Year : 2024 (Eönian Records Edition)
Style : Hard Rock , Christian Heavy Metal
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + scans
Size : 72 mb
Bio:
Christian heavy metal/hard rock band from Columbus, Ohio. Formed in 1987.Christian Metal.The merging of the messianic message with loud, raucous, rowdy, rock ‘n’ roll. To some, this sounds oxymoronic. It is the mismatched mixing of the sacred with the profane, but to the born-again mousse-abuse mavericks in Legacy, Matthew Rice (guitars), John D. Rice (bass), John Jenkins (drums), Fred Blanchard (guitars), and Doug Meacham (vocals) - it sounded like a match made in, well, Heaven.The band’s creation began on September 17, 1987, in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Eric Adams, a youth minister, felt called to build and manage a band that could not only rock your face off, but also share the love of God while doing so. With John D., Matthew Rice, and Matt Reedy already on board, Eric reached out to Fred Blanchard, the younger brother of a friend of his, wondering if he knew of any singers seeking work. As divine providence would have it, Fred’s band had just broken up that day, so he and Doug Meacham were both available to join.Undecided on a name, the band fluctuated between Xristas, Threshold, as well as the name Cross as they strived to learn the songs and mesh their individual talents into one smooth, all-cylinders-cranking metal machine. However, before they actually played any gigs, Matt Reedy left the fold and Blanchard enlisted his friend John Jenkins as a replacement. With this infusion of fresh blood also came a new band name - LEGACY. They made no bones about being a Christian Metal band. While the music was important, a sizzling salvo of heavy guitars, thunderous rhythms, melodic hooks, and layered harmonies, the band placed equal, if not more, importance on their message, ensuring their lyrics cleaved true to who they were as men of faith.Claiming Columbus, Ohio as their home and citing bands like Stryper and Dokken as primary influences, LEGACY launched themselves into the live circuit, playing their first show at Tree of Life Christian School where Fred was still a senior. But the band did not limit themselves to Christian audiences; instead, they took to heart Jesus’ command to take His message into the world and invaded secular venues on a regular basis. One of their biggest accomplishments was winning the Battle of the Bands at the renowned heavy metal club Alrosa Villa in the winter of ‘89, becoming the first white-metal band to ever take the crown in that head-banging competition.Gaining momentum, LEGACY opened for several Christian rock legends, including REZ, Shout, Sacred Warrior, Mylon Lefevre & Broken Heart, and Allies. In fact, one of the band’s favorite memories involves opening for Mylon Lefevre and REZ at the Ohio Center in downtown Columbus on New Year’s Eve ‘88. As Legacy rocked out a 20-minute set, a mob rushed the stage and began pummeling their approval in an impromptu mosh pit. Legacy ripped through five songs like a pack of righteously rogue soldiers, feeding off the frenzy in front of them, and exited the stage totally fired up. Only later did they learn that Lefevre had been watching in the wings and told his road manager, “The crowd seems to really like these boys. Why don’t we let them do another song?” Too bad that Legacy, too stoked to sit still, had already left!Of course, every band has their amusing road stories and Legacy is no exception. In route to a show in Illinois, John engaged in his usual quirk of practicing “air drums” on the steering wheel while listening to some tunes, only this time he was practicing with a pen. Like a scene in some slapstick comedy, the tip went flying off, unbeknownst to John, who didn’t realize what had happened until he had “air drummed” ink all over the roof of the truck, himself, and pretty much everything else in the cabin in one big, black, splatterific mess.But all was not light and laughter. Back in the ‘80s, Christian Metal was considered controversial, labeled as blasphemous by conservative believers who lambasted bands for wedding what they deemed “the devil’s music” to the holy gospel. Protesters repeatedly rallied at their shows, spewing their judgmental bullets, but Legacy simply ignored the laments of the extremists and marched on with their mission to rock for the Rock and sound a call to arms to all those metal-loving believers striving to stay strong in a cold, dark, dying world.Legacy’s star seemed to be on a meteoric rise. They garnered praise wherever they went. They were featured in CCM Magazine and Heaven’s Metal Magazine. Their singles appeared on compilations from Pure Metal and Star Song Records. They were on the brink of being signed by a major Christian label, but then it all unraveled. Matt left the band to pursue alternate ministries; Fred departed soon after. Within a year, the band experienced a string of personnel pains, and before a new incarnation could be solidified, grunge steam-rolled onto the scene and the radical shift in the musical winds shattered any chance Legacy might have had at wider success. By the spring of ‘92, Doug and John remained the only original members and during a telephone conversation, both agreed Legacy was no more. They had answered the call, danced with destiny, and now it was time to move on.The members of Legacy remain eternally grateful to God for granting them the opportunity to serve and worship Him through the medium of metal. The band may someday squeeze a small reunion into their busy schedules and possibly even crank out some new music, but regardless of what the future holds for Legacy; their heritage in the Christian Metal realm is one they can be proud of.
Album:
Ohio based melodic metal / hard rock band LEGACY started in 1987, and dropped a high-quality cassette on in 1988. Released at a time when the scene was full of self-released tapes of various recording qualities, Legacy hit us with one that contained six songs of very high quality, both in recording and songwriting. With big harmonies, and dual guitar attack, comparisons to huge bands like Stryper are not misplaced.They were poised for a recording contract but changes in life direction for some member caused the band to simply pull the plug and fade away. Or so it seemed… Jump forward to 2010 when Eonian Records approached Legacy with the idea of reissuing their early material on CD for the first time.LEGACY members remained friends and played sporadic gigs, but now 2024 they are back with the original line up and a new album titled ”Hello, New World”, also released by Eonian Records.”Hello, New World” does not stray too far from the original musical direction and style of the early material, but there is a definite maturity in the sound all these years later. This is US melodic metal with late ’80s feeling. You kind of know what you are in for when you look at the artwork, an arcade video-game with Van Halen’s famous stripes.With big backing vocals, tons of melodic harmonies, sing-along and anthemic rockers in the vein of Stryper, The Brave, Dokken and other similar masters, the band continue their ‘legacy’ with another batch of strong rockers with a clear Christian message as always, but lyrically not intrusive.Opening track “These Five Words” is a mid-paced rocker laced with harmonies and guitar grit, modernized in sound but still Eighties in nature. Up next is a track that appeared on the original 1988 tape, “Change of a Broken Heart,” one of the band’s best songs from those early days, so we appreciate it showing up here. They didn’t really change much the song, it is just an updated recording for the most part, so still a great track.“Sidewalk Space” immediately brings to mind Guardian early years, quite anthemic and with a huge chorus. ”21” rocks with sharp guitar work, the lyrics recounting how traumatic the events of the year 2020 were.“Take My Breath Away” is a favorite from this new release. It’s metallic but with a hard rock groove and a killer chorus, with a very good ‘gang style’ arrangement with all members contributing.“Forever In Your Arms”, while not on the original 1988 tape, was one of the songs the band recorded not too long after that, and was included on the 2010 reissue. One thing you will note; the original version sounds so much like the sound & style Stryper had at that time that could have appeared on To Hell With The Devil with no problem. But this newly 2024 recorded addition, while still hearkening back at times to that, it now feels and sounds different enough to stand independently as a ‘new song’ from this band.“With a Shout” opens with a killer little guitar solo riff before dropping into a chorus exhorting you to “Lift your voice and praise with a shout” intertwined with more blazing solos. Rocking worship at its finest. And closing out the release is “Chains on My Heart,” with a start that makes you think you’re in for a slower, power ballad type track – but nope, it breaks into the rocking style of the rest, rounding out this release as a solid rocker all-around.Overall, ”Hello, New World” is a very enjoyable musical trip for us melodic hard rock and metal fans. Plus, we’re always thrilled to see an original line up from so long ago get back to do new music. In the past decade we’ve seen so many bands of yesteryear come back with strong material – add Legacy to that list.
Line Up:
Doug Meacham – Lead Vocals
Matthew Rice – Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals
Fred Blanchard – Guitar, Keyboards, & Backing Vocals
John D. Rice – Bass & Backing Vocals
John Jenkins – Drums
Production:
Art Direction, Design – Eddi Calzada
Executive-Producer – Ryan Northrop, Stephen Craig
Mastered By – Anthony Focx
Mixed By – Rusty Yanok
Written-By – Legacy
Tracklist:
01. These Five Words
02. Change Of A Broken Heart (2024 version)
03. Sidewalk Space
04. 21
05. Take My Breath Away
06. Forever In Your Arms
07. With A Shout
08. Chains On My Heart
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
