Shadow Witch - Under The Shadow Of A Witch

Release date: February 14th 2020. Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Under The Shadow Of A Witch - Tracklisting

1.Spearfinger 02:59

2.Demon's Hook 04:02

3.Wolf Among The Sheep 04:59 

4.Witches of Aendor 04:18 

5.Shifter 03:34

6.Saint Magdalene 04:31

7.6 x 6 03:54

8.Sour 03:51

9.Fountain 08:10

Members

Doug Beans ~ drums

David Pannullo ~ bass

Earl Walker Lundy ~ vocals, mellotron, tapes

Jeremy Hall ~ guitars.

Review

Shadow Witch impressed me a great deal back in 2017 with their last album – Disciples Of The Crow. And now almost 2.5 years later the band are back with Under The Shadow Of A Witch. This album has a more devilish and streetwise attitude compared to their last album. The riffs are mostly the same which is a good thing as Shadow Witch carry on the good work they created with their last record.

The album is a blistering mix of Doom, Grunge, Heavy Rock and Stoner Rock attitude. The band adapt a more classic Hard Rock feel to their music as well especially on the earlier tracks such as Spearfinger, Demon’s Hook, Wolf Among The Sheep and Witches Of Aendor. The music is fresh and fast-paced with the grizzled guitars laying down doomy riffs with the vocals having a fresh gloomy perspective to them.

There are shades of NWOBHM driving the music to greater heights on this album and Shadow Witch seem more energized than I’ve heard previously. The music is always constantly heavy and addictive with the band paying homage to the classic Hard Rock/Heavy Metal sounds of the last 50 years or so. So you can expect shades of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Iron Maiden within this album’s DNA but still offering a Doomed Out Stoner Rock perspective.

The lyrics is what gives the band the devilish and streetwise attitude that I mentioned earlier in the review. The lyrics feel quite real despite the “Occult/Doom” based presence of them. So take notice what Earl is singing about on this album. As there are some great lyrics to remember and perhaps even sing-along with.

The best moments appear on the 2^nd half of the album where Shadow Witch branch out into heavier and progressive territory especially on the 8 minute plus epic Fountain which features the all-round good dude and one of my favourite people in the Stoner Rock scene – Pat Harrington of GEEZER fame – playing slide guitar. So another cool thing waiting for you to hear on the album.

I have to give the band credit for adding a different version of the album on their BandCamp Page. This version is all instrumental and is split into two different acts listed below:

Act One ~ Spearfinger & Other Cautionary Tales ~

Spearfinger. Demon's Hook. Wolf Among The Sheep. Witches Of Aendor. Shifter.

Act Two ~ Fountain & Other Assorted Love Songs ~

Saint Magdalene. 6x6. Sour. Fountain.

That was really cool to hear. The album sounds very different as an instrumental album. As Earl’s vocals add a powerful presence to Shadow Witch’s overall sound. However, this is a still a great idea to include.

Under The Shadow Of A Witch is another winning album from Shadow Witch and will no doubt keep their established fanbase and the Doom/Stoner Rock community entertained for a long to come. Well, until their next album…

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Mona at All Noir PR for the promo. Under The Shadow Of A Witch is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from Argonauta Records now.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Shadow Witch - Disciples Of The Crow (Album Review)

Release date: December 15th 2017. Label: Salt Of The Earth Records. Format: CD/DD

Disciples Of The Crow - Tracklisting

1. Love Could Be Like This

2. Reap

3. Cruel

4. Disciples Of The Crow

5. Stranger Skies

6. The Sea

7. Beneath The Veil

8. Dead Heroes

Members

David Pannullo (bass)

Jeremy H. Hall (guitars)

Doug “Beans” Thompson (drums)

Earl Walker Lundy (vocals, mellotron, samples)

Review

Psychedelic Doom Metallers – Shadow Witch – return with their new album – Disciples Of The Crow. Coming about 16 months of their debut album which the whole Doom/Stoner Metal community rated quite highly including myself.

Newly signed to Salt Of The Earth Records it's good to see the band expand more on their progressive sound with opening track- Love Could Be Like This – creating quite an uplifting Doom/Stoner Metal vibe. It's very demonic parts but it's so damn catchy with the band writing 80s Classic sounding Doom/Hard Rock lyrics. The vocals from Earl have matured since the last album. He's more focused and his vocals soar to new heights. The music is still influenced by Mastodon, Sabbath and Clutch but that's a good thing. As at least Shadow Witch are giving their own spin on the Progressive Doom/Stoner Metal sound.

Second track – Reap – is a more soulful occult/doom rock sound with the band adding a more blues/funk guitar that tries a little too hard to merge 70s Doom Rock with a 90s Alt Rock/Stoner Metal feel. It's still a very good song to listen to. I wasn't a fan of the different funk based moods that this song contains. Earl's vocals are very dramatic and OTT at times but I feel that's the whole point of this song.

Third track – Cruel – sees the band return to winning ways with a CLUTCH inspired guitar sound. This is high octane Blues fuelled Stoner Rock with a gloomy psychedelic score being the main focus of the song. This is the style of music where Shadow Witch excel at. It's superbly played and the psychedelic progressive riffs only endear you to the band even more. The different styles of music is another highlight with the band switching to a more sombre classic rock/doom rock sound towards the end of the song.

Fourth track – Disciples Of The Crow – has Shadow Witch become a fully fledged DOOM METAL Band. As they leave all their fancy and imaginative psychedelic stoner sounds behind and embrace a more demonic vision. Earl's vocals are bang on point here when sung against the slowly played macabre sounds. The atmosphere becomes heavier and more frantic as the mood of the album will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The second half of the album is equally as good as the first half if not better. The Sea and and Dead Heroes are perhaps the standout tracks on the later stages of the album. As the songs sees the band experiment with their sound more by adding different elements of music. Some trippy post-rock style sounds appear on The Sea. It's quite a slow-paced affair to start off with. Though Shadow Witch know when to play a superb sounding progressive doom metal melody that offers a few surprises along the way.

Shadow Witch raise the ANTE and EXCITEMENT in every aspect with the album. Shadow Witch could have easily released Sun Killer Part Two. But Nope. The band took another route and have released a more daring and genuinely exciting record.

Disciples Of The Crow is a Stoner/Doom Metal Masterpiece. I know that term gets branded around too easily and very quickly at times. However I stand by my review. This album is FUCKING AWESOME!!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Leanne at Mettle Media PR for the promo. Disciples Of The Crow will be released via Salt Of The Earth Records on CD/DD from December 15^th 2017.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Shadow Witch - Sun Killer - Album Review and Exclusive Album Stream

Release date: August 15th 2016. Label: Snake Charmer Coalition. Format: CD/DD

Sun Killer – Tracklisting

01 (D.O.A) Anticipation

02 Sun Killer

03 Wreckage

04 Blitzkrieg

05 Blood On The Vine

06 Creeper

07 Snout

08 Headless Army

09 Lamp Light

10 Shadow Witch

11 Occupy

Band Members:

Anton Van Kleek – Drums

David Pannullo – Bass/Vocals

Earl Lundy – Lead Vocals/Mellotron/Loops

Jeremy Hall – Guitars

Review:

Shadow Witch’s debut album – Sun Killer – shows a band with a lot to say and the balls to pull it off with magnificent style. Shadow Witch made me a fan of their music when they released their pre-release EP earlier this year. The EP had three songs that give the world a brief glimpse into Shadow’s Witch dark majestic world. The album contains a heavy style of Grunge, Psych, Stoner, Doom, Heavy Metal riffs to keep you entertained throughout.

The opening two tracks – (D.O.A) Anticipation and Sun Killer – sees Shadow Witch create a refreshing style of retro based Hard Rock/Metal with a playful and wicked Doom Metal atmosphere. Shades of nineties sounding grunge is merged with heavy Psych/Stoner Rock with the classic rock influenced vocals of Earl on highly confident form. Sun Killer offers one of the albums standout tracks as Shadow Witch show their passion for well-thought out grooves and lyrics to match.

Lead vocalist – Earl – carries on his grunge based vocal delivery for the majority of the album and the album is better for it. Shadow Witch play to their strengths as they deliver an album that is all killer and no filler. Third track – Wreckage – sees Shadow Witch add a harsher Doom/Stoner Metal feel with elements of NWOBHM starting to appear here and there.

Fourth Track – Blitzkrieg sees Shadow Witch show their full musical range as the riffs veer from classic rock to heavy metal but they do include great moments of high voltage Fuzz/Stoner riffs. Add another standout vocal performance from lead vocalist Earl and you finally get to see the real Shadow Witch in action.

Fifth track – Blood On The Vine – is a Psychedelic Doom Metal track that allows the band to maintain a gloomier atmosphere compared to other songs on the album. It can be very trippy at times especially when the band inject Eastern based riffs into the background. The one thing that impressed me the most about this song is how the band change the tempo with a single musical note and intense psych based vocals. You’ll know when you hear the song in full. Perhaps my favourite song on the entire album.

The mood becomes more psychedelic and experimental on the second half of the album. Songs such as Creeper, Lamp Light, Shadow Witch and Occupy perhaps offer the albums heaviest and doomiest moments to sink your teeth into.

The production is simply fantastic as the sound is loud and crisp throughout. Don’t be too surprised that in the near future we see Shadow Witch perform not only some of the most prestigious support/festival slots in their native USA but across the globe as well. This album is a serious statement of intent and it will end up as one of my favourite albums of the year. You need more evidence to check this album out. How about the exclusive stream below courtesy of ace record label – Snake Charmer Coalition

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Brendan at Snake Charmer Coalition for the album stream. Headover to their site and order a copy of this excellent album. Thanks to FullBlast PR for the promo to review

Links:

 Facebook | BandCamp

Band To Check Out - Shadow Witch

Release date: April 07th 2016. Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Pre-Release Promo – Tracklisting

1.The Shadow Witch 03:56

2.Creeper 06:12

3.Occupy 03:38

Band Members:

Anton Van Kleek – Drums

David Pannullo – Bass/Vocals

Earl Lundy – Lead Vocals/Mellotron/Loops

Jeremy Hall – Guitars

Review:

I don't know what to call this release. It's not an EP or a demo of such. It's a pre-release promo for Shadow Witch's upcoming debut album – Sun Killer, that is due to be released later this year. Something to get people interested. Well JOB FUCKING WELL DONE. As this pre-release demo is simply fantastic. 3 songs of heavy riffs that mix Stoner, Psych, Doom, Grunge and even Classic/Retro style Rock at times.

I think the 3 songs here are actually rough mixes so they could sound very different on the final version that's released. However they do show you how talented these guys. From the heavy opening riffs of first track – The Shadow Witch, this band have a lot going for them. The vocals from Earl are impressive through out and the instrumental work is just so damn good.

I've heard these guys being compared to Graveyard, Mastodon, CLUTCH and Sabbath over the last few days. So it tells you how expansive their sound actually is. Second track – Creeper – is perhaps the most Doom Metal orientated song on offer here. It does have a slight Sabbath/Vitus vibe but with some superb blues based riffs vying for your attention.

The final track – Occupy – is my fave track that the band have released. As it's the perfect mixture of 70s Doom, 90s Grunge and a more modern day Stoner Rock sound. This bodes well for Sun Killer as this pre-release promo shows that Shadow Witch are worth giving a damn about and they've made me quite excited to hear more from them. Sun Killer can't come soon enough. Shadow Witch have huge potential here and I think we could be hearing a lot more of these guys in the years to come.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp