Witchthroat Serpent Delivers A Distorted, Fuzzed-Up Ritual That Overstays Its Welcome
On November 9th, French Stoner Rock and Doom Metal band Witchthroat Serpent released their 6th studio album, the fuzz-and-distortion-laden Demons Left To Roam. Unfortunately, the LP is plagued by a repetitive structure that relies on slow, almost monotonous pacing, with moments of lead wah-wah guitar solos that offer a few decent melodic lines; however, nothing astounds or stands out and the album’s long duration doesn’t help.
The album starts with occult-established spoken word of “Cursed Night Circle” that proclaims prayer and demands that Satan honor the covenant, which would make a very interesting start. However, the slow, repetitive nature makes it feel long and overwhelming for an opening track; the echo-esque vocals make it almost impossible to follow or understand what is being sung. “Doctor Terror” revives the record a bit; it starts with slow-paced distorted guitars and drums, but the pace picks up slightly as the drums come in, and it still settles into a slow, steady rhythm with heavy, hypnotic lead guitar. In the latter half, it shifts into something different; vaguely reminiscent of early Black Sabbath, thanks to a guitar solo in this section.
The follow-up, “Silver Bell of Satanic Ritual,” is one of the record’s unnecessarily long tracks, stalling at around 8 minutes and 37 seconds. The song follows the same structure: slow and steady, heavy-fuzzed tempo, echoey vocals and a wah-wah-infused guitar solo. The only exception is that the last two and a half minutes are filled with fuzz, distortion, and occasional drum hits. “Lost Dimension” has a more direct start than the other tracks on the record. Still following a slow, steady structure, the lead guitar plays a hypnotic riff. At the same time, a fuzz-drenched bass adds a more interesting texture, ending with a microphonic collage of distressed voices.
The longest song on the album is “The Blinded Maggie,” standing at 10 minutes. The track takes a different approach to the beginning, with distorted feedback opening the first 35 seconds. What makes it stand out from the other tracks on the LP is the shift from slow instrumental chaos to a calmer, yet still voided, atmosphere. The guitar solo makes this transition, with the drums accompanied by the bass as the guitar plays notes; this sequence lasts until guitar feedback brings the listener back to the slow, fuzzy, distorted sequence.
Lastly, the record ends with “The Zany Magician,” the shortest song on the record. This one stands out from the rest of the record because it differs in its consistent band performance, offering memorable guitar solos and a more headbanger vibe that takes the listener away from the repetitive, slow, heavily distorted structure and instrumentation.
Overall, Demons Left To Roam lacks the excitement and structural diversity that make it a difficult record to focus on. The repetitive structure, as well as the messy wall of sound, prevents it from establishing its potential. As an experiment, it takes an interesting approach; the vocals, although they add to the texture well, are hard to make out lyrically, so the title does all the talking.
