Originally written by Erik Thomas.
In the mid/late 90’s, Norway’s Limbonic Art was often muttered in the same revered breath as Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth and other luminaries in the then popular symphonic black metal genre. But somehow they never seemed to capitalize on the success after three well received albums, and were a band I never really listened to with the same level of appreciation as their peers. Then, after 2002’s less symphonic The Ultimate Death Worship, the band called it quits, citing a lack of ideas.
Well, fast forward to 2007 and the core duo of Daemon and Morpheus have reformed and delivered a classic ode to the symphonic black metal of the mid 90’s in the searingly symphonic and malevolently majestic Legacy of Evil.
Legacy of Evil is up there with Sigh and Sear Bliss as the best symphonic black metal albums I’ve heard since Anorexia Nervosa’s Redemption Process. Legacy of Evil is a must have for anyone who misses the epic majesty of early Emperor and the orchestral sense of regal malevolence of Dusk and her Embrace or Enthrone Darkness Triumphant.
Razor sharp guitars blast and swirl with a sense of sweeping ferocity and melody, while the orchestration swells and climaxes with a Wagnerian sense of grandeur and awe. It all comes together for 9 tracks of seething, yet epic classic symphonic black metal that’s more in line with the band’s first two seminal, yet often overlooked releases. The tracks are all top notch and flow perfectly with ample moments either highlighting the blazing guitars and bombastic drums (“A Void of Lifeless Dreams”, “Legacy of Evil”), or brilliant use of synths (personal favourite “Twilight Omen”) and slower more somber tracks (“Grace By Torments”) and choirs (“Lycanthhropic Tales”), all of them harkening back to black metal’s more glistening age.
If you didn’t like symphonic black metal in 1996, you’re probably not going to like it now, but seeing as Emperor are RIP, Cradle of Filth suck and Dimmu Borgir are recycling Spiritual Black Dimensions for the fourth time, Legacy of Evil is actually a refreshingly invigorating, yet classic release.
