King Witch – III (Review)

This is the third album from UK doom/heavy metal band King Witch.

King Witch play classic doom and heavy metal spliced with equally vintage grunge and heavy rock. It’s a very effective mix, showcasing the band’s songwriting skill as they deliver 44 minutes of the good stuff. III is a high quality record through and through.

King Witch take the various stylistic elements of their sound and use them to forge a collection of songs that stay the course. Well-written, with a strong set of riffs, melodies, and catchy hooks, III makes a good first impression. This is reinforced by repeated spins, where the dynamics of the songs, the structural ideas deployed, the use of creative composition, and the overall depth and attention to detail of King Witch’s songwriting skills really come to life.

III sounds gorgeous. The distortion of the guitars is rich and thick, but lacks nothing in definition or nuance. The drums are organic and hit the spot, while the vocals really shine though powerfully. This is as good a spot as any to highlight King Witch’s formidable singer too – her voice is exceptional. With range, power, emotion, and depth, she provides a focal point that elevates the rest of the music, despite its obvious strengths, really pushing the album into rarefied heights that few bands of this sort achieve. The rest of the music matches her quality, which is important, but her vocals are still strikingly potent.

If you like the idea of a band that roughly sounds like a cross between acts such as Alunah, Avatarium, Candlemass, Grand Magus, Green Lung, and Soundgarden, then III is for you.

Essential listening for fans of the style.