Legion of Boom

Legion of Boom is the name of The Crystal Method's fourth album, as released on January 13th, 2004. The sound on the album is reminiscent of Vegas, and consists mainly of the driving, bass-heavy beats that make their sound recognizable. In many ways, this is their least accessible album; it focuses more on dance tracks than anything that would recieve radio airplay. The notable exception to this is the track Born Too Slow, which was released as a single and also appeared in EA Games' Need For Speed: Underground as Track 2. The return to dance tracks is a decided break from the style they were approaching in Tweekend Advance, and it is yet to be shown how this will be recieved by their fans and the general public.

One of the elements that TCM tended to incorporate into their previous albums was a decided contrast between high-BPM, intense songs and tracks that served as "cool-down" between them. For Legion, the entire album is relatively slow, tending toward guitar-led tracks instead of the purely synthesized tracks you may have expected. Unsurprisingly, Born Too Slow, the most guitar-heavy track on the album, has recieved the most airplay; this seems like a throwback to 2001, when Name of the Game, a similarly constructed track on Tweekend Advance was also the track that received the most public acclaim, and, thus, airplay. Most of the guitar work is done from former Limp Bizkit member Wes Borland, who gave the album somewhat of a negative image; it seems rather tactless to incorporate a mainstream rap-rock guitarist into an apparently "underground" act.

The album cover for the U.S. version has Jordan and Kirkland on the edge of a tenement roof, with a crudely constructed tower of speakers perched beside them. An unidentified city serves as the background. The advance copy album cover, which is what you're likely to find being circulated on peer-to-peer networks, is plain black with the TCM "two dancers" logo above the band and album name in a stylized font. On the back is a plain white-on-black track listing.

Various sources on the internet have incorrectly labeled this album as "Temple of Boom," "Legion of Doom," or most commonly, "Legions of Boom."

Is it worth buying?

If you're a fan of the electronica scene and haven't been introduced to TCM yet, this is an excellent chance to introduce yourself to one of the most innovative and impressive acts yet. If you're a TCM fan, you'll find a myriad of songs that illustrate their unique style, with a pleasant, new twist.

Track Listing:

1. Starting Over
> featuring Rahzel, from The Roots
2. Born Too Slow
> featuring Wes Borland, formerly of Limp Bizkit, and John Garcia, formerly of Kyuss
3. True Grit
4. American Way
> featuring Rahzel
5. I Know It's You
> featuring Milla Jovovich
6. Realizer
> featuring Lisa, from the Bellrays, and Jon Brion
7. Broken Glass
> featuring Wes Borland
8. Weapons of Mass Distortion
> featuring Wes Borland
9. Bound Too Long
> featuring Hanifah
10. Acetone
> featuring Rahzel
11. High and Low
> featuring Lisa
12. Wide Open
> featuring Hanifah

Quick Data:

Artist: The Crystal Method
Format: One CD
Released: 1/13/04
Label: V2 / BMG
Website: www.thecrystalmethod.com
Other Albums: Vegas (1997), Tweekend Advance (2001), Community Service (2002)

Source: www.thecrystalmethod.com, www.amazon.com, physical CDs