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.
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