Artist: Witchery
Label: Necropolis Records
Release Date: 10/16/00
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Title: Symphony for the Devil Artist: Witchery Label: Necropolis Records Release Date: 10/16/00 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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Abyss's Review:
I don’t know how many of you out there ever get the chance or take the time to read the promotional material that accompanies the release of a new album, but I think that they are among the some of the most entertaining reads available. I always wonder if the writers of these promos actually believe what they say, or if they struggle with finding unending complements for an album they’re forced to praise. I often picture a bored young writer typing, half-asleep, with thesaurus propped open on their lap. You see, every, and I mean every, album, according to these accompaniments, is that particular band’s best album. Not only that, it seems every band is “ground breaking”, “brutal”, “powerful”, and, of course, “visionary”. Now, I’m not stupid, I know damn well why all these press kits are doing this, I just wonder how serious they take themselves. It would of course be refreshing to here one that was completely honest. Something like, “While there is no doubt this band is well past their prime, we feel confident that most of you can find something you like on this new album. We would, however, appreciate you buying it rather than doing the more rational thing, and copying it from your friends.” Think about the most disappointing albums you’ve ever heard, and realize that when it was first released there was an accompanying critique that said it was the most important album of the year.
"This is the best album Witchery has ever come out with. Not only that, this album is definitely one of the top ten albums of the year." So, of course, when the promo for Witchery’s Symphony for the Devil came across my desk (okay, by “desk” I really mean “while I was sitting on the toilet”), you can imagine that I wasn’t completely convinced that, as it said, this was the best Witchery album of them all. I decided that perhaps I shouldn’t just take their word for it and I should listen to the album for myself.
Well, now I feel like I wasted my time because, it’s true, this is the best album Witchery has ever come out with. Not only that, this album is definitely one of the top ten albums of the year. I’ve enjoyed all of this band’s work to date, but this album simply blows all of their other stuff out of the water. Even though I considered myself a fan of this band, I had always thought, in the back of my mind, that this band might be a little more style than substance. I feel a little silly now, but I thought, after hearing reports that the band would be releasing an enormous amount of material in just a few years, the band would hit hard and fade quickly. They were originally billed as a black metal band, even though their music borrowed only sparse amounts from that genre, and the members all seemed to have multiple commitments, so I thought there was very little potential for improvement. Boy, was I wrong.
"This album is just pure metal. It shits steel and bleeds mercury. (but if it sneezes, regular old snot comes out)." This album is just pure metal. It shits steel and bleeds mercury. (but if it sneezes, regular old snot comes out). Every song on this album shreds. It’s old school metal with new blood, but it’s a classic no matter which era you compare it to. The riffs aren’t just catchy, they’re downright exciting, and the songwriting is of the highest caliber. This is the rare album that I can recommend to fans of all genres because it is that complete, and that successful. Even if you weren’t that keen on some of their other material, you might want to check this out. Not that it’s all that different, the same formula is used, but they’ve found a secret ingredient that elevates it to the top. I guess that makes this “new and improved Witchery”. Perhaps the most impressive aspect to this album is it’s broad use of metal. I used to describe their music as thrash with black elements, but that label seems less and less accurate the more I listen to them. Their influences come from throughout the metal spectrum. Thrash, death, and black are all present, but classic Maiden and Priest are also invoked, and the combination is killer. These guys just leapt to the top tier of metal.
Run out and buy this album and raise your hand in a “W” in the air (but please, please, don’t wave it around like you just don’t care. Thank you.). One word review: Brilliant.
Death's Review:
When it comes to devil worship (be it of the symphonic or sympathetic variety), Witchery may indeed have one up on the modern day Rolling Stones (I'm not gonna profess to have any idea what kind of shit the Stones were into back in their heyday). Musically, however, they're no comparison, as Witchery is a modern era thrash band in the vein of early Destruction and Kreator, only much "dirtier," a la Venom, Celtic Frost, Motorhead and even-at moments-Black Sabbath ("Hearse of the Pharoahs"). Raw, sloppy songs are juxtaposed with tight rythym guitars, audible and proficient basslines and the occasional "technical-sounding" melodic guitar fills ("Inquisition"). Throw in a mild yet raw type of "progressiveness" (the way the old Mercyful Fate and old Slayer were "progressive"--listen to Witchery's "Called for by Death" at about the 2:00 mark to hear an example of what I am talking about, and then listen again when they revisit the riff at the end with the killer sounding flange, the album's best moment), and a guitar player with an affinity for full-fingered distorted guitar chords, which-when they morph into inverse and unusually-fingered guitar riffs-can sound a bit like a Megadeth riff ("Omens"), and you have a musically interesting thrash record which only falls somewhat short of the efforts of the metal greats it seeks to emulate.
"While Witchery has produced another solid, "retro-thrash as interpreted by a heavy taint from the modern black scene" record, they are still a notch below those classic records, probably significantly exasperated by the band's derivative foundation." For me, only the blacked death/thrash vocals are somewhat lacking, and even they can be cool if you are inclined to appreciate such an approach. That's probably why I like the instrumental "Bone Mill" the best-a total riff-o-riffic festival of thrashiness a la Annihilator or the Metal Church instrumental, "Merciless Onslaught."
Sure, if pressed, I must admit that Symphony is better than the new Destruction or Kreator albums, and I can't really say the new Slayer and Megadeth efforts are actually better either. But the classic bands still bring a better sense of melody and songwriting to the equation than do Witchery. That's not to say that Witchery doesn't have catchy songs, "None Buried Deeper" is surely an example of that. It is to say that while Witchery has produced another solid, "retro-thrash as interpreted by a heavy taint from the modern black scene" record, they are still a notch below those classic records, probably significantly exasperated by the band's derivative foundation. Still, if you are looking for new music with this type of old-metal vibe, you search may indeed end here.
Hel's Review:
Favorite tracks: "Unholy War" and "Hearse of the Pharaohs"Witchery features that combination of incessant riffing guitars, rampaging drums, and evil-sounding death style vocals which is so fundamental to what I enjoy about metal. Most of what I deem my "favorite" metal tends to rely heavily on this combination of factors. Symphony for the Devil contains this combination of elements, and so much more. The songs are well written, one and all. Throughout the album there are details to be found only when you listen closely at a loud volume. Best of all, there are repeating and contrasting guitar lines in almost every song.
So this is not only a seriously heavy record, this is a complex metal composition. It is fun for me to listen to the ways in which two distinctly different guitar lines are morphed into one amazing riff, and while this occurs in nearly every song, it is different every time. The various parts the instruments play are invariable well balanced, and a listen to the instrumental track, "Hearse of the Pharaohs", will convince you of the incredible musical talent Witchery possesses.
"Walk the path of darkness, my friends, and experience some amazing metal." While I've liked every one of the albums Witchery has released, I find that, for the moment at least, I like Symphony for the Devil best of all. So when I consider that this has become one of my favorite bands, I cannot imagine a scenario in which I like this album this much and it does not receive 5 skulls. And so it does. Walk the path of darkness, my friends, and experience some amazing metal.
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