FROSTMOON ECLIPSE : THE LEGACY
God Is Myth
It should be apparent by now that one Italian black metal band speaks to me more than any other, and that this magnificent act goes by the name of Frostmoon Eclipse. Last issue we looked at their limited “I Am Providence” release; now our attention is turned another collector’s item. “The Legacy”, a DVD-boxed rarity crafted to look like an ancient grimoire, provides Frostmoon Eclipse fans with hard-to-find tracks spanning the duration of the band’s career, and opening a window to the various creative phases through which this four piece have passed.
“Lurking in the Forgotten Kingdom of Hidden Sorcery” and “Son of Scorn”, for example, present a vista of a more raw and raging Frostmoon Eclipse than many are accustomed to, with the former track evoking early Mayhem, and both bearing witness to Lorenzo spitting out vile vocals truly fitted to the hateful approach. Still, a telltale break on “Son of Scorn” lets the characteristic clean and acoustic features that FE have always cultivated shine through, making it a far more sophisticated and textured track. “A Death to Share” has similarities with guitarist Claudio Alcara’s other project, Stroszek, featuring a stalking bass and gentle, introspective guitar.
Elsewhere there are tracks on offer which chime in more closely with the Frostmoon Eclipse of today; opener “Black Hole Nemesis” is a delicious treat, a fine example of the way this band can ensnare you with beauty and then embroil you in extreme passages before you realise what has happened, and testament to the wonderfully organic guitar work of Claudio, who makes icy leads and delicate acoustic sweeps sit together as if that were the way Satan intended for them to go. “The Legacy” is also valuable for offering up previously unheard tracks, namely Frostmoon Eclipse’s interpretations of Cathedral’s “Imprisoned in Flesh” and Tiamat’s “Live Seed”, which they easily make their own, shining a light back on their own influences with aplomb.
The trouble with rarity collections is that they by nature omit a band’s best-known and best-loved tracks; “The Legacy” cunningly dodges this problem with the addition of four live tracks, including the tortured and intense “I Hate the Future”, and the classic “Where No Light Burns”. The sound quality isn’t excellent on these recordings, but they fit well with the agenda of this release, giving the listener a fresh approach to a veteran band. In terms of presentation, song choice and arrangement, this is an absolute gem for fanatics, but also a great addition to any extreme metal fan’s collection. It may not feature the core of Frostmoon Eclipse’s canon, but it doesn’t need to- even their rarities convey the unique, progressive, black metal soul which this band possess.
90/100
