Legions of Doom - The Skull 3

Legions of Doom is a doom metal band born from the tragic passing of doom metal legend Eric Wagner (The Skull, Trouble, Blackfinger).  The material on this debut album, “The Skull 3,” is from what would have been on The Skull’s third full-length album but realized in a different form. After getting the blessing of the Eric’s family, The Skull guitarist Lothar Keller and Bassist Ron Holzner (Trouble) welcomed drummer Henry Vasquez (Saint Vitus, Pentagram, Blood of the Sun), guitarist Scott Little (Leadfoot), vocalists Karl Agell (Lie, Heavy, Leadfoot, COC, Patriarchs In Black) and Scott Reagers (Saint Vitus).  

If you’re familiar with The Skull, then Legions of Doom will find a place in your collection as well.  It’s low, slow, and heavy.  As I always ask, when it comes to doom metal, what more could you possibly ask for? “The Skull 3” acts as both a loving tribute to Eric but also as an example of his everlasting legacy.  With that being said, the album stands tall regardless of looking at it through the legacy of Eric.

The production is basically perfect, the mix as well.  The low end is captured exceptionally well but it isn’t to the point where the other instruments don’t get to shine.  The guitars are just as heavy as the bass, matching deep tones against deep tones for an extra heavy album.  Even for a doom album, this sounds bottomless. 

The dual vocal approach is a nice touch; I’ve always liked Karl’s voice and I’m glad to see he has returned to music in a big way recently.  I’ll be honest, I’m less of a fan of Scott’s vocals; he certainly isn’t bad, he just doesn’t hit me the same way as Karl.  However, that’s very much a personal performance so please take that with a grain of salt.  If you like his style, then Scott brings it just as hard as anyone on this album.  

The album begins with “Beyond the Shadow of Doubt.” The opening riffs are massive—truly impressive. Karl’s vocals are on point, his voice has aged so well, if at all!  To top it all off, the song is catchy as hell with very impressive drums.

The hefty crunch of “Lost Soul” shows the band can hit as hard as they groove.  The song has a menacing tone and venomous bite to it.  After the 4 minute mark, the tempo speeds up with some of the best riffs on the album. Scott's vocals have just the right balance between aggression and theatrical. 

“Between Darkness and Dawn” is a moody song that transitions through styles and moods. The opening is even blues inspired. It's dense and abrasive in places but on others it is smoky with some swagger. Very very good song, especially after the 4 minute mark because of the riffs that are laced with a bit of epic flavorings. 

“Insecticide,” is one of my favorites on the album. It's a rager but still has all the hallmarks of a good doom song. Karl sings his ass off as well, just as intense and dynamic as the music.

A stark contrast to the song is the one that follows after, “Heaven.”  It features Eric's vocals and it's….well, bittersweet I suppose. His voice gets to shine one final time yet there is always the finality of it. It was a good idea to include this song and it's as emotional as anything I've heard this year.

The final song, “Hallow By All Means” is a nearly 10 minute epic. It's nearly unbelievable how heavy this song is in the first half! The middle is more laid back but no less emotive. The final is all rising action that's reached in cacophony of drums and a massive wall of guitars and bass. 

Legion of Doom’s “The Skull 3” is a fantastic work of doom metal that honors the genre and pays tribute to one of the legends of the scenes all the while standing on its own considerable legs.