LIMBONIC ART

It has been five long years since dynamic Norwegian duo LIMBONIC ART released "The Ultimate Death Worship" and decided to call it quits. Daemon and Morpheus could not have chosen a better time to reunite and remind the world that its biting symphonic black metal is matched by few. Not to take anything away from bands like DIMMU BORGIR (at least late era),but few acts take the essence of blasting black metal and infuse it with symphonic dark majesty as well as LIMBONIC ART. "Legacy of Evil" is proof of it.
The new album snorts and flails about like a rabid animal just freed from a long period of captivity. The intensity is largely unparalleled in black metal circles and can be overwhelming for those not prepared for it. The emphasis tilts toward the guitar and drums, yet the keyboards remain a crucial element. The band's formula works because the separate parts are so well written and skillfully integrated into the mix.

At a minute shy of an hour, "Legacy of Evil" does not so much startle the listener with speeding tempo blasts and impossibly fast riffing as knock him flat on his back and beat him to a pulp. The act wastes no time forcing the needle into the red on "A Cosmic Funeral of Memories", an insanely fast barrage of blasts beats and swirling, minor note harmonizing that comes off like some kind of chilling Luciferian opera. A quiet symphonic part breaks up the tune and a weird, clean vocal/chant section pops up as well. The brakes are applied for "Grace by Torments", a cold, plodding, keyboard-led march that chills to the bone before one of the album's most memorable tracks, "Infernal Phantom Kingdom", kicks things back into overdrive.

Those with little more than a passing interest in the style may find the middle part of the album begin to drag a hair, mainly because the attack is so relentless. Most will not blink an eye though, as the songwriting remains first rate from beginning to end. The keys sound fantastic, the vocals deliciously raspy and intelligible, and the splashes of color found at regular intervals (the choral vocals, changeups to semi-thrashy riffs, etc) are exceptionally well done. Once you realize you've survived the final atom-smashing event that is "Unleashed from Hell", you'll have just enough energy to go back and do it again. Highly recommended.