originally written by Chris McDonald
Since its birth as a musical style, many have endorsed and embraced metal as an escape from the rigors of everyday life as opposed to a reflection of it; an opportunity for both artist and listener to transcend the obstacles of their own existence to reach a higher imaginative state. It is this escapist quality that makes metal and its culture so simultaneously endearing to its fans and incomprehensible to its detractors, and the growth of metal’s extreme offshoots widened the gap even further in this regard. This escapist attribute has become so engrained into metal’s aesthetic that when a work surfaces that is a blatant and unashamed reaction to recent events in the personal life of the musician, it’s understandably a rather shocking phenomenon, particularly in a style as “inhuman” as black metal often strives to be. So when pre-release reports showed that Wrest was revitalizing the dormant Leviathan and had enthusiastically themed his newest album around his recent domestic and legal disputes with an ex-girlfriend, shocked is exactly what I was.
Regardless of where you stand on the accusations against Wrest, being this openly personal with the resurgence of one of black metal’s most famed acts is a bold move to say the least. That he’s going about it in such a hostile, misogynistic manner is more unsettling than it is surprising, but Wrest has nevertheless entwined this work of music with his personal life to such an inseparable degree that it’s only natural to keep the circumstances of its inception and concepts in mind when listening to it. Rest assured, if this album had been titled “The Eve of Night’s Desecration” or something equally ambiguous, I would have been spinning it with quite a different mindset. As it stands, I find it difficult to appraise this album outside of the non-musical context from which it’s been conceived, which I’m assuming is what Wrest intended.
Ironically enough, it is through the lens of this context that I find True Traitor, True Whore most underwhelming. Based on the ferocity of the masterful Massive Conspiracy Against All Life, and the obvious resentment and rage that bubbles from this album’s title and track names, I was expecting a return to the project’s most seething, barbaric sounds — a bubbling cauldron of hatred and anger that would truly shock the senses. Instead, Wrest has delivered a hazy, heavily atmospheric album that sounds more like a weirder Lurker of Chalice with a few “evil” riffs thrown in for good measure. While this isn’t an issue in and of itself, the album’s predominantly bizarre and lower-key nature clashes with the brazen animosity portrayed by its themes. It doesn’t add up, and the experience as a whole suffers for it.
Seriously, there’s remarkably little black metal, or metal in general, weaved into the compositions on this album. Wrest has always been talented at genre bending and incorporating outside influences into past Leviathan outings, but he takes it to a new level on True Traitor, and it’s pretty startling. While all of the songs contain moments of intense drumming and riff work, these feel more like short breaks rather than the main attraction. And even though these more vigorous moments are written to the expected high standard of Leviathan, the disappointingly thin and brittle production robs them of their intended intimidating aggression — see opener “True Whorror,” the neutered riff and awkward drumbeat of which opens the album on a strained and ineffective note. Wrest’s normally outstanding vocals have taken a similarly worrisome hit; the cavernous distortion that used to give his vocals so much sinister energy has been replaced by more of a static crackle. Not only do the primary vocals sound significantly weaker, but they’re often buried in the mix to the point of being almost a non-factor. Bummer? Yes.
Fortunately, True Traitor, True Whore shines in its eccentric and less overtly-metal passages, of which there are many. While the production doesn’t do justice to the album’s more frantic riffs, or to dissonant exercises like “Her Circle Is the Noose,” it’s perfectly suited to Wrest’s legendary repertoire of subtle backing vocals, eerie guitar leads, and shimmering keyboard flourishes. These elements all sound fantastic and are exectued to near-perfection, and they reaffirm that the genius that fueled this project’s past releases has hardly been suppressed completely this time around. Oddly effective moves like the loop/blast refrain in “Harlot Rises” and the truly disturbing clean guitar that surfaces amidst a wash of ambient noise in the middle of “Every Orifice Yawning Her Price” are stunning examples of Wrest’s ability to layer a multitude of various sounds in a whole that is spellbinding. The mesmerizing progression of melodies in “Contrary Pulse” make it the strongest track here, and the recording of two old songs turns out to be a great move as well, as “Shed this Skin” and “Blood Red and True” are both haunting and compelling numbers that fit in perfectly with this record’s ominous vibe.
As a black metal album meant to serve as an unapologetic middle finger from Wrest, True Traitor, True Whore is a confusing disappointment. The flawed mix and basic lack of feral intensity in most of the songwriting makes the “revenge” theme feel nonsensical and the listening experience off-balance. But rest assured, there is some brilliant material contained on this record, and it makes forgiving the obvious stumbles an easier proposition. Wrest’s skill at foreboding ambient composition and melodically compelling atmospherics is beautifully realized, and while the album’s more intense, “evil” side is a let-down, the sheer mastery at work in this release’s other dimensions is enough to save the ship from sinking into mediocrity. Is True Traitor, True Whore the weakest Leviathan full-length? Absolutely. But it’s still a highly unusual and intriguing album for much of its duration, and it has the potential to be a rewarding listen for those willing to work past its flaws.
