Review: Legacy – Hello, New World
THEY’RE BACK! Okay. Who are they? Well, let’s give some addition introduction for the uninitiated, because, after all, they were one of the many unsigned bands that came through the scene in the 80’s, and so, maybe not as familiar to most of you readers.
Brief History
Ohio based band Legacy started in 1987, and dropped a high-quality custom tape on the scene in 1988. A tape that, I am pretty sure I heard about from an ad in Heaven’s Metal at the time. Released at a time when the scene was full of homemade tapes of various recording qualities, Legacy hit us with one that contained six songs of very high quality, both in recording quality and song writing. With big harmonies, and dual guitar attack, comparisons to huge bands like Stryper are not misplaced.
The tape made a small splash on the scene, but garnered enough attention to get them a place on the Heavy Righteous Metal II compilation from Pure Metal, and with a song that was not contained on their six-song release no less. And again, inclusion, with yet another new, and heavier track, on the Star Song compilation Brave New World.
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 Stephen Craig of Eonian Records, one who had a long history of involvement in the Christian music market since the 1980s, approached them with the idea of reissuing their early material on CD for the first time officially.
The 2010 Reissue
Pulling together all previously mentioned released tracks (well, for some reason excluding one of the tracks from the original six-song tape), plus additional unreleased ones, we saw the 2010 self-title Legacy CD which contained a total of 14 tracks, released by Eonian Records, and labeled as a joint-effort of sorts between them, Heaven’s Metal, Nightmare Records and others.
That led to a 2011 interview with the band by yours truly. In that interview, which landed the band on the cover of issue 85 (of the relaunch days), I asked the band if this reissue would possibly spark a reunion of sorts, since all of the original band members were still friends at the time. They had no idea or plans at the time, but said they had been jamming together in preparation for a release party for the reissued CD.
Well, jump forward over a dozen more years from then, and I get wind from inside sources of a new forthcoming Legacy album in the works. Many, many months later still, IT’S HERE! Thirty-five years after their last early recordings, and featuring the same line up as that early material, Hello, New World contains eight tracks.
ON TOP OF THAT, Eonian Records decide to reissue a completely newly remastered edition of the long of our print 2010 self-title release they produced, and this time, it contains an additional three tracks not on the original release, one of which was, yes, that missing track from the first 1988 tape that had been excluded from the 2010 reissue.
New Album 2024
But first, the new album. Hello, New World does not stray too far from the original musical direction and sound of the early material, but there is a definite new maturity in the sound all these years later. You kind of know what you are in for when you look at the artwork on the back cover, where we find a box radio and a bunch of floating cassette tapes. The cassette images bear the names Shout, Stryper, Sacred Warrior and REZ band, so yeah, it is clear what we’re in for here.
With big backing vocals, tons of melodic harmonies, sing-along and anthemic rockers in the vein of Bon Jovi, Stryper, The Brave and other similar melodic masters, the band continue their legacy with another batch of top-notch rockers with a clear Christian message as always.
Opening track “These Five Words” is a mid-paced rocker laced with harmonies and guitar grit where they sing to “Let me love like you.” Up next is a track that appeared on the original 1988 tape, “Change of a Broken Heart,” and which, admittedly, was one of my favorites from those early days, so I appreciate it showing up here. They didn’t really change much here, it is just an updated recording for the most part, so still a great track.
“Sidewalk Space” immediately hits me with sounds both musically and vocally of something from the early Paul Cawley Guardian years. Up next is the song 21, which sounds cryptic on first listen, but after examining the lyrics more closely, we find them recounting how traumatic the events of the year 2020 were, and relying on the Lord to get past the storms of that year, to reach 2021.
Up next is the track “Forever In Your Arms” which, 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 I will note; the original version sounds so much like a carbon copy of the sound and style Stryper had at that time, that this could have appeared on To Hell with the Devil no problem. But this newly recorded addition, while still hearkening back at times to that, it now feels and sounds different enough to stand independently as a release 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 typical rocking style of the rest, rounding out this release as a solid rocker all-around.
Overall, a very enjoyable musical trip for us melodic hard rock and metal fans. Plus I am always thrilled to see an original line up from so long ago get back to do new music. It seems in the past decade, we’ve seen so many classic bands of yesteryear come back with strong material, and I am thrilled to add Legacy to that list.
The Reissue of a Reissue
Now, about the 2024 reissue of the 2010 reissue. With a new improved remaster on all tracks, and the inclusion of three addition tracks not on the original 2010 release, as well as a much-improved readability of the extensive detailed liner notes, I will say, if you missed the initial 2010 release of this, you’ll want to act fast to grab this one. However, if you did grab the original pressing, well, like me, you just know you still want this edition for the extra tracks and improved mastering. Grab one at eonianrecords.com.
Line-up:
Doug Meacham – Lead Vocals
Matthew Rice – Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals
Fred Blanchard – Guitars, Keyboards &Backing Vocals
John D. Rice – Bass & Backing Vocals
John Jenkins – Drums
Track Listing:
Hello, New World (2024)
- These Five Words
- Change of a Broken Heart
- Sidewalk Space
- 21
- Take My Breath Away
- Forever In Your Arms
- With a Shout
- Chains Of My Heart
Self-Titled (2024 Remaster)
- Salvation is law
- It’s Real
- Cross the Line
- Forever In Your Arms (1989)
- You Need Love
- Don’t Run Away
- Red, White, and Blue
- Change of a Broken Heart (1988)
- Comin’ Along
- Soldiers Unite
- One Way or the Other
- Live It
- What a World
- Model Citizen
- Vision of Perfection
- Fear of the Unknown (Unreleased Demo)
- All the Pain and Tears (Unreleased Demo)
A Brief Disclaimer about Eonian Records:
For those not already aware, the label is mainly focused on released mainstream (i.e. non-Christian) band recordings of yesteryear. The band Legacy is the only clearly Christian band on the label. I alert you to this just so you don’t rush over there and start buying all of their releases thinking the label is releasing a bunch of Christian bands. If you enjoy hearing a bunch of great unsigned type “secular” bands of decades past, then I highly recommend Eonian Records as a top notch label. However, if your focus is only on Christian bands, now you know.
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