Label: Listenable Records
Review by Warren Mayocchi
“Don’t talk to me of blasphemy, I’d strike the sun if it insulted me”. King Witch begin their album with this quote from “Moby Dick”. The quote leads into first song called “Beneath the Waves”, it is a full-on opening blast from the band with powerful everything. Though the song itself refers to the human habit for destruction and how it is a double-edged sword, the accompanying video clip is nautical, continuing the Moby Dick theme. The reason the story of a ship full of men going out to hunt down a whale was in part inspiration for the song. With the lineup comprised of Laura Donnelly (vocals), Jamie Gilchrist (guitars), Lyle Brown (drums) and Simon Anger (bass), the doom tinged riffs, rhythm, and power vocals drive every song. If you watch the video for “Beneath the Waves” nothing else on the album will be a surprise except for the bluesy “Ancients”. Which does not mean the other songs are all the same, to the contrary, there is a distinct shift in pace through the centre of the album. The band slow the tempo before ramping up again for the closing tracks. My favourite track is “Hunger”, another song about human destruction through consumption. It has dimensions which go further than the ability of the band to use riffs and rhythm, they bend their powerful approach into a memorable song – this song suggests to me King Witch are capable of having a long career if they wish it. Beneath the powerful songs there is a great mix of the cultural and human – none of which is needed to get into the music, it is sufficiently glorious without the extra depth. The album title and cover, with rings and a big mystical mountain, are suggestive of “Lord of the Rings”. Indeed, the title track is inspired by heroic literature, including the Tolkien classic. Others songs draw from themes of horror, philosophical contemplation, and depression. If they retired now, King Witch could be rightly proud of “Under the Mountain“, however they have the talent to last. Forgetting everything else this album is an energetic blast, play it loud!
Rating – 83/100
Tracklist
- Beneath the Waves
- Carnal Sacrifice
- Solitary
- Under the Mountain
- Approaching the End
- Ancients
- Hunger
- Possession
- Black Dog Blues
Line Up
- Laura Donnelly – Vocals
- Jamie Gilchrist – Guitars
- Simon Anger – Bass
- Lyle Brown – Drums