Someone pinch me, because, I think I've been transported back to 1982. That is the way I felt, when I put in the new CD from Witches Mark. This band has a sound that hearkens back to the good ole days. Taking inspiration from bands like, Slayer, Venom and Omen, these guys have a formula that will get you scurrying off, to find your denim jean jacket. Witches Mark is rooted in that classic traditional metal sound, with a dark edge. If someopne would have told me this came out in the early 80's I would have believed them, because the production and the style of the songs are very reminiscent of early 80's metal.
Witching Metal Ritual has a nice variety of rockers and thrashers, with a slew of guest appearances. Most notably, Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys and Broken Teeth) and Ross the Boss (Ex-Manowar) make contributions, but unfortunately that wasn't enough to make this one a stellar release. Even though I liked the majority of the CD, I thought that it could have been better, had the prodcution been stronger. The songs were there, but they sounded dated, due to the production. As I stated earlier, this band's roots are in classic metal, but that doesn't mean that they have to sound, as dated as they do. Don't get me wrong, there are some solid tunes on this record and it was a fun listen, but I just think, they could benefit more, by not sounding so dated.
Bottom Line: A new band showing their colors, by honoring classic metal. Tight songs that will get the blood pressure up. A new band that sounds old.
Standout Tracks: We Die, Cauldron Born, Swarm and Glaves.
-Ragman is looking for his denim vest to model for wifey.