Up next on the chopping block is the band Witchery. Now for those who don’t know, this is a band with members from Satanic Slaughter, The Haunted, Arch Enemy, Dark Funeral, and Opeth. So let’s take a look………
Restless & Dead- so if you’re looking for an album that is thrashy mixed with death metal and black metal then this album is a good example. Now the version of this album I heard for this review is the remastered one and it sounds a lot better than the original version. I must say that for an album that was released in 1998, this is really good. The guitar attack is awesome and some would say they don’t care for the vocals, but they fit with the rest of the band. Definitely a 8/10
Standouts: The Reaper, House of Raining Blood, Born in the Night
Dead Hot and Ready- first off, I want to say that I love the album title and the cover of it. It’s just so badass and cool. Anyway, this one continues where the last album left off. The riffs again are fantastic and really standout. I don’t want to say that the album is slower than the last because it’s not but the songs seem to be more grounded here. I remember buying this album at Amoeba and really dug it as soon as I popped it in the CD player and I think I still have my original copy. Anyway, definitely a great and underrated record. I give it 9/10
Standouts: Demonication, Full Moon, Call of the Coven
Symphony for the Devil- this one you can tell isn’t an all out thrash fest like the previous two albums. The songs are tighter and more mature than the last couple albums. On this one, Jensen (The Haunted) wrote most of the music and musically, it sounds very similar to The Haunted except there isn’t really any evidence of the Gothenburg sound. Again this is another underrated album and I’m starting to think that Jensen is a very underrated songwriter. Anyway, check this album out especially if you are a fan of The Haunted and their Made Me Do It album. I give this 9.5/10
Standouts: Unholy Wars, The Storm, Wicked
Don’t Fear Reaper- this was my first album I purchased from them. I remember actually buying it at Best Buy of all places. The production on this one is better than the last three and the songs are tighter. I will say that like the last album, the songs have been slowed down and are not as thrashy as they have been in the past. Either way, this is still a great record and definitely a good start. I give this one 8.5/10
Standouts: Cannon Fodder, Stigmatized, Draw Blood
Witchkrieg- so the last record came out in 2004, and this one came out in 2010. I’m pretty sure the reason for that was because everyone else was too busy with their other bands. Anyway, this is the first the first record with out original vocalist Toxine and the first (and only) record with new vocalist Legion (from Dark Funeral). The sound of this record is if you take Reaper and an album like Dead and mix the two. There are also a lot of really cool guest musicians on here. We have Kerry King, Gary Holt and Lee Altus (Exodus), Andy LaRocque (King Diamond), Jim Durkin (Dark Angel), and Hank Shermann (Mercyful Fate). Anyway a good album with only a little bit of filler. I give this one 9/10
Standouts: Witchkrieg, The Reaver, Devil Rides Out
In His Infernal Majesty’s Service- this one is a return to form a little bit. While it does have the same feel as the last couple albums, it also goes back to some of their earlier work as well. The vocalist on this album sounds a lot like their original vocalist Toxine. Anyway, I give this one 9\10
Standouts: Feed the Gun, Nosferatu, Lavey-athan
I Am Legion- I guess I would say that this one is probably their most black metal sounding record. You can tell that with this record, they are trying to go in that direction yet they still maintain that thrash metal sound that made them unique. I would say that this has a good balance of thrashier songs and songs with more of a blackened thrash flavor. Anyway, I give this a very strong 9/10
Standouts: Amun-Ra, Seraphic Terror, Dry Bones
Overall, this is a great band and a very underrated one at that. Jensen and Rille Rimflält are a great guitar team and are very underrated. Again, this is one of those bands that are on my bucket list of bands to see live. Hopefully soon they can make a U.S. appearance or at least release a live dvd.
Album Rankings:
- Dead Hot and Ready
- Don’t Fear The Reaper
- Symphony For The Devil
- Witchkrieg
- Restless and Dead
- I Am Legion
- In His Infernal Majesty’s Service
Sinister Reviews 