Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 27/01/2017
Label: Soulseller Records
'Magick Rites and Spells' is a fresh,
authentic display of classic occult rock being performed in the present day.
It's a blessing to see a band who are truly absorbed in this genre, leading the
way for all modern day occultists to follow. It's a very well-balanced mix of
old, new and cover songs and an incredible follow-up to the masterpiece that
was 'The Vision'. This band are only getting started and I'm truly excited to
see what the future holds for Virginia and the guys.
“Magick
Rites and Spells” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Come a little closer (Exclusive to this release)
2. Godzilla (Blue Oyster Cult cover, Exclusive to this release)
3. Set me free (Re-recording, Exclusive to this release)
4. Wicked dream (Re-recording, Exclusive to this release)
5. The dark Lord (Originally performed by Sam Gopal, with Lemmy)
6. Angela (taken from the “Black Magic Man” EP)
7. Lying on iron (taken from the “Black Magic Man” EP)
8. Black magic man (taken from the “Black Magic Man” EP)
9. Slave of grief (taken from the “Black Magic Man” EP)
2. Godzilla (Blue Oyster Cult cover, Exclusive to this release)
3. Set me free (Re-recording, Exclusive to this release)
4. Wicked dream (Re-recording, Exclusive to this release)
5. The dark Lord (Originally performed by Sam Gopal, with Lemmy)
6. Angela (taken from the “Black Magic Man” EP)
7. Lying on iron (taken from the “Black Magic Man” EP)
8. Black magic man (taken from the “Black Magic Man” EP)
9. Slave of grief (taken from the “Black Magic Man” EP)
The Review:
Psychedelic
Witchcraft
have just brought out their latest album 'Magick Rites and Spells'. This band
certainly know how to churn out songs as their last album, the critically
acclaimed 'The Vision' only came out back in April, 2016.
We
dive into the mystical land of the occult with 9 tracks comprising of 3 brand
new tracks, 2 covers and 4 tracks from the “Black Magic Man” EP,
released back in 2015.
Track
1, 'Come
a Little Closer', starts the album off with some elegant, flowing
guitar sounds before the main riff begins and Virginia Monti takes control,
doing what she does best. Such a powerful voice which can also be toned down
for those hypnotic lyrics, entrancing you as the song goes on. There's some
great lead guitar work in this track too, providing just enough of a taste
without overcompensating. It's a very enticing opening track and a great start
to a superb album.
Track
2 is a cover of 'Godzilla' by Blue Oyster Cult. This is the first time I’ve
heard a female sing this song and it sounds absolutely fantastic. I saw Blue Oyster
Cult a few months back and they played this song but to be perfectly
honest, Psychedelic
Witchcraft do a better job than B.O.C did live. It's also very refreshing
seeing a couple covers. A lot of bands have strayed away from covering songs in
recent years but when you can add your own signature touch, like these guys
have, then by all means, cover that shit!
Track
3, 'Set
Me Free', is a true piece of Sabbathian occult rock. Everything blends
incredibly well and there's still a lot of breathing room with the guitar and
bass tones so it's not total overkill. Virginia
'Wicked
Dream'
is the 4th track on the album and the last of the brand new, original material
that is exclusive to this release. These guys create such a dark, gloomy vibe
to rock and roll but it works a treat and the visual imagery and lyrical themes
all work as a cohesive unit.
'The Dark
Lord'
is another cover of the famous Sam Gopal song that featured Lemmy
on lead vocals. It is in itself a fucking incredible song and it's so great to
see recognition of it and Psychedelic Witchcraft do a superb job at
doing it justice. As much as I love original material, I'd love to see these
guys do a full cover album just to see what they would pick and see how Virginia
Track
6
'Angela' is the first track taken from the “Black Magic Man” EP from
2015. This time round it sounds much more polished and it's great to see their
older stuff rearing its head again. Psychedelic Witchcraft defined their style
early on and they still stay true to the Coven-esque style of occult rock. There are
also more current influences such as Blood Ceremony or Ruby the Hatchet who play very
similar styles of music but I think Psychedelic Witchcraft are the most authentic
occult-styled band.
Track
7 'Lying
on Iron' is another track from the “Black Magic Man” EP. It
is a beautiful, yet haunting piece of music and one of the more mellow tracks
on the album. The musicianship in this band is of a very high standard and the
fusion of guitar, bass and percussion is extremely affective in creating this
sound. The guitar solo uses a Jimi Hendrix 'Little Wing' sounding
tone and works fantastically with the backing music. There are a million ways
to describe how good Virginia
Track
8 'Black
Magic Man' is the title track from the EP of the same name. This was
one of the first Psychedelic Witchcraft songs I heard and got me into
listening to them. It definitely sounds a lot fuller this time round and
reminded me why I love this band. Parts of this song remind me of early 90s
desert rock but tainted with a hint of darkness.
The
final track on the album 'Slave of Grief' is also re-released
from their debut EP. It has a very simple chord progression which is perfect
for letting Virginia
'Magick
Rites and Spells'
is a fresh, authentic display of classic occult rock being performed in the
present day. It's a blessing to see a band who are truly absorbed in this
genre, leading the way for all modern day occultists to follow. It's a very
well-balanced mix of old, new and cover songs and an incredible follow-up to
the masterpiece that was 'The Vision'. This band are only
getting started and I'm truly excited to see what the future holds for Virginia
and the guys.
“Magick Rites
and Spells”
is available here
