
Looking more closely, Legionnaire's music isn't about a formulaic approach. In fact, it's far from it and varies tempo quite often, which keeps the songs from stagnating and dying a slow, painful death. Their sophomore demo, The Enigma of Time, in particular, shows a group tightening the reigns as they step ever closer to becoming a single entity in each song.
The final outcome is a collection of four rough songs that aren't too far off, sound-wise, from eighties cult bands like Steel Assassin (though not vocally!). Guitars are coarse and jagged--as expected of demos--while drums careen flatly from the walls surrounding them, as if performing in a cavern. Most surprising, though, is the audible bass that sits confidently under the mix and does its job as the backbone admirably well. Demos are great for that--it's always inspiring to hear the bottom end on a metal album and The Enigma of Time is no exception to that rule.
"The Guardian" kicks off the demo with up-pace tempo and a sense of urgency that shows the band means business. Harmonized guitars follow as the main riff drops to help the music breathe--and much of the demo is composed smartly like this, too. Particular thought is put into each composition while staying true to traditional heavy metal's roots. Mind you, there aren't many surprises here, but the clever bits are hard not to appreciate, which the rest of the track listing also demonstrates with instrumentals and decisive guitar playing.
In short, The Enigma of Time is quite good for what it is and shows promise. It won't win any awards because it takes a special kind of person to appreciate the demo-like atmosphere, but with a proper production, Legionnaire could sound even more phenomenal than they already do, and help breathe life into traditional heavy metal as it continues to grow and develop in the 21st century.
-TMA
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