Interview: Legions Of Doom
We all wanted to honor Eric’s legacy and finish this record and play our asses off. He was our friend and bandmate and we wanted to give him a proper send off and establish our own identity in the process.
Legions Of Doom are a veritable doom metal supergroup that features members who are in/served time in the storied likes of The Skull, Trouble, Saint Vitus and Corrosion Of Conformity. The band have recently released their debut album The Skull 3 and Gavin Brown caught up with Legions Of Doom bass player Ron Holzner and vocalist Karl Agell to get the lowdown on the band’s history, the debut album, their other bands and a whole host of doom related talk.
E&D: How did Legions Of Doom get together as a band in the first place?
Ron: The Skull was playing its second Eric Wagner tribute show in the suburbs of Chicago featuring Karl Agell and Scott Reagers as guest vocalists. While we were rehearsing fun things started to happen and we started messing around playing C.O.C., Deep Purple and St. Vitus songs. A band dropped off the bill and we decided to step in and play a short set with these songs supporting The Skull. We came up with Legion Of Doom as a name for this makeshift band. Soon afterwards we got Europe Festivals interested in having us play. We made a set with C.O.C. Blind era songs, Vitus, Trouble, The Skull and The Deep purple song ‘Into the Fire’ and started playing. We decided to keep going as a band, change the name to Legions Of Doom and honour our fallen brothers Eric Wagner, Mark Adams, Reed Mullin, Armando Acosta, and Barry Stern and play the music we all are known for……and finish writing and recording The Skull record that Lothar and I shelved after Eric died.
E&D: Your first album The Skull 3 is out now. Have you been pleased with the reaction to the album so far?
Ron: Oh Yeah. Over 90% of people really dig it. It seems to be liked by a wide range of music fans. There have been very favourable reviews. Critics and music journalists seem to get what we are doing. Live shows have been good with the new songs going over well!
E&D: The album is, of course, a tribute to the late Eric Wagner, was this an emotional project for the band members?
Ron: We all have ties to Wagner one way or another so yeah, it was very emotional for everyone involved. Lothar and I wrote most of the music prior to Wagner passing and did not really get a chance to work on the songs with Wagner like we did on the 2 Skull records. We luckily got the lyrics from Eric’s son who was able to retrieve them from Eric’s computer. I had to work on the lyrics, edit them and make them work with the music. It was draining really. We ended up with leftover verses and lines that I was able to use on the last 2 songs we finished writing as a band. We all wanted to honor Eric’s legacy and finish this record and play our asses off. He was our friend and bandmate and we wanted to give him a proper send off and establish our own identity in the process. We all were emotional involved 100%
E&D: What are your favourite memories of Eric and what are your favourite of his vocal performances?
Ron: Ha! So many memories. Touring with him was a trip. He had his own way of seeing and viewing the world and always shared his view with us in his special Wagner way. He was very serious yet very funny as well. He could really set the mood in the van or backstage. The first Trouble record on Def American was incredible! What he did on the 2 Skull records was amazing as well. He was getting older and using his voice differently. He had a more mature way of singing and using his voice.
E&D: How was the experience of having dual vocals on the album and did you also always want Legions Of Doom to have two vocalists?
Ron: I thought it was a great balance between Karl and Scott. As I was working on putting the lyrics to the music I just knew who I wanted to sing on each song. I have known Scott and Karl a long time and I know their styles well. I never planned on having 2 vocalists, it just happened that way and we just went with it. Some things organically become what they are and you just go…Cool, ok. It gives us a wide range of songs we can play live and we can mix it up nicely Lots of songs in our back pockets!!!
E&D: Apart from Eric Wagner, For you, who had the best ever voice in doom?
Ron: Ozzy. The way he sang Geezer’s lyrics is chilling.
E&D: Was it a fun task making the album and coming up with so many awesome riffs on it?
Ron: Yes. Yes it was. It always is, It was emotionally draining at times, but yeah. I love writing and making music!!!
E&D: What are some of your favourite riffs of all time?
Ron: ’Into The Void’ – Sabbath, ‘Am I Evil’ – Diamond Head. The intro to ‘Hell Awaits’ – Slayer, so many good ones.
E&D: How did your recent show at Desertfest NYC go and what were the highlights of the show?
Ron: The show was great!! Good crowd with a very enthusiastic reception to us!! Seeing lots of old friends there was awesome!!
E&D: How have your other recent live shows go?
Ron: All the shows have been good. We are trying different things and different songs. Its cool. We also got to do a festival here in Chicago where The Skull played one night and LOD another night. Lots of songs to choose from. We are doing the 2 bands at Maryland Doomfest this coming year as well.
E&D: How have the songs from The Skull 3 been going down?
Ron: The new songs fit in the set nicely and the people are liking what we are doing so far. Its fun to actually play the new ones live. Some we never got to play as a whole band before recording them. Some changed in the studio as well.
E&D: Are you looking forward to playing Milwaukee Metalfest next year with Down and of course Trouble and lots of other cool bands?
Ron: Yes. I got to play it a few times before so yeah, itsgreat to play again. I hope we play the day Down plays. I love them guys! Exhorder as well!!
E&D: What other live plans have you got for next year and will you be making it across to the UK and Europe at all?
Ron: Looking like Europe in the Fall. Maryland Doomfest in the States as well as hitting both coasts in America.
E&D: With the band members having played in so many amazing bands, from Saint Vitus to Pentagram to The Skull and so many more did you think you would always be dubbed a doom supergroup?
Ron: We are a doom supergroup! We fully embrace the title!
E&D: What are some of your favourite ever supergroups?
Ron: A progressive band called UK was great! The new Pantera line up is awesome. Cream, Blind Faith, The Highwaymen!
E&D: Karl, what were the highlights of being in Leadfoot?
Karl: We released 3 albums – Bring It On, Take A Look and We Drink For Free. We had a lot of fun touring Europe extensively and building up the band’s reputation as a seriously great live act. We shared the stage with so many different types of bands that weren’t necessarily in our genre over the years, like Ratt and Quiet Riot and Neurosis and The Drive-By Truckers and Immortal. We really didn’t care! We were up for the challenge and the audiences loved it.
E&D: How was it linking back up with Scott Little from Leadfoot and Corrosion Of Conformity in Legions Of Doom?
Karl: It has been great to play with him again. Scott and I have played together steadily since 1999. Leadfoot, KingHitter and now Legions of Doom/The Skull. He’s a great guitarist and kickass songwriter. Total gunslinger. He brings his badass delivery to every band he’s in.
E&D: How was the experience of playing live with The Skull at festivals like Fists of Riffs in Louisville and The Maryland Doom Fest?
Karl: Anytime we get a chance to perform a full Skull set, it’s a great time. I am beyond honoured and absolutely humbled to be given the privilege to sing the late great Eric Wagner’s words and melodies. The crowds at both those festivals, and all the other Skull shows that we have done, have been very receptive and incredibly supportive.
E&D: What are your favourite ever Saint Vitus, The Skull and Trouble songs?
Karl: Wow, that’s a tough one to answer! I will pick one for each band even though I really do love all their songs. Saint Vitus – ‘War Is Our Destiny’. The Skull – ‘For Those Which Are Asleep’. Trouble – ‘Psychotic Reaction’.
E&D: Who are your all time biggest inspirations as a vocalist?
Karl: Roger Daltrey, Ian Gillan, Phil Lynott, Lemmy, Lee Ving and HR. Those are some of the first that come to mind. There’s many more.
E&D: Which doom bands are your favourites to listen to?
Ron: I am digging Early Moods at the moment.
Karl: I’m going to give a shoutout to some of my local NC favourites – Crystal Spiders & Doomsday Profit. I love Sun Years from Richmond, VA, too.
