New LEVIATHAN Album Announced: True Traitor, True Whore

True Traitor, True Whore

Just announced via Profound Lore, the turbulent and mysterious  one man act Leviathan will have a new album out soon, titled "True Traitor, True Whore." Instantly, people might think the title refers to charges brought against main man Wrest (Jef Whitehead) for sexually assaulting his girlfriend with a tattoo gun. Regardless of whether that's the case or not, the title isn't all too inspiring as it lacks his old knack for bizarrely unsettling titles like Tentacles of Whorror or A Silhouette in Splinters.

To further my pessimism, Sanford Parker is credited with Engineering duties. You might know him from his awful band Minsk, his help in derailing Nachtmystium, as well as his handful of other instances of mediocre and slick production (Krieg's lackluster comeback, Twilight's awful new incarnation, etc).

Now

So, with all that negativity you'd think I just have some bone to pick, but I have proof; lo and behold "Her Circle is the Noose." What does this tell us? Well, for one, my allegations against Sanford Parker stand true and two; Wrest seems to be continuing his creepy meandering style that really came through in Massive Conspiracy Against All Life. I guess this is a logical continuation from Wrest's last recorded work (I think Sic Luceat Lux was recorded before Massive Conspiracy Against All Life).

Then

The track is good, don't get me wrong, but it's no return to form and no trailblazing. For anyone who's listened to  Leviathan's split with Sapthuran, otherwise known as The Blind Wound or even the split with Xasthur, you'd know Wrest has it in him to create some extremely potent, moving, and darkly melodic stuff. With this leaked track, he seems to be straying further from the melodic nuisances that made me such a fan and rather building upon the creepiness explored in ambient works A Silhouette in Splinters  and the last full length.


Of course I'll be buying this, but my hope is that there's something more potent than this, something that grabs at you and suffocates you in a dismal and etheral breech like what we've seen in the past.

Here's the track listing...

1.    True Whorror
2.    Her Circle Is The Noose
3.    Brought Up To The Bottom
4.    Contrary Pulse
5.    Shed This Skin
6.    Every Orifice Yawning Her Price
7.    Harlot Rises
8.    Blood Red And True

Two tracks are oldies, "Shed this Skin" which is similar to "Her Circle is the Noose" as it's a midpace meandering track that was plagued with his silly bedroom production from years prior and "Blood Red and True" which could be a perfect fit here on this album (and due for a touch up).

Due out Novemeber 8th, this promises to be a big fuggin' deal.