Like a true American classic at this point, He Is Legend resemble an old, dog-eared novel or nearly worn-out VHS tape that you dust off in order take a familiar ride and get thrilled at the same time.
Watch the official video for the track “Sour” through the YouTube player below:
Their alchemy of reckless Rock’n’Roll grooves, Heavy Metal unpredictability, and downright indefinable magic continues to enchant, enthrall, and enrapture a devout fan base, quietly bordering on cultlike fascination. You’ll see their faithful screaming along to every word once the band hits the stage or catch the flash of a He Is Legend tattoo in passing. It’s as gloriously understated as some ritualistic secret society with an equally intense pledge. The quartet—Schuylar Croom (vocals), Adam Tanbouz (lead guitar), Matty Williams (bass), and Jesse Shelley (drums)—engender this level of devotion because they never compromise. Their catalog spans I Am Hollywood, Suck Out the Poison, It Hates You, Heavy Fruit, and Few. However, it would be 2019’s “White Bat” that elevated them to another level altogether.
The Pandemic and a series of trials and tribulations put a pause on this momentum only for the group to roar back with their seventh full-length offering, “Endless Hallway” (Spinefarm Records).
“There’s a lot of aggression from all of us,” the band agrees. “It’s, heavier, raw and back to our roots—similar to Suck Out The Poison. Personally, the last year was a rollercoaster. For this album, we thought, ‘What do we want to do and what do fans want to hear?’ I’m hoping you get this onslaught of He Is Legend. No one came out of the last two years the same. We’ve been through it to the point where it seems like there’s a bit of witchcraft over us. This is a coming-of-age story though. Metaphorically, that’s the endless hallway we’re in.“
This time around, the band wrote in their rehearsal space in Wilmington, NC. They recorded drums outside of Knoxville before cutting guitars with Al Jacob at Warrior Sound in Chapel Hill, NC. Vocals would be a different story as Schuylar endured one of the most trying seasons of his life.
“We had to push the vocal recording, because my stomach was failing due to my diabetes,” he sighs. “It was so bad I couldn’t perform. It took a while to get back to some semblance of normal. Eventually, I hopped in the car and drove ten hours to Nashville to record at Mitch Marlow’s place. I’m a different person now. The universe throws those things at you to make you stronger. That’s personal growth.“
Emblematic of this growth, the first single “Lifeless Lemonade” unleashes an unapologetically Heavy barrage laced with sour-faced soul. The band explains, “‘Lifeless Lemonade’ is about development. You’re trying live your dream from a closed-off room or endless hallway. It’s how we felt in the middle of the Pandemic. We pride ourselves on our live show. Without that, it was lifeless. Sometimes through frustration, you expel something aggravatedly beautiful.“
Baring their teeth, “The Prowler” kicks down the door with a wild riff and raucous vocal delivery meant to get feet stomping and asses moving, which rallies around a clarion call, “Let’s be together and lift each other up. We’ve got to tear the fucking city down to heal.“
Then, there’s “Sour,” leaning into Classic Rock with a haunting hook meant to confront “a lack of togetherness.” The trip culminates on the near six-minute “Lord Slug.” It trudges towards one final moment of catharsis with hulking and hypnotic force.
“I was very fascinated by religion,” he adds. “Some of those hymnals are so dark. Growing up in the South, I was around religion a lot. So, the song has these buzzwords and phrases. It’s important to me, because I let them play out in a sense where they would be shocking on ‘Lord Slug’.”
Ultimately, “Endless Hallway” launches another era for He Is Legend—and Rock’n’Roll.
“When everything went to shit, I think we were on our way to becoming the band we’ve always wanted to be,” Schuylar leaves off. “We didn’t let the Pandemic stop us. We’re still best friends. Adam, Matty, and I have been doing this since we were 17-years-old. Jesse is such a pivotal member of this group too. I don’t think we’ve ever been in a position where we feel as good as we do. We’re clear-headed, and we’re ready to take on the world. This album should open the last door of the Endless Hallway,” he grins.
Purchase and Stream the album here: https://heislegend.lnk.to/EndlessHallway