Many a black metal listening experience is near-ruined by hollow snare sounds, the near absence of the low end (both bass drum and bass guitar), and the overall wind tunnel effect that swamps the songs and makes them barely audible despite countless efforts of the most dedicated black metal aficionado to make out what the hell's going on. The True Legend was one of those albums. Long sold out and out of print, Svartsyn's 1996 album The True Legend is to be re-released. Re-mastered and with the vocals and guitars being re-recorded, it will be made available on vinyl for the first time with a new layout and new artwork.
The (re)production is much improved and so the array of riffs, tempo changes, sparse keyboard embellishments, and the depths of each track can be savoured in all their grim glory. The core sound of raw, black metal however has remained untouched; it's sullied as it ever was with dark melodies in the vocals, grindingly slow and punishingly fast riffs, and hypnotic repetition in the song structures. The mix is balanced, the drums and the bass sitting well aside the new additions of the re-recorded guitars. Though spliced together from two recordings over a decade apart, you can barely tell. And the tracks are fiercer for the new production. The album's strong points being the mid-paced sections, the production allows their depths to ring through and engulf the listener as was intended for the original release. Those that were frustrated by the relatively poor quality of the original release will be elated; those that have yet to hear it should check it out. The True Legend is getting the release it deserves.
Track Listing:
- Tearing Your Soul
- The True Legend
- Snake In The Garden Of Eden
- Ghoulhaunted Forest
- Under The Devil's Moon
- Cursed Blaze From The Castle
- Shadows Painting My Eyes
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