Earth Witch – Out of the Shallow (Review)

This is the debut album from US stoner metal band Earth Witch.

Here we have an earthy, gritty band that trade in stoner riffs with some nice doom and blues elements.

The guitars are engaging and catchy straight from the off. They play by the stoner rulebook for most of the time, but although you know what you’re getting as soon as you hear them, this is no bad thing at all. The guitars are some of the best things about this release; they’re played well, with enthusiasm, and are just so very satisfying.

The songs are simple and effective, definitely the kind of tracks that you want to listen to when you just want to rock out. With a seemingly contradictory vibe of lazy aggression, the music on Out of the Shallow is equally enjoyed whether you’re letting it wash over you in the background, or listening intently and really absorbing it all.

There’s a decent variety of delivery within the style that they have adopted as their own. Different moods, paces and speeds are used well across the album and it’s clear that they know a good hook when they encounter one.

The singer has a rough-and-ready voice that’s as gritty as the music is. His style suits the music well and his performance is very good.

I really enjoyed this. It’s a solid and pleasing album that plays to the strengths of the style. If you’re a fan of bands like Clutch, Red Fang, Black Sabbath, etc. then make sure you check this out.