Soul Drift

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Today witnesses Legion Within’s first formal album release by KMFDM Records. Originating from Seattle, Washington, the band formed in 2000 & Mouth of Madness is their fourth full-length to date. The album was crafted over a period of two years & it was a tough process for the band. It was written during a time when band member’s lives were fraught with personal tragedy & upheaval. However, they seem to have powered through this difficult time to create a mature blend of darkwave & industrial rock.

On first listen Mouth of Madness sounded like the type of album KMFDM & London After Midnight would produce if they joined forces. The core sound is very typical of darkwave/industrial rock bands (synthesisers & distorted guitars), but that is not to say the album is generic. There are elements of enough different genres throughout the record to make it interesting & ultimately creating “a dark mosaic of musical styles” to set them apart. For example, ‘Memories of You’ is more melancholy & one of the slower tracks on the album, incorporating a haunting cello & ghostly electronics into their sound. ‘Demon’s Arm’ begins with a female soprano eerily singing over the intro, & even more surprising was penultimate track, ‘Mall Cops of Freedom’, a swing/big band-style track with tounge-in-cheek lyrics.

Their songs range from romance, escapism, & tragedy to dark humour & flights of sadistic fancy. They are also a band who are not afraid to get political. Many of their lyrics reflect disquiet with the current state of the world, particularly the title track which focuses on a “shattered world” with “corporate drones”, & ‘So Happy’ questioning how people can be happy living this life. ‘The Empire Is Burning’ is a similar track, openly criticising America with biting lyrics such as: “Torture’s back in fashion, it’s American chic, no one gives a damn about the frail & the meek”.

The album draws to a close with a remix of the title track by Käpt’n K (Sascha Konietzko of KMFDM). I’m not overly fond of remixes, but this does serve to highlight his obvious influence throughout this record. However, I do not wish to take anything away from the band, they have created a successful dark rock album of their own using many different elements. It may not be exactly the type of music I like, but its quality shines through.

You can download the title track for free via the KMFDM store.

Official Site | MySpace