Metal Hammer Magazine
Issue 157
September 2006

Legalize Murder Review by Jason Arnop

As much as we love and cherish our metal, it can occasionally provoke unintentional chuckles, leaving itself open to spoofery. Hence the widespread popularity of 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap, a hilarious ‘rockumentary’ covering a Spandex-clad band’s on-the-road antics. Heavy metallers Bad News followed, with a couple of Comic Strip Presents programs, albums, and even an appearance at Donington 1986. Now, indie art company The Design Confederacy have dared to deliver an affectionate ribbing to the controversial sub-genre of black metal. This fake documentary spotlights a Welsh black metal band called Legalize Murder, consisting of brothers Vic and Jack Norseman. Dominic Dalrymple is a chirpy, nerdy journalist who decides to document a week in the band’s life. Turning up at Vic’s house, he receives a frosty reception from the diminutive, corpse-painted eccentric and is forced to leave when the singer/guitarist declares that, “the energies aren’t right.” Could’ve been something to do with Dominic asking the wrong questions about Vic’s collection of small, ornate teacups and his love of board-games fit for a toddler . . .
Jack Norseman proves a touch more amenable, if equally amusing, while a visit to the Norseman’s mum further tickles ribs. We also see Legalize Murder in the studio, their ludicrous promo video (in which they naturally run around a forest waving swords) and a gig for the benefit of roughly three people, utilising an immortal stage prop christened The Batapult.
While it might seem that the scriptwriters have missed a trick by having the Noreman duo openly admit to some very non-black metal behaviour, the real joy here is the underlying silliness and abstract nonsense. Come the end, the filmmakers can control themselves no longer, delivering a climax which is patently clean off its tits. Legalize Murder also manages to indirectly make a revelation about the black metal genre: Numerous real artist like Fenriz, Goatsblood, and Bethlehem donated music to the soundtrack who says the forest dwelling, and dark-lords don’t like guffaw?

8/10