Witch Not Paralyzed With New Album

Witch is no ‘indie metal super-group’ or side project. To prescribe such journalistic stigmas would be to underestimate the commitment of its members. After their self-titled debut in 2006, Witch has returned with their sophomore album, Paralyzed. It remains true to their classic heavy rock sound but has evolved as the band has learned to play to each other’s strengths. The new songs highlight the rhythm section of bassist Dave Sweetapple and drummer J Mascis who return to their punk roots and attack with a more aggressive tempo. This foundation allows lead singer and guitarist Kyle Thomas to construct wailing vertical melodies of guitar and sinister vocals.

At the heart of the album is still the heaviness that dominated the last record but this time Witch is creating a style more their own. The collective deviating influences of the group have more presence on this record than the last effort and experimentation in the studio with different tonal effects certainly presents itself on the album. Witch has turned out a record that burns with hostility. Tracks like “Mutated” and “Sweet Sue” smolder with intensity. J Mascis mans the kit with a punk like fervor this time around.

Paralyzed is a bit of a curveball, and some who really dug on the first album may not find it as immediately appealing, but others may find the more diverse sounds refreshing. While the newer exploratory elements of Paralyzed fall just short of satisfactory, it serves as a stepping stone for a band that is clearly going to continue to grow and become more diverse with every album.