Burning Witches takes no prisoners.
To celebrate its tenth anniversary, the band led by Romana Kalkuhl (guitar, Atlas & Axis), Jeanine “Jay” Grob (bass), Lala Frischknecht (drums), Laura Guldemond (vocals, ex-Shadowrise) and Courtney Cox (guitar, ex-The Iron Maidens) unveils its sixth album, Inquisition, on Napalm Records.
The album kicks off with Sanguini Hominum, an introduction featuring male voices tirelessly repeating a Latin text, finally completed by a rather warlike riff before Soul Eater marks the real beginning with the arrival of the full band. Laura seems to be in top form, screaming like a banshee over the jerky rhythm of her bandmates, which becomes almost melancholy before the solo rekindles the flame and leads straight into Shame and its piercing harmonics. The riffs seem a little calmer, despite a few stirring, unifying passages, such as the final that leads into The Spell Of The Skull and its mysterious, slightly more occult tones that haunt the composition from time to time. The vocalist remains as powerful as ever, sharing the leading role with her comrades on Inquisition, where she competes with the screaming guitars, answering each other to keep our attention at all times before the final pyre sample. We continue gently with High Priestess Of The Night, which follows Heavy Metal codes to the letter and offers us a fantastic little Dio influence that fans will quickly recognize, then the riffs ignite with Burn In Hell and its virulent tones that express themselves at a sustained pace. It’s the perfect track to win over the crowds at festivals where the band will be playing, but it’s back to the gentler side of things that the five friends return, as evidenced by the ballad Release Me and its soothing sounds that intensify on the choruses, accompanying the singer’s voice. The solo also remains in this gripping vein, blazing up again as soon as In For The Kill begins, lacerating us with its cutting riffs while the vocalist guides the maneuver and reveals all her fury with impressive mastery. The backing vocals contribute to the constant aggression, which only subsides when the sound becomes more pessimistic on In The Eye Of The Storm, which will satisfy fans of catchy, easily memorable Old School riffs to which the skull can be wagged. Further acceleration with the dynamic Mirror, Mirror, which is sure to launch the fiercest headbangs for the last time as the lead guitar unleashes its fury, then the album ends on the occult Malus Maga, an eerie outro that remains in the same atmosphere as the introduction.
If you’re looking for the finest in Heavy Metal without looking to the legendary bands, Burning Witches is the band for you. Inquisition knows how to be both furious and calm, and the rhythm of the album is sure to capture your attention!
85/100
