LEGEN BELTZA
"Insanity"
(Crash; 2003)
Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter
Legen Beltza is a Spanish band that plays classic thrash with a touch of traditional power metal. The thrash metal style is more in the vein of Annihilator rather than Metallica or Megadeth; the traditional power metal style is in the vein of mid-era Judas Priest in the form of Legen Beltza's melodic guitar runs.
"Insanity" features eleven tracks with most songs clocking in at about four minutes. Legen Beltza won't bother you with drawn-out epics, but package their riff-heavy style in concise and powerful combinations. Classic guitar solos are a featured item on every song -- it's nice to hear the guitar used in a solo spotlight as it was intended to be and as it was made famous by most heavy metal bands in the late '80s. Legen Beltza hasn't quite gotten hold of the English language; that isn’t necessarily a detraction from the overall impact of "Insanity," but it is something that you notice often as you listen to the disc.
The title track, the taut horror of "Nuclear Winter," and the disc-closing "Awaits You" are the highlights on "Insanity."
"Insanity" is a solid if unspectacular effort. Fans of Kreator, Annihilator and some of the lesser known Bay Area thrash survivors will enjoy Legen Beltza's "Insanity."
"Insanity" was produced by Anor Arino and mixed by Annihilator's Jeff Waters.
Legan Beltza: Xanti on bass and vocals, Ekaitz and Azkue on guitars, and Edorta on drums.
For more information visit http://www.legenbeltza.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the
cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2003 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
