Delve into Legionary's evolution with Frank, from its inception in 2007 to recent shifts in sound, lineup, and creative direction, offering insights into the band's dynamic journey and future prospects.
1. Frank,
your journey with Legionary began back in 2007. How has the band's sound
evolved since then, particularly with the changes in line-up and musical
direction?
Well I'm
the primary songwriter for the band, so it's all coming from me. I don't really
listen to a lot of bands anymore, like I used to, so I think it helps with
giving Legionary its own identity. I definitely don't think I'm breaking any
new ground, but I do think Legionary has a "sound". As far as the
lineup changes go, they're mostly doing as I ask of them, so it's not really
altering the sound too much. I will say that I'm always open to their ideas.
For example, I always let Lead Guitarist, Tony Barhoum, just do his thing. I
tell him where to solo, and he delivers. What I will say though, is that the
overall sound has become more progressive over the years.
2. The
Path Of Tyranny EP marked a shift to D standard tuning for Legionary. Could you
talk about the decision behind this change and how it influenced the band's
overall sound?
Our demo
and album, "Arcane Divisions", were both in C# standard, and I just
remember that tuning being a pain for us all. It just seemed like it was a
tuning that was hard to keep in tune, so I decided that D standard was a good
move for the band. If you listen to our EPs from 2013-2018, I'd say that it
didn't really make us less heavy. In fact, some of that stuff in those years
was some of our most brutal stuff!
3. Your latest EP, Prison Realm,
introduces clean vocals to Legionary's music. What inspired this addition, and
how has it been received by your fans so far?
I always
liked a good singer, and have been wanting to add clean singing to Legionary
music for a while, but I just couldn't find the right guy. Chris Clancy is
somebody I saw that was hireable, and he's definitely one of the top overall
vocalists in metal. There isn't a thing he can't sing, so it just was a dream
come true to have a talent like him sing on a Legionary record. So far the
reception has been great!
4. Legionary has been praised for its intense and technically mature compositions. What is your creative process like when crafting such intricate metal tracks?
Have we?
Haha. The creative process is always the same for me. Come up with a riff, tab
it to Guitar Pro, begin to write drum and bass lines to that riff. I basically
take it a riff at a time. My goal is to never have any filler parts. I want
each part to be memorable and catchy. I never really set out to be technical,
but sometimes it just comes out that way.
5. With
Legionary now primarily a studio project, how does this affect your approach to
writing and recording compared to when the band was playing live regularly?
I do
remember when we did play live in the beginning, that our focus was getting the
songs we had written, tight for the stage, and there wasn't really any time to
write anything new. Not playing live definitely takes away that pressure, and
allows me to write at my own pace.
6. "Arcane
Divisions" was remixed and remastered in 2014. What prompted this
decision, and how do you feel the updated version reflects the band's growth
and vision?
Well it
turns out we didn't really like the remix/remaster in 2014 either haha! But
that is of no fault of engineer at the time, David Andronico. We as a band take
full responsibility for the album not sounding like we had hoped. The demo just
2 years earlier, mixed/mastered by the same guy, Dave, sounded awesome. We just
had this vision for the album (the inexperienced musicians we were), to attempt
to release something really raw sounding, and it honestly just didn't work for
the sound that Legionary should be trying to achieve. On this new EP, we
re-recorded the title track off of that album ("Arcane Divisions"),
and it sounds awesome (the way we had hoped back in the day!)
7. Could
you share some insights into the themes and inspirations behind your music,
particularly the politically themed tracks on the Path Of Tyranny EP?
I don't
even think I agree with everything I wrote on that EP anymore haha, but at the
time, I guess I was wisening up to the whole political system being a joke, and
that both parties are in bed with one another. Each release that followed that
one just kept pushing the envelope further, delving into more
controversial/conspiratorial territory. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I always
enjoy writing about it.
8. Legionary
has collaborated with top-notch metal musicians from the Tri-State area. How do
these collaborations contribute to the band's dynamic and sound?
The guys
I've had on my recordings are something else. Looking back on it, they've all
given such killer performances, and I really couldn't have asked for much more.
Yes, I write the music and lyrics, but I allow them to do their thing, and
99.9% of the time, I've loved it. If it's a simpler sounding lead, chances are,
I wrote it, but if it's something crazier, Lead Guitarist, Tony Barhoum, who's
been helping me for years, wrote it. Some of the bass lines when Mike Dreher
was in the band, were altered too, and always were better than what I had
originally. The vocalists I've had were always good sports too. I give them a
"whisper track" (basically a track of me attempting the vocals, over
the music, and showing them the flows), and they mostly stay on point,
sometimes changing a thing here and there. I generally just like everything
they've given me.
9. Frank,
as the main composer for Legionary, how do you balance maintaining the band's
signature style while also exploring new musical territories and experimenting
with different elements?
This is
kind of a sad answer, but I never really improved too much on the guitar haha.
I think I know my limits on the guitar, and it's mostly in the death/thrash
metal arena. That's not to say that I haven't written some really technical
stuff, but I try not to think about being the most tech band out there. I do
think where I've improved the most over the years, is in the melody department.
My influences have changed a lot over the years, and I'm way more into feeling
based stuff, than the brutal stuff nowadays.
10. Your
lyric video for "Prison Realm" is visually captivating. How important
do you think visual elements are in enhancing the audience's experience of your
music?
Very
important. Fans wanna see something more than a still of the artwork with the
music playing. I thought it was very important to get a lyric video up, even if
it was really simple. It just looks more professional.
11. Looking
ahead, what can fans expect from Legionary in terms of future releases and
creative endeavors?
Not much
for awhile! Haha. I mean, if this EP takes off, and there's a demand for more,
I will produce more, but this is an expensive hobby, especially when you're the
only one funding the entire thing (hence why I haven't done any albums in a
while!).. I hope that changes some day, but I do expect things to slow down a
bit more. I'm married now, and every day life things are becoming more and more
important. I'll always love writing though, so who knows? Maybe I'll get the
itch to write again tomorrow..
Music | Legionary (bandcamp.com)
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