Review Summary: Twisted and disturbing in the best possible way.
While the last outing from Leviathan,
True Traitor, True Whore, might have been a true dud,
Scar Sighted is a sure sign that Wrest is back on track. The man behind the moniker, Jef Whitehead, certainly had some troubled years around the time of his last record. Being charged with numerous serious offenses (centered around domestic abuse no less) is no easy thing to push through. Despite being declared innocent of most of the charges against him, it’s likely Wrest still walked away from the experience scarred after a fashion. While the controversy may have hindered his output in the past, I can’t help but feel that it has aided him here. His wounds may have healed, but the scars remain. He just figured out how to direct that pain, trauma, and anguish into making a damn good album.
In simple terms, black metal hasn’t seen something this twisted or disturbing in some time. The menace found in the blackest of the Norwegian metal has dissipated in a general sense, as many current artists have gravitated more towards the so called “blackgaze” movement. Melody is becoming more common, as opposed to the audible darkness of old. Wrest pours hatred, despair, anger, and a thousand other emotions from the deepest crevices of the human mind into
Scar Sighted. Whether it’s the evil riffs and blasting of “The Smoke of Their Torment” or the softer strings and ominous chanting at the beginning of “Within Thrall”, the emotions that comprise
Scar Sighted’s atmosphere never fail to engulf the listener. While the atmosphere is the true showstopper, the album’s other aspects never fail to stand out. Wrest’s vocals are some of the most varied in the genre. Everything from the classic high shrieks, to death metal esque growls, to haunting moans and chants can be found in abundance. A self-professed drummer at heart, Wrest’s beats often venture beyond the confines of traditional black metal playing. The blast beats are there, but so is pretty much every style known to heavy music. His experimentation outside of his home genre is likewise varied. Death metal, doom, a touch of ambience and noise even are all used to varying degrees. Leviathan isn’t even afraid to touch on some true melody in the outro of “Gardens of Coprolite”. No matter how much variety there is,
Scar Sighted always sounds focused, a true triumph in and of itself.
Wrest has absolutely come back from the slump many of his fans would agree that he had on his last record.
Scar Sighted is both a return to form, and a new beginning, evidenced by the stylistic experimentation done here. It’s utterly disgusting, nasty, and bleak black metal played to near perfection and absolutely should not be missed by Leviathan or black metal fans in general. Jef Whitehead may be a scarred man, and a recovering one, but his ability to channel his emotional turmoil is crucial to what really makes
Scar Sighted great.
