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WITCHFYRE
Grimorium Verum

Fighter (2018)
Rating: 7/10

Just like Bloodlost’s recent Diary Of Death album, Spain’s Witchfyre offers up a deliciously 80s cover art and a sound that also harkens back to dark, Gothic gallops.

I recently reviewed the brilliant Candle album The Keeper’s Curse and have had a penchant for stuff like Portrait et al, and Witchfyre will no doubt appeal to those that have taken huge dollops of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate.

Admittedly the vocals of Emi Metal aren’t a patch on Mr. Diamond, but he has a volatile throat that weaves its way through the dark guitar work of L. O’Witchfield, who provides the sinister rhythmic waves, while G.G. Andrews’ leads are gloriously devilish in their worming.

Grimorium Verum is also strongly associated with a power metal ethos. Tracks such as ‘Lord Of The Underworld’ wind with pace then slow to Gothic construction, although Emi’s vocals at times do seem to struggle when they reach for the higher notes. But it does sort of add to the charm of this mystical metal workout where you’ll find such moody titles as ‘Devil’s Child’, ‘The Guardian Of The Dead’, ‘Night Hunter’ and ‘Samhain’, all of which rattle like an old skeleton shaken from its grave as the drums of J. Thundervil thud like peels of thunder to the equally bony shuddering of bassist P.G. War.

‘The Guardian Of The Dead’ offers a slow, ominous trudge in its style, while ‘Devil’s Child’ provides a strong gallop across the darkened shores. Indeed, it’s all rather formulaic 80s exercising, where ‘No Rest For The Witched’ offers a smokescreen of percussive sprints and thrashy wails. Meanwhile, ‘Behind The Wall’ has a suspenseful flurry of axe fire to attack us with, the leads making a nice atmospheric weave before the band embarks on another steady but moodier gait; this one being one of the album’s best examples of throwback metal with an Eastern guitar and strong Mercyful Fate flavour.

Sure, it’s all rather uniform in its sword ‘n’ sorcery regression; the samey steel-eyed cauldrons of bubbling metal stirred with steady rotation. However, what I like about a track such as the aforementioned ‘Behind The Wall’ is Emi’s grisly tone – barely a crack visible this time as he howls at the moon. Elsewhere, ‘Queen Of The Night’ sparkles and simmers to great effect, again led by the tumbling percussion and a measured guitar tone. But soon we’re back to the standard nocturnal cackling as with vintage aplomb we’re dragged into the coven of bloodcurdling caterwauls, and I can’t really complain.

Witchfyre, through all their at times bland 80s rambling, remain somewhat cosy as fireside metal all too keen to spread nightmarish tales to frightened youngsters. There’s weight, pace and darkness throughout Grimorium Verum… ideal ingredients then should one still wish to feast on such valiant yet uneven medieval tomfoolery.

Neil Arnold

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