Just when I thought I’d heard it all in the black/speed/thrash realm, here comes Germany’s Witching Hour with an ever appropriate, “Hey dude! What gives?” Now my ignorance would be one thing if this were some new band, eagerly clawing their way up the underground metal latter, and this happened to be their first or second full length outing, but no. Witching Hour have been playing their unique brand of “ancient black metal” (their words, not mine) for the past 20 years. What rock have I been sleeping under? As the old saying goes, it’s better late than never, and you can’t go wrong with a band named after a Venom classic. What better starting point than their fourth album, and first in 8 years, Descending… Where Time Has Ceased to Exist?
I will admit that based off the band name and general ethos of this band, I walked into Descending… expecting a straightforward, meat and potatoes, first wave BM worship album, which would’ve been more than acceptable. After all, it’s a really hard style to screw up, and some of my favorite albums of this decade fall into said wheelhouse. What I didn’t expect was an album that could best be described as the black metal answer to Deceased. Just like the King Fowley-fronted cult legends fuse their signature “death metal from the grave” with musical homages to the glory days of classic metal, Witching Hour does the exact same on this album, resulting in a 6 song, 43 minute opus of blackened heavy metal majesty.
Witching Hour doesn’t specialize in songs, but rather suites, which becomes apparent from the moment this album kicks off. Following a somber piano intro in “Descending…”, “Where Time Has Ceased to Exist” takes charge, establishing the mood with epic twin guitar harmonies, early speed metal aggression, and vocals that boast the barbarity of classic black metal, albeit maintaining the slightest hint of melody. “Profane Resurrection of a Presumed Dead” expands upon this formula further, hypnotizing the listener with a sprawling arrangement and truly grim atmosphere. On these first two cuts, one can draw parallels to ’80s gods as diverse as Satan, Brocas Helm, early Queensrÿche, and At War with Satan era Venom.
Come “The Graves Yearn for the Dead”, Witching Hour tap into the old school blackened thrash vein. From what I understand, their past output leans more in this direction, which means I have some serious investigating to do, because this song absolutely rips. Following a vast traditional metal intro, the band kicks into overdrive, at times coming off like Mercyful Fate on speed. “A Night Under a Crimson Moons Lament” diversifies the palette even further, fusing maneuvers of old school black, thrash, and progressive metal all at once, yet without ever coming off as convoluted. Despite being the lengthiest cut on the album, the closing “…And Then Came the Flames” is one of the more straightforward moments, at least when compared to the structure of other songs, but is as effective as “Time” and “Profane” as far as blackened heavy blitzkriegs go.
If you’re a fan of classic heavy metal, first wave black metal, and headphones only listening experiences, Witching Hour’s Descending… is the album for you. If you’re a fan of all three, as I assume most reading this webzine are, I can’t recommend exploring this album soon enough. Upon further investigation, the fact that this band’s official Metal Archives photo features one of the members sporting a Marillion shirt (I know Real to Reel when I see it) tells me everything I need to know. The Witching Hour is at hand! Are you ready for an ancient black metal attack?
9 out of 10
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Genre: Black/Heavy Metal
For fans of: Deceased, Hexecutor, Satan
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