ACID WITCH — Witchtanic Hellucination (review)

ACID WITCH — Witchtanic Hellucination album cover Album · 2008 · Death-Doom Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Witchtanic Hellucinations" is the debut full-length studio album by US, Michigan based doom/death metal act Acid Witch. The album was released through Razorback Recordings in October 2008. Acid Witch were formed in 2007 and released a demo that same year before being signed for the release of "Witchtanic Hellucinations".

So it´s not a particularly seasoned act (or at least they haven´t played together that long in this constellation) although all members have played with various other underground acts (Shitfucker, Reaper, Skindcrawler, and Harbinger, just to mention a few). Stylistically the music on the album is psychadelic tinged stoner doom/death metal with lyrics about drugs, witchcraft, and horror. Song titles like "Witches Tits", "Rabid Werewitch", and "Broomstick Bitch", tell that story too, and also the story that there is a humourous cartoonish/twisted fairytale touch to both the lyrics and the band image.

The instrumental part of the music consists of heavy stoner doomy riffs and leads right out of the 70s Black Sabbath playbook, heavy rhythms, psychadelic effects, and some dark burping growling vocals in front (which wouldn´t sound wrong on any Carcass influenced goregrind release). It´s actually only the latter element, which connects the material on "Witchtanic Hellucinations" to death metal, because the remaining part of the music is stoner doom through and through. The combination of the instrumental stoner doom elements and the mucilaginous growling vocals is what makes the material unique, but it´s also an odd combination, which takes some getting used to, and which also wears a bit thin after a while. It´s somewhat charming alright, but also a bit one-dimensional and tedious towards the end of the album.

"Witchtanic Hellucinations" is well performed and also features a suitingly dark and organic sound production, so upon conclusion it´s a quality release by Acid Witch and definitely an interesting debut album with a relatively unique sound. A couple of more hooks, and a little more variation between tracks could have elevated the album from good to great, but as it is, it´s still an entertaining release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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