WITCHGRAVE — Witchgrave (review)

WITCHGRAVE — Witchgrave album cover Album · 2013 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Time Signature
NWoBHM-inspired metal from Sweden...

Genre: NWoBHM-inspired punk metal

Although pretty much killed off by glam metal in the mid 80s, the NWoBHM continued to live on in the few bands of that era that made it big, and, more importantly, through the artists and genres that it inspired. Recently, there has been a retro wave of younger bands turning their attention towards the aesthetics associated with NWoBHM. One of these bands is Witchgrave from Sweden.

However, while many of these bands focus primarily on the metallic aspect of NWoBHM, Witchgrave find inspiration in a movement which was contemporary with the NWoBHM - namely, punk rock. From NWoBHM, Witchgrave make use of energetic twin gutiars, as heard in "The Virgin Must Die", as well as hard rocking heavy metal riffage as in "The Apparition" and "The Last Supper". True to the metal aesthetics of NWoBHM, Witchgrave's debut album prominently features melodic and well executed lead guitars.

But there is, as mentioned quite a punky edge - specifically a crust punky one. Perhaps this is an inspiration from Motörhead or perhaps Witchgrave also like Discharge and Exploited. In any case, tracks like 'Rites of the Dead', 'Seduced by the Dark', and to some extent 'Raise Hell' and 'Shun the Light' are pretty much d-beat driven. And, you know what, it works pretty well. The vocals, which are rough and abrasive, are - apart from what seems to be some Mercyful Fate-inspired falsettos - also more on the punky side and will probably turn off some listeners (but, give it some time, and you'll be able to appreciate them).

Witchgrave's eponymous debut is an enjoyable bundle of d-neating NWoBHM-worshipping metal which should in particular appeal to fans of Midnight.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

The Goblin Sessions Heavy Metal
THEM
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tormenta De Arena Metalcore
VORAGO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Infinite Metalcore
FUTURE GHOST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Heretic Melodic Death Metal
SUNCINDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Skull Burned Wearing Hell Like A Life Vest As The Night Wept Mathcore
FRONTIERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

OPETH`S Epic Headline Show at Bloodstock 2024 | YouTube Premiere | Full Set | August 9th, 2024
OPETH
666sharon666· 4 hours ago
Opeth '§4' Visualizer/Lyrics Video
OPETH
666sharon666· 4 hours ago
Future Ghost - Wolves (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Future Ghost - Nemesis Game (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Harrowed TwentyTenVideo
HARROWED
Bosh66· 3 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed