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Live Legacy was released in the winter months of 2003 and features a live recording of Dissection's performance at Wacken, from 1997. It was originally released as Frozen in Wacken, as a bootleg in 1998. The sound is a lot better on this release, though it is missing one song ("Night's Blood") due to irreparable issues with the sound quality. This album served as a harbinger of doom, as it would re-establish Dissection's presence and build anticipation for new material that would follow, after Jon's release from prison the next year.
The cover art accurately depicts the atmosphere created by this live album, as it's freezing cold. The music of Dissection is incredibly powerful and this release is no different. The songs are executed, flawlessly, and the guitars possess the same razor-sharp, cold sound as on Storm of the Light's Bane. Jon's vocals possess a little reverb and it perfectly suits the music, giving a slightly more demonic feel. It is quite obvious that Dissection is a live band, fully capable of delivering their masterpieces in proper form, in a live setting. The performance is powerful and intense, and it's no secret why this is my favorite live album, ever. Even for those who don't usually appreciate live albums (a category I fall into) this is an essential release.
The songs are performed just as brilliantly as on the studio albums, with only slight differences, such as the ending of "Unhallowed" which seems to get very old school with the build-up and the brief solo that is added. A similar thing is done at the end of "The Somberlain", the final track. It is very enjoyable and adds to the song rather than detracting from it, definitely showing off the 80s metal roots of this band. Of course, this song retains all of the dark and melancholic atmosphere as the studio version, being one of the highlights of this album.
The only thing I could possibly complain about regarding Live Legacy is that it is too short. Being completely obsessed with Dissection, nothing less than a 6-disc set, featuring all of their songs and a couple dozen cover songs would be completely satisfying. Of course, surely it is a sign of an incredible band to always leave the listener wanting more. I highly recommend this album for any fan of Dissection. You may have heard all of these songs, on the proper albums, but you haven't heard them quite like this. They are just as fresh here as when they were originally recorded. This is an essential release and very much worth the effort to acquire.
