Band Bio:
Since their formation in 2009, Cardiff band The Witches Drum – vocals (Matt Fry), guitar (Joel McCauley), guitar (Mike Lancaster), bass (Owen Griffiths), and drums (Stephen Jones) – have fast become the Heavy Rock Spectacular for diehard followers of psychedelic noise.
Having threatened to release an EP for some time now Future Kings Of An Empty Throne is the group’s first official release on the band’s own imprint, Levitation Records. Recorded by Fudge Wilson (Exit International) at Sound Space Studios, over four tracks the band swallow influences and choke alchemy out of crowd rousing concoctions. From Beefheartian barks (‘Watch The Freaks Lose It’), tripped out San Fran jams (‘Filthy Closets’) and chugging Led Zep rock it’s a heady mix of ’73 era British blues and West Coast stoner doom. Primordial, loud and the aural embodiment of sleazy rock ‘n’ roll.
As anyone who has witnessed their frenzied shows will testify, their reputation precedes them. A regular fixture on the local South Wales scene playing live alongside the likes of Thorun, Zinc Bukowski and Johnny Cage And The Voodoo Groove, front man Matt Fry’s glowering reptilian presence and the group’s embrace of long forgotten sounds (think Blue Cheer, Sir Lord Baltimore, Josefus et al) is truly something to behold. Like a crazed collision of Arthur Brown theatrics and weighty Electric Wizard vibrations, they’ve electrified believers with big riffs and unforgettable shows. Most memorably at Cardiff’s annual Sŵn Festival, with a storming set and weekend closer.
Having threatened to release an EP for some time now Future Kings Of An Empty Throne is the group’s first official release on the band’s own imprint, Levitation Records. Recorded by Fudge Wilson (Exit International) at Sound Space Studios, over four tracks the band swallow influences and choke alchemy out of crowd rousing concoctions. From Beefheartian barks (‘Watch The Freaks Lose It’), tripped out San Fran jams (‘Filthy Closets’) and chugging Led Zep rock it’s a heady mix of ’73 era British blues and West Coast stoner doom. Primordial, loud and the aural embodiment of sleazy rock ‘n’ roll.
As anyone who has witnessed their frenzied shows will testify, their reputation precedes them. A regular fixture on the local South Wales scene playing live alongside the likes of Thorun, Zinc Bukowski and Johnny Cage And The Voodoo Groove, front man Matt Fry’s glowering reptilian presence and the group’s embrace of long forgotten sounds (think Blue Cheer, Sir Lord Baltimore, Josefus et al) is truly something to behold. Like a crazed collision of Arthur Brown theatrics and weighty Electric Wizard vibrations, they’ve electrified believers with big riffs and unforgettable shows. Most memorably at Cardiff’s annual Sŵn Festival, with a storming set and weekend closer.
Thoughts:
The Witches Drum bring a raucous rock n' roll party on "Future Kings of an Empty Throne", with some very cool and funky rhythms that never hold back on the loud and the heavy while seeming to bend both space and time as they trip through the moods and the melodies of these four sensational tracks. While the songs are nuanced with many incredible layers of style and delivery, they will at any time come right out and slap you upside the head with sledgehammer blows and flamethrower fireballs. The opening track, "Watch the Freaks Lose It" is an astonishing concoction of fun and fury, with melody, heart, and riffage aplenty. When the band kicks into high gear the solos scorch with arc welder intensity, the bass like the unyielding fury of commercial sledgehammers, accompanied by large gauge drum beat blasts of gattling gun tempo, all wrapped up in clear, deep, rich vocals that complete the paisley clad package. But they never stay under the heavy too long, superbly moving into multi-layered and colorful psychedelic renditions of uber-cool wickedness, gracefully and expertly blending the seemingly disparate styles into unbelievably fantastic and melodious renditions of something unique and superb.
The digital album is currently available on bandcamp. The CDs will be shipping in early September.
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Best album cover in history?
ReplyDeleteIndoubitably! Put that shit in a t-shirt!
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