UMUR
"In His Infernal Majesty's Service" is the 6th full-length studio album by Swedish heavy metal act Witchery. The album was released through Century Media Records in November 2016. It´s the successor to "Witchkrieg" from 2010 and features two lineup changes since the predecessor as drummer Martin Axenrot has been replaced by Chris Barkensjö, and lead vocalist Erik "Legion" Hagstedt has been replaced by Angus Norder (Nekrokraft). It´s the third time in the band´s history that there´s been a change on the lead vocalist spot, as Hagstedt replaced Toxine (Tony Kampner) in 2010 and performed on "Witchkrieg (2010)" before being replaced by Emperor Magus Caligula (aka Masse Broberg) in 2011. The latter didn´t get to record with the band. Witchery was always a bit of a side-project for most of the members when they had some time off from their day jobs in acts like The Haunted and Arch Enemy, which explains the sometimes long wait between albums.
The quality of Witchery´s output has never suffered as a consequence of the project-like status of the band though, as they have been quite consistent in both style and quality throughout the years. That trend continues on "In His Infernal Majesty's Service", which is unmistakably the sound of Witchery. A hard edged and blackened take on traditional heavy metal with speed and thrash metal leanings. New vocalist Angus Norder has a blackened raspy voice and a commanding vocal delivery, which suits the instrumental part of the music perfectly. It´s not an album which will surprise fans of the band, as there´s very little new here but why change a formula that works?
The album features 11 tracks and a full playing time of 37:46 minutes. The limited edition features two bonus tracks, "Eye for an Eye" and "Cloak and Dagger", which are outtakes from the recording sessions for "Witchkrieg (2010)". All material are well written and effective blackened heavy metal, and Witchery are an incredibly well playing band, which means everything is performed to perfection but still with the right amount of grit and authenticity. "In His Infernal Majesty's Service" also features a sharp, powerful, and raw sounding production, which suits the material perfectly. So upon conclusion it´s yet another strong album release by Witchery. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.