Legion of Boom
Encyclopedia
Legion of Boom is the third official studio album by the American band The Crystal Method
. The album is a mixture of different genres, like the rough "True Grit", to the wiry guitar rock song "Born Too Slow
". Legion of Boom contains vocals from actress Milla Jovovich
and Kyuss
lead singer John Garcia
. The album also contains guitar riffs courtesy of Limp Bizkit
guitarist Wes Borland
(who also co-produced three tracks) and vocal talents by beatboxer Rahzel
. Its title is likely a reference to the supervillain
team Legion of Doom
.
An edited version of "Born Too Slow" was featured in the soundtrack for the video games Need for Speed: Underground
and Donkey Konga 2. The song "I Know It's You" was used in the pilot episode of the TV show Numb3rs
. Also, the song "Bound Too Long" was featured on the soundtrack to the movie Cursed
, and "Starting Over" was used in an episode of the TV show Alias
and an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
. A different version of "Weapons of Mass Distortion", renamed "Weapons of Mad Distortion", was used in the movie Blade: Trinity
.
The design of the album is not completely standard. As opposed to most album layouts, the tracks of Legion were listed on the front of the case, rather than on the back, with the album art placed on the back inlay.
This album also contains the only known time either members of The Crystal Method have provided vocals for a song. The song that features this is "I Know It's You", which has Ken Jordan of TCM singing through a vocoder
.
The album was nominated for a Grammy
in the "Best Electronica/Dance Album
" category in 2005, the first year that any award was given out for that category.
The Crystal Method
The Crystal Method is an American electronic music duo that was created in Los Angeles, California by Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland in the early 1990s. The Crystal Method's music has appeared in numerous TV shows, films, video games, and advertisements. The most prominent is the US television...
. The album is a mixture of different genres, like the rough "True Grit", to the wiry guitar rock song "Born Too Slow
Born Too Slow
"Born Too Slow" is the first single released from The Crystal Method's third studio album, Legion of Boom. The song was first featured on EA's Need for Speed: Underground in 2003, with the single being released later that year. The song has also been featured in Gran Turismo 4 and Donkey Konga 2...
". Legion of Boom contains vocals from actress Milla Jovovich
Milla Jovovich
Milla Jovovich December 17, 1975)is an American model, actress, musician, and fashion designer. Over her career, she has appeared in a number of science fiction and action-themed films, for which music channel VH1 has referred to her as the "reigning queen of kick-butt".Milla Jovovich began...
and Kyuss
Kyuss
Kyuss is a rock band, originally from Palm Desert, California. After forming in the late 1980s and releasing an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss. Over the next five years the band released four full-length albums, and one last split EP in 1997 with...
lead singer John Garcia
John Garcia
John Garcia may refer to:*John Garcia , American psychologist*John David Garcia , American ethicist*John Garcia , American rock singer...
. The album also contains guitar riffs courtesy of Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
guitarist Wes Borland
Wes Borland
Wesley Louden Borland is an American musician and artist, best known as the guitarist for the band Limp Bizkit. He has been in several other bands as well including: Black Light Burns, The Damning Well, Goatslayer, Big Dumb Face, and Combichrist...
(who also co-produced three tracks) and vocal talents by beatboxer Rahzel
Rahzel
Rahzel M. Brown, also known as simply Rahzel, is an American musician and virtuoso beatboxer, formerly a member of The Roots.Nicknamed the "Godfather of Noyze," Rahzel is known for an ability to sing or rap while simultaneously beatboxing, as evidenced in his performances of "Iron Man" and his...
. Its title is likely a reference to the supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
team Legion of Doom
Legion of Doom (comics)
The Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains led by Lex Luthor that appeared in Challenge of the Super Friends, an ABC animated series that starred superheroes from DC Comics.-History:...
.
An edited version of "Born Too Slow" was featured in the soundtrack for the video games Need for Speed: Underground
Need for Speed: Underground
Need for Speed: Underground is the seventh racing game in the Need for Speed video game series developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts in 2003...
and Donkey Konga 2. The song "I Know It's You" was used in the pilot episode of the TV show Numb3rs
NUMB3RS
Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...
. Also, the song "Bound Too Long" was featured on the soundtrack to the movie Cursed
Cursed (film)
Cursed is a 2005 horror film directed by Wes Craven and written by screenwriter Kevin Williamson, who both collaborated on Scream. The film stars Golden Globe-nominees Christina Ricci and Jesse Eisenberg as the main sister-and-brother protagonists. The plot focuses on two young adults who are...
, and "Starting Over" was used in an episode of the TV show Alias
Alias (TV series)
Alias is an American action television series created by J. J. Abrams which was broadcast on ABC for five seasons, from September 30, 2001 to May 22, 2006...
and an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
. A different version of "Weapons of Mass Distortion", renamed "Weapons of Mad Distortion", was used in the movie Blade: Trinity
Blade: Trinity
Blade: Trinity is a 2004 American superhero vampire action film, written and directed by David S. Goyer, who also wrote the screenplays to the first two Blade films...
.
The design of the album is not completely standard. As opposed to most album layouts, the tracks of Legion were listed on the front of the case, rather than on the back, with the album art placed on the back inlay.
This album also contains the only known time either members of The Crystal Method have provided vocals for a song. The song that features this is "I Know It's You", which has Ken Jordan of TCM singing through a vocoder
Vocoder
A vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
.
The album was nominated for a Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in the "Best Electronica/Dance Album
Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album
The Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronica Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the dance music and electronica genres...
" category in 2005, the first year that any award was given out for that category.
Track listing
- "Starting Over" – 4:01
- "Born Too SlowBorn Too Slow"Born Too Slow" is the first single released from The Crystal Method's third studio album, Legion of Boom. The song was first featured on EA's Need for Speed: Underground in 2003, with the single being released later that year. The song has also been featured in Gran Turismo 4 and Donkey Konga 2...
" – 2:59 - "True Grit" – 5:06
- "The American Way" – 4:26
- "I Know It's You" – 5:48
- "Realizer" – 3:48
- "Broken Glass" – 3:55
- "Weapons of Mass Distortion" – 4:50
- "Bound Too Long" – 6:23
- "Acetone" – 5:15
- "High and Low" – 5:23
- "Wide Open" – 7:23
- "Born Too Slow" (EK's Spider in the Corner Alt. Dub) - 6:15 (DVD-A Bonus track)
- "Born Too Slow" (Deepsky's Green Absinthe Dub) - 8:20 (DVD-A Bonus track)
- Tracks 1, 4, and 10 vocals by RahzelRahzelRahzel M. Brown, also known as simply Rahzel, is an American musician and virtuoso beatboxer, formerly a member of The Roots.Nicknamed the "Godfather of Noyze," Rahzel is known for an ability to sing or rap while simultaneously beatboxing, as evidenced in his performances of "Iron Man" and his...
. - Track 2 vocals by John GarciaJohn Garcia (singer)John Garcia is a vocalist who has been a member of Kyuss, Slo Burn, Unida and Hermano. His vocals have become synonymous with modern stoner rock and the desert rock sound.-Kyuss:...
. - Track 5 vocals by Milla JovovichMilla JovovichMilla Jovovich December 17, 1975)is an American model, actress, musician, and fashion designer. Over her career, she has appeared in a number of science fiction and action-themed films, for which music channel VH1 has referred to her as the "reigning queen of kick-butt".Milla Jovovich began...
and Ken Jordan (through a vocoderVocoderA vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
). - Tracks 6 and 11 vocals by Lisa KekaulaLisa KekaulaLisa Kekaula is the lead singer of American "rock 'n' soul" band The Bellrays.Kekaula was born to an African-American mother, Linda and Native Hawaiian father, Alan Kekaula in Los Angeles, California, although the family continued to grow and relocated to suburban Moreno Valley, California...
. - Tracks 9 and 12 vocals by Hanifah Walidah.
- Tracks 2, 7, and 8 guitars by Wes BorlandWes BorlandWesley Louden Borland is an American musician and artist, best known as the guitarist for the band Limp Bizkit. He has been in several other bands as well including: Black Light Burns, The Damning Well, Goatslayer, Big Dumb Face, and Combichrist...
. - Track 6 guitars by Jon BrionJon BrionJon Brion is an American rock and pop multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer and record producer.-Early life:...
. - Track 4 scratching by DJ SwampDJ SwampRonald K. Keys Jr. aka DJ Swamp is an American hip hop DJ/turntablist and hip hop producer. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. In 1996, he took the title of US DMC Champion, his first year entering the tournament. Swamp toured with Beck for four years and later broke away into a solo career with...
.
Cultural references
- The track "Born Too Slow" was used in the video game Need for Speed: UndergroundNeed for Speed: UndergroundNeed for Speed: Underground is the seventh racing game in the Need for Speed video game series developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts in 2003...
- The track "The American Way" briefly made a feature in the 2010 film Skyline (film).
- The track "Weapons of Mass Destruction" was used in movie trailers for The Bourne UltimatumThe Bourne Ultimatum (film)The Bourne Ultimatum is a 2007 American spy film directed by Paul Greengrass and loosely based on the Robert Ludlum novel of the same title. This film is the third in the Bourne film series, being preceded by The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy...
and Far CryFar Cry (film)Far Cry is a German film adapted from the video game of the same name. The film is directed by Uwe Boll and stars Til Schweiger.- Plot :Jack Carver, a former member of Germany's Special Forces, takes journalist Valerie Cardinal to visit her Uncle Max on an island, where he works in a military...
, and, in an edited version called "Weapons of Mad Distorton", for the Blade: Trinity SoundtrackBlade: Trinity (soundtrack)Blade Trinity is the soundtrack to the film of the same name. It was released on November 23, 2004 and like the previous two soundtracks for the series, featured a mix of Hip hop music and Electronic music...
.
- The track "Acetone" is featured in the video game Wipeout HD FuryWipeout HDWipeout HD, trademarked and stylised as WipEout HD, is the eighth title in the Wipeout racing video game series, developed by Sony Liverpool for the PlayStation 3 console...
.