The grinding mid-tempo rhythms, syrupy riffs, the religious and naturalistic imagery in the lyrics are all textbook perfect southern metal.
Review by David Feltman
Witch Language’s debut EP is full of rage, angst and, above all else, love. There’s love in the carefully folded and hand numbered paper carton that holds the disc, love in the decal that makes the CD-R look like a record album, and a deep love of southern metal in the music. Bands like Pantera and Eyehategod are proudly worn on the sleeves of these Bessemer, Ala. natives.
Not including the minute-long intro, “Baelfire,” the EP boasts four hearty tracks filled with swampy grooves and vocals that range from abrasive to bluesy. The grinding mid-tempo rhythms, syrupy riffs, the religious and naturalistic imagery in the lyrics are all textbook perfect southern metal. The lyrics, however, are where the band really shines. References to religious hymns and lines like, “Taking up serpents. Shaking in the revival tent. Jesus saves while it’s your money spent,” colorfully illustrate feelings of frustration and religious oppression.
The DIY production is heartfelt, but rough around the edges. Tracks like “Good Times In Front of the Ghost” is muddily mixed. The treble is pitched way back, causing the vocals and the drums to lose some of its snap. But small complaints like this are inevitable in DIY productions and do little to diminish the music. Witch Language is a perfect example of why you should support your local music scene. This is great music that you can’t find anywhere else.
You can find out more about Witch Language on Facebook and buy tickets here to see them at the Bottletree in Birmingham, Ala., Nov. 15 with Black Tusk, Inter Arma and Stoned Cobra.
