It was roughly a year ago that I first heard stirrings of a full blown Witchslayer comeback: new album, shows, you name it. And while I’m the first to root for a band of underground veterans ready to reclaim their past glory (see Cirith Ungol, Glacier, Siren, etc.), even I was a bit skeptical of this one. Here was a band who, aside from sporadic reunion shows here and there, have been essentially inactive for nearly 40 years. Bassist Sean McAllister went on to play for doom metal gods Trouble, while the rest of the band faded into relative obscurity.
So you could only imagine my shock when Witchslayer’s debut full length was uploaded onto Bandcamp, seemingly out of thin air. Having long been a fan of their cult classic 1983 demo (Metal Blade aficionados will remember “I Don’t Want to Die” from Metal Massacre IV), I had to check out this long awaited follow up. Although only vocalist Jeff Allen remains from those early 80s days, he’s assembled a lineup of well rounded musicians who seamlessly capture the spirit and sound of the era: Gabriel Anthony (Tyrant’s Reign) on drums, Ken Mandat (Damien Thorne) on guitars, and Mike Lucid (Damien Thorne) on bass. It’s only right that members of other 80s Chicago cult metal bands would join in on reviving this one.
Witchslayer consists of 11 songs: 6 originals and a complete re-recording of their debut demo. The band’s namesake anthem kicks things off in high gear: a hard driving, maniacally powerful, and crushingly doomy rager that lets us know we’re in for quite the ride. The monolithic “Crypt” sounds straight out of ’83, conjuring Sabbathian riffs and US power metal muscle, while the savage “Salem Trials” is performed with unforgiving intensity. Both “Losin’ It” and “I Don’t Want to Die” are as mentally heavy and compelling as they were way back when, total masterclasses in doom that doesn’t bore.
While all the performances on Witchslayer are worthwhile, it’s the charismatic vocals of Allen, whose snarl sounds like a cross between Ozzy Osbourne and Bobby Liebling, that steal the show. Whether he’s spitting venom on the vicious slab of doom-thrash that is “Seduction”, or unleashing pure misery and darkness on the closing dirge that is “Deceiver”, Allen can still deliver the goods. Couple this with the adventurous and musicianship of the band, and a production that sounds straight out of ’83 (thanks Sean McAllister), and you’ve got a monster of an album that takes every newcomer to school and back.
Witchslayer is back and may the lord have mercy on anyone who stands in their way. This is a ridiculously brilliant comeback effort, almost too excellent for its own good, if that makes any sense. I’ll tell you what does make sense though: heavy riffs + old school 80s aesthetic + guys who actually LIVED it = a hell of an album. Maybe instead of releasing Six Feet Under’s 10th album of classic rock covers gone horribly wrong, Brian Slagel should sign Witchslayer and give them the break they rightfully deserve. Us Chicagoans have been at the party for far too long. It’s time for the rest of the world to join in!
9 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Power/Doom Metal
For fans of: Trouble, War Cry, Black Sabbath