• Tue. Dec 3rd, 2024

Praying Mantis – A Look at Legacy, Their Latest Studio Album!

Legacy is Praying Mantis' latest studio album.
Legacy is Praying Mantis' latest studio album.
Legacy is Praying Mantis’ latest studio effort.

 

 

Praying Mantis is a criminally underrated band, going strong for over four decades. Though often billed as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, their formation by brothers Tino and Chris Troy predates it. The group’s sound had as much in common with AOR-style rock as the NWOBHM, which has helped them to maintain a sound all their own over the years. The band’s roster is impressive, having included former members of bands like Rainbow, Iron Maiden, Uriah Heep, and countless others. The band’s fanbase is more prominent in Japan, but this has not stopped them from rocking the world.

The band’s current lineup features Tino Troy, Chris Troy, Andy Burgess, John “Jaycee” Cuijpers, and Hans in’t Zandt. The album also marks the return of long time cover artist Rodney Matthews, who composed the art you see on the covers of many of the band’s classic records.

I will be completely honest; prior to this I had never owned a Praying Mantis album; this rock and roller was only somewhat familiar with the band from their songs being included on various NWOBHM compilations and the like. Upon the release of this new record, I was curious to see what the band sounded like, and to see if they were still going as strong today as they were back in their 80s heyday.

Though I have admitted to not following the band as closely as some, Legacy is definitely an indicator that the band has kept up, and is still up to the task of impressing an audience. Their cross of melodic, AOR-style rock and heavy metal helps to give them a more unique sound than many of their contemporaries, and it is what definitely helps them to stand out all these years later.

The album is a bit excessive at nearly an hour long, with 11 tracks, some of which do last slightly longer than they need to. Fortunately, the album still manages to keep the attention of any fan; Praying Mantis is still going strong even with so many years having passed by since their initial early 80s heyday. The band gets some great guitar riffs and other sounds going on this record, yet seamlessly integrates elements like keyboards and pianos to create a nice mixture of styles. Legacy is an appropriate title; this album establishes that the band definitely has one to their name.

Legacy is a great release from this classic band that continues to seamlessly merge prog, AOR, melodic rock, and hard rock and metal styles. Praying Mantis has released another solid album. It is one that any fan will want to add to their collection in the near future. Strongly recommended!

 

 

By Taylor T Carlson

Taylor T Carlson Assistant Editor/Senior Staff Writer Taylor T. Carlson was born August 17, 1984, and has called the Vegas Valley home his entire life. A die-hard fan of classic rock and metal music, Taylor has been writing album and concert reviews since he was 16 years old, and continues to do so, having done well over 1,000 reviews. He is also a fan of video gaming and cinema, and has reviewed a number of games and films as well, old and new alike. His thorough and honest (some would say brutally honest) reviewing style has won him the respect of hundreds of music fans and musicians alike, both local and abroad, and the ire of just as many others. Despite being one of the youngest attendees at classic hard rock/metal shows around Vegas, he is also one of the most knowledgeable, having gained the unofficial nickname of “The Eddie Trunk of Las Vegas.” In addition to reviews, Taylor has written and self-published three books on classic hard rock bands, and is a regular participant in rock and roll trivia contests. Taylor also holds a masters degree in special education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), and has appeared on the hit History Channel television series Pawn Stars. His dream is to be able to one day make a living from writing music books and reviews.

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