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WITCHGRAVE
Witchgrave

High Roller (2013)
Rating: 7.5/10

Marching from the dungeons of Sweden come Witchgrave, who, on the back of their 2010 EP The Devil’s Night, have returned with this self-titled eight-tracker. Witchgrave are another band who are very much high of the 1980s, with dark tales of sorcery and black witchery, fronted by a vocalist (Joakim Norberg) who sounds as if he’s drenched his vocal chords in lighter fluid and set them ablaze.

Despite clocking in at just over 30 minutes, Witchgrave is a fine record that isn’t afraid to pay homage to all manner of old school metal bands, whether it’s the galloping thunder horse that is Iron Maiden, or Euro thrash combined with rusty Motörhead.

The four-piece are very much stuck in that 80s vein of heavy metal, but thankfully this isn’t simply done for nostalgia purposes. Opener ‘Raising Hell’ has all the clamour of Venom. It rattles on a Sven Nilsson drum thud and twin guitar speed metal attack – Tobbe Ander and Gabriel Forslund have clearly spent too long listening to old Destruction and Sodom records, while Norberg gives Cronos (Venom) a run for his money with those throaty rasps.

There’s be nothing fancy about Witchgrave; it’s the sort of album that does exactly what it says on the tin. ‘The Virgin Must Die’ features a killer hook which has all the crusty quality of a NWOBHM groove, steeped in that Iron Maiden-esque glory. Album closer ‘Shun The Light’ is equally mesmeric, beginning life as a doomy dirge before rushing headlong into a blistering solo.

Norberg’s vocals certainly add an extra oily element to proceedings, his venomous snarl a fine example of what is missing from so many of today’s bands who seem to lack the attitude and guile to shine. ‘The Last Supper’ is a battering ram of a track; pure satanic rock ’n’ roll that features a festering guitar shake and hurtling drum.

These Swedes are the sort of band that will appeal to anyone seeking an unhealthy dose of black ’n’ roll, and if, like me, you’re swayed by Darkthrone’s last batch of crust-fests and you like your metal primitive yet seething with attitude, then Witchgrave deserve your attention. Whether such a sound and style can last for more than a couple of albums remains to be seen, as only Motörhead have spent so long churning out similar rhythms without drastic change, but for Witchgrave this is where the challenge lies. So many bands are wearing their influences on their sleeve, but can they outlast the trend to be worthy contenders to the next vacant metal throne? For similar blackened metal, check out Cleveland, Ohio’s Midnight and their 2011 opus Satanic Royalty.

Neil Arnold

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