Wormwitch – Wormwitch (Review)

This is the fourth album from Canadian black metallers Wormwitch.

New Wormwitch! I’m a bit behind on this one, but I couldn’t let it pass me by. Whether it’s 2019’s Heaven That Dwells Within, 2021’s Wolf Hex, or this year’s split with Sadistic Ritual, Wormwitch always deliver the goods.

Which brings us to this new self titled album, and its 42 minutes of intensity. Exploding from the speakers with filth and fury, Wormwitch sound instantly great. Granted, this was only my first impression based on how opener Fugitive Serpent erupted into being, but I wasn’t wrong. The whole of Wormwitch is easily engrossing, with its nasty production that’s surprisingly heavy, and its fearsome songs that blast and bruise. Every year that passes seems to make Wormwitch rawer and harsher, so prepare yourself for the band’s ugly assault.

Wormwitch expands upon the last album’s template by placing extra muscular meat on its frame, and then covering itself in graveyard soil for a few years. With songs that are longer and than those on Wolf Hex, Wormwitch offers a meatier duration and more to explore than its brutally succinct predecessor. However, it manages to also be even more filled with snarling rage, and contains added doses of primitive belligerence and bestial savagery to satisfy fans of the band’s violent sound.

Dark black melody, feral vigour, and midnight atmosphere make for songs that are very satisfying to listen to. While there are many strong assets that instantly smack you around the head, this album is definitely a grower. What it lacks in immediate obvious hooks it gains in overall immersive force and moreish delivery. A wealth of engaging material lies behind its ferocious spiked outer layer, waiting to be revealed to those that survive repeated exposure.

Wormwitch is a charismatic blend of old-school black metal might, modern blackened bite, venomous crusty aggression, and a touch of death metal punishment. Having said that, overall it’s a very old-school black metal package though, with the band unleashing a vicious outpouring of scathing violence and grim spite from their dark second wave hearts.

Wormwitch is an album that’s infernally good. Brutal riffs, caustic vocals, and a dirty raw sound all contribute to the enjoyment factor. Wormwitch have yet to disappoint. This is Wormwitch at their nastiest, and it’s a joy to hear. Yep, very happy with how this record turned out.

Very highly recommended.