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Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland aka The Crystal Method have been hanging around together in one guise or another since their days on college radio, where they endured a healthy diet of New Order, Depeche Mode and Run DMC. These influences combined with those of the West coast rave scene and Kirkland’s grasp of guitar chords-he took lessons from Mark Slaughter-have conspired to shape the duo’s sound and destiny. Ignored by the techno brigade as mere copyists of the burgeoning European Electronica scene, The Crystal Method nevertheless pushed on with their 1997 full -length debut ‘Vegas’. Whilst fusing Electronica with a healthy doses of rock it simply didn’t measure up to the more adventurous British acts like Orbital and The Chemical Brothers. The oddly titled ‘Tweekend’-a slightly simpler affair- followed as well as ‘Community Service’ an album that featured other artist’s mixes of Crystal Method songs together with their own mixes of rock songs from the likes of POD and Garbage. The common thread however remains true; heavy bass lines coupled to a multitude of hard drive sorcery with a hint of melody. Many will dismiss ‘Legion of Boom’ as just another designer rave album aimed at the ecstasy youth and pill popping club goers. But dig a little deeper and you’ll discover why all manner of personnel from the world of music are queuing up to contribute to the cause. Vocalist John Garcia (ex Kyuss) adds his Robert Plant-esque larynx to ‘Born to Slow’, ex Limp Biskit guitarist Wes Borland roughs up the guitar sound throughout and elsewhere Lisa Kelkaula of the Bell Rays adds the soul inspired vocals to ‘High and Low’. The results are unusual, at times inspired or at worst experimental, the backbeat can be intrusive, repetitive or the ideal pick-me-up. If you dislike the rumbling bass and synthetic foundations of electronic rave music then perhaps you should avoid this like the plague but for many, curiosity will get the better of them and in turn they could find themselves well rewarded.