Interview with Jónatan Dolcet, singer and bassist of the legendary Thrash Metal band Legion

On the occasion of the return to activity of the legendary Thrash Metal band Legion and his concert tomorrow at the Razzmatazz venue in Barcelona, ​​we have had the pleasure that Jonathan Dolcet, singer and bassist of the band gave us a few minutes of his time, to answer our questions and tell us about Legion news and their new EP.

Hello, first of all I wanted to thank you for the time you are going to give us to conduct the interview.

Jonathan: Hi Gemma! Thanks to you for the support!

Tell us a little about your mood, at this moment of presenting the new formation, the promotion of your EP, your next concert at home in Barcelona…

Jónatan: We are in very good spirits! Looking forward to playing at Razzmatazz to present this new stage 2.0 of Legion, to present the EP and review our great classics, which really are!!… hahahahahaha

What is it that has motivated Legion to return to activity after so much time of inactivity of the raid?

Jónatan: For me, taking up the project has meant closing a circle that was poorly closed in 1994. The band did not deserve such a stealthy decline due to the lack of resources and support. Now, after almost 30 years, the possibility arose of reforming the band together with the other “original” that is still alive, Quimi, (gosh, this looks like a series of vampires where the originals are and those who are not, hahaha ). I clarify that the 3 original-initial members were Quimi, the unfortunately deceased Pep and yours truly. It was nothing planned or planned. Just someone named Toni, director of Dark Rail Records, suggested the possibility of doing it to us last year and here we are. As I was saying, for me it means closing a circle in the way that I think the band deserves: recording an EP with representative songs from the three records we made in the s. XX and adding a rogue adapted version of Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell.

Tell us in broad strokes for the new generations, who are Legion?

Jónatan: The Legion of the s. XXI we are yours truly Jónatan Dolcet on bass and vocals, original just out of the coffin… hahahahaha, Quimi Montañés also original on guitar and the converted Miguel Rodríguez on drums and Toni Rodríguez on guitar.

You can give us a brief presentation of Legion today and personally of your new companions.

Jónatan: There is no better presentation than listening to the EP “Legionized”. E fact is our cover letter. The best way to discover a band is by listening to their records and watching their video clips… No one or almost no one is going to discover Quimi at this point. He is one of the best guitarists on the scene with a special feeling when it comes to playing. Miguel is a monster with the double bass drum, one of the best I’ve heard and seen. Toni is an excellent rhythm guitarist. He does what he plays when he plays and it sounds like he plays. And as for me, I better keep quiet: I don’t like to criticize myself in public or throw flowers at myself… hahahahahaha…

Tell us a bit about your new EP entitled “Legionized”. What can we find in it?

Jónatan: “Legionized” is closing a circle that one intuits again by the way of sounding and approaching the themes. They are not new songs, true, but they do have something new: new vocal parts, fundamentally new lyrics on Eternal Youth, new solos, new rhythms and a new double bass drum!!

In relation to the re-recordings of the songs from previous albums, it will not have been easy at all to choose one of each work. Why these songs and not others?

Jónatan: The choice of which song from each album was included in the EP was not complicated and there were no discrepancies. Both Quimi and I were clear about which songs were going to be re-recorded. Logically other candidates sounded, but finally it was easy and quick to decide that it would be “Lethal Liberty”, because it is the first song of our first album with lyrics that unfortunately are still more current than 30 years ago, “Eternal Youth” because it is a song with a simple but very cool riff that also lent itself to being able to include a new part in the middle of the song and a change in the way of singing the chorus and it also seemed to me that the lyrics from 30 years ago did not finish saying anything . After 30 years, with the maturity that the years give you and with a faith in Christ that gives meaning to my life, the lyrics have been reoriented to give a clear message of hope. You can believe it or not, but now the lyrics do say a lot!!

How has the recording process been and how have you felt when working together again in the recording studio?

Jónatan: Going into a studio is a very cool experience that gives you the opportunity to capture all the compositions you’ve been rehearsing and at the same time experiment with some new idea that arises at the same time you’re recording the song. It is true that there is pressure and more when you know that you do not have one or two months or more time as the big bands have when they enter a recording studio. But it is a pressure that pleases and motivates.

The cover of “Legionized” catches our attention, it seems spectacular for the occasion, tell us a little about it, its author and what you want to express in it.

Jónatan: Spectacular cover! When I saw it for the first time it seemed brutal to me and we didn’t hesitate to know that it was going to be the cover of the EP. It is a cover that encompasses the three covers of the previous albums, and at the same time, for me it means a closed circle in style, also on a graphic level! It was introduced to us by Toni from Dark Rail Records a year ago. Its author is Obed Pérez “Madness”. I don’t know him personally yet, but I already told him on WhatsApp that the design is “10”. I also want to mention the great Hiurma Delgado. She tweaked the original design and added her own special touch to make it a perfect fit for “Legionized”.

Next September 24 you have a concert at Razzmatazz Barcelona, ​​tell us a little about how it has been for you to step on stage again and see the reactions of the public after so long.

Jónatan: For me, stepping on stage again has been brutal. I had the opportunity to do it last June 11 at the Vocano Fest in Tenerife and it was an unforgettable experience. After 30 years there are concerts that we did in the past that I don’t even remember, but this concert in Tenerife was brutal for me in terms of sensations. I imagine that for the rest of my colleagues as well, because although they are more grounded and have stepped on stage in recent years with their projects, they had not done so as Legion. When, at the Vocano Fest concert in Tenerife in the Aguere Cultural hall, I was able to connect with a sincere, grateful and authentic look from some of the people who were at the concert, it was difficult to contain my emotions. The solution is to close your eyes so as not to lose concentration and continue playing and singing. Leyendas del Rock was a hoot for the number of people who attend a festival of this caliber. Emotions are also running high there, but since the stage is bigger and higher, the audience is farther away… hahahahaha. Even so, there is always something or someone that catches your attention and excites you… The audience so far is 10!!!

What does this appointment in the Razzmataz room next Saturday mean for Legion?

Jónatan: Well, multiply by 2 or 3 everything I told you in the previous answer. It will be hard for me to hold back the tears at some point. I know it and I assume it and I hope to hide it… hahahahaha

Tell us a little about what Legion is like on stage, which we can see on Saturday in Barcelona?

Jónatan: Legion is posture, makeup, chains and rivets, leather everywhere, painted faces like soulless zombies…hahahahahahahaha. No, please go retro!! Nothing of that!! Legion are 4 gentlemen playing rock and enjoying themselves on stage.

For you today, what would be the theme similar to a “Mili KK” in 2022?

Jonathan: Am I telling you the truth? I have no idea!…

As first-person actors of the metal scene, how do you think the scene has changed from the 90s to today?

Jónatan: The way of consuming music has changed. I don’t have a CD player in my car and even less on my motorcycle…hahahahaha, I don’t even have a record player anymore! The mobile and the playlists or the streaming music apps or websites are today the way to listen to music. Today in this post-pandemic 21st century I also see that there are more “Fests” and concerts than days of the year!!! Too much supply for I don’t know if so much demand…

Are there any touring plans for the near future?

Jónatan: The return or return of Legion involved a single concert at Razzmatazz. We did the Volcano Fest because it was held at more than 1,000 kms. away from Barcelona and the Leyendas because there were only 50 minutes of performance and you can’t say no to a Festival like this. For that reason and for now there is nothing closed with anyone anywhere. If direct offers come, it will be a pleasure to see if there is viability…

What are Legion’s mid-term plans? Will we have a new album soon?

Jónatan: There are many factors involved in this issue. So we leave this question for another interview… hahahahahaha 😉

I like to feel your musical hobbies when we do interviews. What was the last concert you’ve been to as an audience to see it as fans?

Jónatan: It was just before the pandemic, at the end of 2019: Alter Bridge + Shinedown on Razzmatazz.

To finish, you can dedicate a few last words for our audience.

Jónatan: We only have words of thanks for the support and affection received so far. Thank you so much Legioners!!

Thank you very much for the time you have shared with us and our best wishes with your next concert on Saturday.

Jónatan: Thank you very much Gema and all the Metaltrip team!

By: gema@metaltrip.com

We wish to thank the author of this article for this outstanding web content

Interview with Jónatan Dolcet, singer and bassist of the legendary Thrash Metal band Legion