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WITCHCRAFT
Legend

Nuclear Blast (2012)
Rating: 8.5/10

At some point over the last 30 years, classic rock went from being old rock ’n’ roll songs to a genre of music. Sweden’s Witchcraft are a great example of a modern band creating (or maybe recreating?) those seminal sounds that inspired generations of musicians everywhere.

Since their humble beginnings as a Pentagram tribute band, Witchcraft has been through multiple line-ups and recorded three critically acclaimed albums (2004’s Witchcraft, 2005’s Firewood and 2007’s The Alchemist). Legend though is the sound of a band trying to take it to the next level. Boasting an almost entirely new line-up and backed by powerhouse Nuclear Blast Records, Witchcraft have all guns blazing for 2012.

So, the big question one has to ask when such a massive line-up change occurs is, “Does it still sound like Witchcraft?” The short answer is, “Yes”. It does sound like the basement-dwelling, smoke cloud-riddled band that you loved before, but it also sounds like so much more. Take, for instance, ‘An Alternative To Freedom’. This is about as dynamic as classic rock comes, and has got an almost Tom Petty kind of feel to it; finding its groove early and pounding just a bit harder each time the vocals take a break. It’s an excellent example of a band finding a great groove and riding it all the way home.

Meanwhile, the minimalist escape entitled ‘Dystopia’ entrances you with its circular rhythms and pronounced lead guitar work. If Wino (Scott Weinrich, Saint Vitus frontman) had joined the original Pink Floyd, it may have sounded something like this.

‘Ghosts House’ has a progressive edge that surprised me a little at first, but has certainly grown on me. It’s very melodic and has that loud / quiet, aggression / intimacy that is typical of the better bands of the genre, and when it lets loose during the last third of the song you can’t help but smile and bob your head. ‘Deconstruction’ is another solid example of how good these guys are; rockin’ out with uptempo fuzzy grooves full of driving drum and bass work, solid vocal work, and just enough lead guitar to keep you reminding you that it’s there.

There’s quite a lot to like here when all is said and done. That said, it could be argued though that Legend is pretty derivative. I mean, it really wouldn’t be a bad idea for these guys to write some tunes for a Pentagram album, or maybe even the upcoming Black Sabbath record (let the hate mail begin!), because this is going to be more along the lines of either band’s classic works than the band’s themselves will be. I really want to absolutely love this album, and I am really enjoying it, but when it finishes I want to go dig out my early Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Trouble, early Cathedral and Saint Vitus records, and it’ll be up to you decide if that’s a pro or a con. For me it’s a pro.

Mark Fisher

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