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Electric Wizard: Witchcult today
03/12/10 || InquisitorGeneralis
Khlysty our resident master of all things dragging, painful, ear-splitting, and dronetastic is on vacation at the moment. I think he is spear fishing anchovies somewhere in the Aegean with spears made from old Boris and YOB records. Anywho, this leaves the door wide open for the rest of us to tackle the world of the slow and poorly-produced head-on. Lucky me, I just got a free copy of British doom/stoner stalwarts Electric Wizard’s 2007 release “Witchcult Today” and with Zorba the Greek out of the office for a while I figured I would take a shot at covering Teh Wizard. With recent reviews of Middian and Baroness I am trying to expand my horizons into the world of doom and stoner metal. Plus, I love smoking weed. That little fact has definitely helped me enjoy “Witchcult Today” much more than I would if I was a straight-laced square who was not down with what is hip, cool, and groovy.
Dope or no dope, this is still slow, simple, and sometimes boring music that still has no chance of replacing death or thrash as my favorite style of ze metal. But, for what it is, “Witchcult Today” ain’t bad. First of all, the record sounds like it was made in 1966. Many bands today are going for the retro sound but Electric Wizard really nails it. I must give credit where credit is due. These are not wire-rimmed glasses-sporting hipster fucks out to seem retro. The opening track is pretty slow but moderately enjoyable. I actually kind of like the Orange Jus’ vocals. Their monotonous tone fits the music perfectly. “Witchcult today” runs about two minutes to (midnight!!!!!) long. “Dunwich” is a bit more upbeat (for stoner that is) and sounds kind of like Steppenwolf on acid. Like more acid than usual.
Besides having a completely awesome name “The satanic rites of Drugula” has an EYEHATEGOD kind of feel to it. Apple Jus goes into Danzig mode also and goes for the Evil Elvis style of vox. Believe or not, this does not suck. “The chosen few” and “Torquemada 71” can be filed under filler though, nothing exciting going on there. “Saturnine” is hands down the strongest track on here and really makes up for the suckfest that is “Black magic rituals and perversions”, a song that for five minutes is slow and boring and for six more minutes is just some stupid sound clips. “Saturnine” though rules and shows what Electric Wizard can do if they don’t play super slow and toss in more creative, super-heavy riffs.
I seem to be saying this more and more frequently so I apologize if you have heard this one before. If the score seems low it is because this genre of music does not appeal to me strongly. However, I like it so that means if doom/stoner with a serious retro sound is your kind of shit you will fucken love it. I am sure Kampfar of Khylistermint could have done a better job covering this but one is on vacation and the other has seemingly disappeared in the grvm forests of Nordland so this is all you get. Bitches.
- Information
- Released: 2007
- Label: Rise Above Records
- Website: Electric Wizard MySpace
- Band
- Jus Oborn: vocals, guitar
- Liz Buckingham: guitar
- Rob Al-Issa: bass
- Justin Greaves: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Witchcult Today
- 02. Dunwich
- 03. Satanic Rites of Drugula
- 04. Raptus
- 05. The Chosen Few
- 06. Torquemada ’71
- 07. Black Magic Rituals & Perversions (i. Frisson des vampires ii. Zora)
- 08. Saturnine
