Witchcraft - The Alchemist Review
by Matt Hensch
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Many bands try to resurrect the early sounds of our wonderful genre, when founding fathers like Black Sabbath and Pentagram were starting to unveil the portrait of what would become heavy metal. Some make the cut and others do not, but I'm very certain that the top five doom revivalist squads out there can't hold a candle to Witchcraft. Witchcraft shares a moniker held by many, yet their Swedish roots and authentic sound make them rise above the rest. That's the perfect word to describe "The Alchemist" and Witchcraft in general: authentic. They not only appear like an early metal tribe, but remarkably conjure its vigor and atmosphereyou could pop this bad boy in and convince someone this was from 1972. Consequently, imitating something from a certain timeframe does not mean substantial content is ready to go on a silver platter, contrary to the beliefs of many. What Witchcraft does, though, will rock your socks off in a tripped-out journey of roasting retrogression.
Obviously the main hooking point of something like this is its temporal flavor, that being 70s rock/metal akin to Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Jethro Tull, insert a similar band here. "The Alchemist" generally does a sensational job wearing its 70s skin based on its analog production, which is full to the brim with quality reverb and equalized instruments; it's also really clear at the same time. You know how albums back then used to have a really dominating bass presence and that jam vibe going on? That's what "The Alchemist" sounds like. The riffs are clearly inspired by classic hard rock tribes like Uriah Heep or something close to the works of the aforementioned groups. On the downside, it's not an incredibly original album, because it, again, pretty much sounds how it wanted it to be. Still, the songs are catchy, the riffs pleasing, the songs entertaining. This Magnus Pelander fellow definitely has the ideal voice for this kind of thing. His vocals are sublime yet very controlling, and he certainly shines during its duration. The wailing riffs and Pelander's desperate pleas on "Hey Doctor" are amazingly unique with its ballistic riffs slowly crawling over psychedelic leads and fantastic instrumentation. "Samaritan Barbarian" sounds jazzy before it expands into another crafty Witchcraft craft of doom-laden goodness. They just look so real and authentic throughout; it's really something. I don't view "Remembered" to be as compelling as its counterparts, although that saxophone solo definitely deserves some recognition for boldly going where few have gone beforehand. However, the epic title track returns the enthralling atmosphere back to where it started, making "The Alchemist" a potion stuffed with all the right ingredients. To fully understand how this sounds, just look up a picture of Witchcraft or check out the artwork of their albums. You see old-school; you see retrogression; you see a band that honors their influences and has the capability to thrive from its fathers instead of mindlessly retracing them. "The Alchemist" makes for a nice diversion if you're almost always listening to heavier stuff on the metallic spectrum; reopening that door after a few years is definitely a fresh changeup. Honestly though, you really can't go wrong with any Witchcraft album as they all properly represent Pelander's creative colors, so give this a shot if you're feeling a little on the 70s side.
Witchcraft - The Alchemist Rating:8.0
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