Review Summary: "It's like a long, meandering hike into unknown woods in the best way."
It’s been one hell of a hectic year for Michael Smith. From going into a narrative, folk-influenced full-length (
Episode 1: Exude) to an experimental, prog-based EP (
Inner Thoughts) to injuring his hand and recording a short electronic EP in the meantime (
Training), it looks as though Smith has branched out almost as far out as he can under the Trvth label. So, it only seems logical to go back to basics after so much time spent experimenting and playing around with electronics, right? After all, the more black metal-influenced sound of
Approaching garnered the most critical success for Trvth since
Black Horse Plague. And with
Trvth Be Told, Michael Smith finally seems to have embraced his origins, but with just a little bit of experimental flair to bring things together.
Before even getting into the album, it’s worth noting that
Trvth Be Told is a
long album. Not as lengthy as
Black Horse Plague, but still really damn long. Basically, it goes without saying that there’s a certain amount of patience required to really enjoy the album. Once you put that aside, though, there’s an incredibly fulfilling experience to be found. The production style is raw and unpolished, and instills a very distant, uneasy feeling. This is most exemplified by Smith’s harsh vocals, particularly on tracks such as “Sodom” and “Unsure”. It does seem as though he’s some sort of otherworldly entity, narrating the lyrics to the listener in a dark forest or cave of some sort. His clean vocals are slightly less appealing, but don’t appear prominently enough to become an annoyance. The pounding of drums and bleak guitar riffs also help to further paint a stark, unyielding image of Trvth’s black metal influences. It feels like a slightly more stripped-down, unrefined version of early Agalloch, among other things. However, as aforementioned, there are still some remnants of Smith’s more experimental ventures on here. “Bleed” is an entirely symphonic piece, while “Path of Resistance” combines the use of a piano with, among all other things, electronic beats. And yet still, they manage to fit in perfectly with the album’s overall darker tone and general theme.
Ultimately, this is one of the best albums Michael Smith has ever put out, and is a worthy competitor against the likes of
Black Horse Plague. The dismal, morose sound works beautifully with the underproduced style and subtle moments. Truth be told, the experience is just as mystifying and intriguing as wandering through the woods in the wintertime.
