Legion of the damned

Legion of the Damned is a Dutch thrash and death metal band from Geldrop. The group was formed in 2004 following the disappearance of the group Occult, and the departure of the former singer Rachel Heyzer. Lyrically, the group tends to focus on horror motifs, dark occult, religious themes and apocalyptic events. They record their albums Malevolent Rapture and Sons of the Jackal in the famous Stage One Studio with producer Andy Classen.

The group is initially formed under the name Occult in 1992>. It is composed of Maurice "Sephiroth" Swinkels (vocals, drummer of the group Bestial Summoning), Leon Pennings (guitar), Sjors Tuithof (bass) and Erik Fleuren (drums). In the beginning, the band played a mix of black and thrash metal, which became a feature of the Norwegian and Swedish black metal scene at the end of the 1990s. In 1992, the band participated in the Black Flame Festival in Esloo, where they took part in group songs such as Acheron, Sathanas and Samael. For his second demo, Occul wins a contract with the independent Dutch label Foundation 2000>.

In 1994, they released their first studio album, Prepare to Meet thy Doom, which strongly resembles Norwegian black metal in the early 1990s. The album brings together for the first time guitarist Richard Ebisch and singer Rachel Heyzer-Kloosterwaard. In the same year, Occult tours in Europe with Marduk and Immortal. They then play with Cradle of Filth, Ancient Rites and Desaster. In 1995 released The Enemy Within, produced by Harris Johns at Berlin's Music Labs. The album, contrary to its predecessor, is focused on death metal. In 1997, they play Dynamo Open Air. In 1998, Occult decided to separate from his label and to sign with the label Massacre Records to which they published the album Of Flesh and Blood in 1999. Shortly after, the group sees arrive Sjors Tuithof, and leave the two founding members Twan Fleuren and Leon Pennings. At the end of 1999, the band played a special Christmas tour with Morbid Angel, Gorgoroth, Amon Amarth and Krisiun.

In 2000, they produced a promotional CD released by the label Painkiller Records. The following year, in 2001, released the album Rage to Revenge. After their special Christmas tour in 2003 with Kataklysm, Onslaught, Exodus, Unleashed and Behemoth, Occult changed its name to Legion of the Damned.