Legacy 2012
A masterful undermining of one’s rigid rules for the difficult third album works extremely well.
“The next one should be a real treat”: thus ended this site’s review of the Wroclaw trio’s previous effort, “Dolce Vita Sath An As”, and here that promise is realized in earnest. Singing guitarist Barth la Picard has found a perfect balance between bright melodies and blinding heaviness, most obvious in instrumental “March Again”, and though the machine gun dynamics may seem superficial, the folky flute motif crawls to the surface where prog keyboards dwell.
And when the attack gets deeper for “Posthumous Coronation”, Irass’ bass provides a base and a case for sharp and infectious chorus soaked in sarcasm. More so, there’s a gentle acoustic thread in it that, in the gentle lace of short ballad “Dead Bodies Don’t Swim” and “Prolegomena”, whose flamenco tinge is reflected in the Spanish-shaped assault of “Faithful Avenger… Till The Remainder”, reveal all the warmth of the band’s well-hidden sensitivity. So while “Widerstand 17” brings the threat back, it’s so arresting, one feels betrayed enough to fall victim.
****2/3
