Margarita Witch Cult - Strung Out In Hell (Album Review)

 

Release Date: July 18th 2025. Record Label:Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Strung Out In Hell - Tracklisting

1.Crawl Home To Your Coffin

2.Scream Bloody Murder 

3.Conqueror Worm

4.Witches Candle 

5.White Wedding (Billy Idol cover)

6.Mars Rover

7.Dig Your Way Out

8.The Fool

9.Who Put Bella In The Wych Elm

Members

Scott Abbott - Vocals & Guitars

James Brown - Bass, Vocals, Synth, Mellotron, Guitars

George Caswell - Drums & Vocals

Review

Well, Margarita Witch Cult actually did it. They actually FUCKING did it. They’ve released an absolute unmissable record with their second album Strung Out In Hell. They may have actually made a deal with SATAN himself. This record flat out rocks with its spectacular use of Fuzz, Doom, Psych, Sludge and Stoner Metal surroundings. Throw in a contemporary style of Heavy Metal with a seedy level of fun that allows the band to grow out of the shadows from their musical heroes in creating their own style of Distorted Fuzz Metal with a sense of Psychedelic danger lurking in the midst.

Margarita Witch Cult received some great acclaim with their 2023 self titled record but the band aim for BIGGER, HEAVIER and FUZZIER movements that delivers with a sense of classic NWOBHM and PROTO METAL throwback energy whilst keeping with a seedy modern flow. The record opens with Crawl Home To Your Coffin, Scream Bloody Murder and Conqueror Worm which sees a dark POPPY effect being added whilst adding some much needed classic HARD ROCK grit with a sense of SATANIC quality appearing with the vocals and lyrics. 

The record is downright mean in places but all done in the best possible DEVIL ROCK taste with a classic style of AMPLIFIER HEAVINESS paying homage to the likes of Saint Vitus, Black Sabbath and Electric Wizard. With Uncle Acid sadly missing in action recently, Margarita Witch Cult are more than capable of taking their place with the standout tracks of Conqueror Worm and WItches Candle conjuring up a shit-ton of demonic based grooves down your spine.

Though, I’m going to say one of my favourite tracks on the album is a brilliant cover of the Billy Idol classic track White Wedding. Sure, this song has been covered multiple times before but this is one of the best versions I’ve heard of that track. As Margarita Witch Cult make it their own by adding multiple layers of GLOOMY feedback with that SATANIC presence whilst keeping the core essence of the original track. The screeching guitars and kick-ass vocals is PURE DYNAMITE.

The second half of the album does become quite spaced out with SYNTHS and MELLOTRON appearing out of nowhere which does add a true WTF crazed energy to the whole album though Margarita Witch Cult keep on the right side of Doom/Stoner Metal credibility. Songs such as Mars Rover, Dig Your Way Out and Who Put Bella In The Wych Elm generate a ton of seedy instrumental passages and highly energetic aggressive melodies that crackle with violent FUZZ ROCK attitude for the underground masses to fully appreciate.

Strung Out In Hell is the type of record that could elevate Margarita Witch Cult to greater heights against fellow Occult Doom Rockers GREEN LUNG in the next twelve months or so. The band are working with the amazing Heavy Psych Sounds again and it’s a perfect fit with this album being expertly produced with the right amount of Doomed Out coming for you at all angles for a record that’s on course to be considered on of the best underground albums of the year.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Strung Out In Hell is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds.

Links

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Big Scenic Nowhere - Visions Beyond Horizon (Album Review)

Release date: January 31^st 2020. Heavy Psych Sounds. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Visions Beyond Horizon - Tracklisting

1. The Glim

2. The Paraonid

3. The I Was Gone

4. Mirror Image

5. Hidden Wall

6. Shadows From The Altar

7. En Las Sombras

8. Tragic Motion Lines

9. The War Years

Members

Bob Balch (Guitar, Bass)

Gary Arce (Guitar)

Tony Reed (Vocals, Keys, Drums)

Mario Lalli (Bass)

Per Wiberg (Keys)

Bill Stinson (Drums)

Nick Oliveri (Bass)

Lisa Alley (Vocals)

Ian Graham (Vocals)

Alain Johannes (Vocals, Guitar)

Review

Visions Beyond Horizon is the debut full length album from Psychedelic/Desert/Stoner Rock supergroup – Big Scenic Nowhere – which is made of up core members – Gary Acre (Yawning Man) and Bob Balch (Fu Manchu). Two individuals who know a thing or two about playing Heavy Stoner Rock grooves.

The guys have asked their famous friends such as Tony Reed, Mario Lalli, Per Wilberg, Bill Stinson, Nick Olivieri, Lisa Alley, Ian Graham and Alan Johannes to join them on this epic journey of dark sounding Desert/Stoner Rock weirdness. The majority of the musicians who appear on this album also appeared on their recently released acclaimed debut EP – Dying On The Mountain – which was released a few months back.

Visions Beyond Horizon is a more thrilling and different sounding experience compared to their debut EP with the band exploring darker themes and progressive ideas that I didn’t really expect for a Desert/Stoner Rock album such as this. Big Scenic Nowhere is a true creative force of nature with the different style of songs and range of guest vocalists and musicians adding their own unique spin on things.

Opening song – The Glim – is a heavy kaleidoscopic use of Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock and Desert Rock with a deep Yawning Man style of music driving the narrative home. The song is quite melodic and moody in places with a deeply satisfying Post-Stoner vibe allowing the album to demand your full attention this early on. The vocals are superb with a more laid-back feel but things do become heavy on certain parts of the song.

Second song – The Paranoid – is a more Punk driven song. This song is fast-paced and is likely to confuse listeners at first as this song is so left-field compared to the other songs on the album. This is the heaviest and shortest song on the album but offers a few moments of snarling Stoner Rock/Metal attitude.

Third song – Then I was Gone – has a more classic sounding Desert Rock approach with delicious vocals from Ian Graham (I could be wrong on this one) and Lisa Alley. The vocals complement each other superbly well. As they drift from a heartfelt style to a more rebellious and double-crossing style of vocals. The music is mostly laidback Desert Rock grooves which feels more influenced by Yawning Man. One of the standout songs on the album.

Fourth song – Mirror Image – is what you would expect from a Yawning Man/Fu Manchu project such as Big Scenic Nowhere. As the music is the perfect sounding union of these two legendary bands. The music is a distinctive style of Desert Rock. Stoner Rock and Punk based aggression. The vocals are straight to the point but with a classic hard rock sensibility. There are some epic guitar solos on this song that is quite spaced out in places but still leaves you wanting more.

Fifth song – Hidden Wall – is the most laid-back offering with a Post-Desert/Post-Stoner based attitude allowing the band to create a lush psychedelic sound with an almost “Jazz” based approach. Though this is a false narrative as the song becomes more threatening when the heavier vocals and riffs appear in the second half of the song. I did enjoy the Yawning Man influenced style chill out/ambient based music the most on this song. As it shows a different side to the whole album. The second half of this song is perhaps the heaviest part of the album.

There are four songs left but I would be here all day reviewing every single one and I feel the five songs I’ve reviewed here does more enough explaining on what to expect for the rest of the album.

The remaining songs – Shadows From The Altar, En Las Sombras, Tragic Motion Lines and The War Years – all offer have their own individual style of Desert Rock, Psych Rock and Stoner Rock to impress people with. En Las Sombras and Tragic Motion Lines are perhaps my favourite songs on the album. As they offer the most creative sounds on the album and both have an addictive quality to them.

Visions Beyond Horizon could have easily been an overblown release with the many different musicians and styles of music contained on the album. However, this is one of the most creative and highly original Desert/Stoner Rock albums I’ve heard in years. Everything about this album oozes class

I don’t know what more can be said about this album but mainly to say that Visions Beyond Horizon is an unforgettable album and is a future classic in the making.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR, All Noir PR and Action PR for the promo. Visions Beyond Horizon will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from Jan 31st 2020.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp