Album Type: Full
Length
Date Released: 10/03/2017
Label: Independent
Every track is a winner. Every riff is
massive. The production is raw and warm. Everything sounds big. Everything
sounds heavy. This is surely exactly the record that Earth Witch set out to
create and I applaud them highly for it. Fantastic and heavy stuff and one of
the best albums I have heard so far this year.
“Out of the Shallow” CS//CD//DD
track listing:
1). Guts
2). Starfighter
3). Lovecraft
4). Butterfly
5). Riff Rider
6). Green Torch
7). Mermaid
8). Pilgrim
9). Earth Witch
The Review:
A
stoner/doom trio from Illinois is how these guys are described- very accurate!
This is most definitely for fans of Sleep, High on Fire and The Sword (early period,
naturally). There are massive riffs on offer here. The tracks have quite a
range to them, too. You get mellow and bluesy (“Butterfly”) swaggering
muscular grooves (the band's theme song) and psychedelic Sabbath goodness elsewhere.
Opener
“Guts”
reminded me of when The Sword were really good and employs similar
weighty riffage and tone. “Lovecraft” is a rampaging beast
(appropriate), “Starfighter” is an up-tempo headbanger- with a mellow
breakdown, of course. These songs are just relentless: riff after riff after
riff!
The
title “Riff Rider” is a clue as to what the song contains- and it
swings mightily. “Green Torch” is a more restrained track- but still romps all
over your stereo. “Mermaid” is in the up-tempo bracket... Honestly, there are so
many riffs on offer here. The album is, simply put, very strong throughout. The
vocals perfectly suit proceedings (not singing exactly, but not intelligible
either- ideal for this type of blunt force trauma).
Every
track is a winner. Every riff is massive. The production is raw and warm.
Everything sounds big. Everything sounds heavy. This is surely exactly the
record that Earth
Witch set out to create and I applaud them highly for it. Fantastic
and heavy stuff and one of the best albums I have heard so far this year.
