t do as what they do.
Without trying to recreate past glories, Lex Legion is a revival of old-school metal that relies on acclaimed and revered musicianship and pure songwriting clout. In Pete Blakk and Andy LaRocque, they have riffmeisters and soloists extraordinaire, in Mikkey Dee a drummer with flair, speed and sheer power when needed, in Hal Patino the no-nonsense, solid bottom end. If any band could recapture something of that mid-80s esteem, it would be this one. Pushing them over the line is the vocal prowess of Nils K. Rue, who trades King Diamond’s wild histrionics for the raw, controlled power of Geoff Tate.
The effect is immediate. The one-two opening punch of “Sleep Eternally” and “Gypsy’s Tears” blend dark atmospheric riffing with anthemic choruses, tasty soloing and harmonised guitars, Rue’s vocals both haunting and resonating.
The rest of the album is wall-to-wall heavy metal grandiosity and splendor, straight-shooting songs with dynamics and flow. Narrative verses explode into speedy bursts that draw a blurred line between classic metal and thrash in the near-exact manner to those legendary King Diamond albums. Faster tracks like “Life Eternal” and “Dreams of Darkness” sit cozily beside the creepy mid-paced vibes of the appropriately-titled “When the Stars Align” while more elegantly constructed moments like “(I Am) The Resurrected” and “Saviours” add a level of grandeur without overly-affected theatrics to prove epicness does not have to equate to saga-length.
Blakk and LaRocque harmonise and trade-off as if forty years hasn’t passed since they crafted that influential signature style. Dee’s thunderous but articulate drumming keeps every track at a crisp pace and Patino gets his moment to shine in the Diamond-esque closing instrumental. Capping it all is the outstanding performance of the singer. Rue’s commanding vocal display and LaRocque’s canny, modern production elevates Lex Legion to a rare status, a “supergroup” that exceeds expectation.
Lex Legion may not be King Diamond, but given that it may be years or never before the King release an album again, this is about as close as it gets without being an imitation, and considering who’s in this band, that’s a pretty remarkable achievement.
