Artist: ELECTRIC WIZARD
Album: WITCHCULT TODAY (CD)

Year: 2007
EAN/UPS: 0803341229822
Media type: CD

Three years is a long time to wait for an album. After the triumphant return to prominence that was "We Live", ELECTRIC WIZARD are back with their new album "Witchcult Today", the one that continues the band’s almost unmatched tradition of excellence in their field.

Everyone that follows the band in every step they make, knows their history. ELECTRIC WIZARD was formed back in 1993 in Dorset, England, when Jus Oborn left his band ETERNAL and joined forces with Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening to record the split single "Demon Lung" with OUR HAUNTED KINGDOM. Two years later, their self-titled debut album was out. In 1997, they released their second album "Come My Fanatics", an album that really cemented their place in Doom Metal history. Even though they released two EP’s during the next two years, the band members had some legal problems and accidents (e.g. Oborn suffered a collapsed eardrum during a gig). But ELECTRIC WIZARD came back stronger and the third album "Dopethrone" hit the stores in 2000. Just after the album "Let Us Pray" in 2002 - ELECTRIC WIZARD’s most experimental release to date - and some strained relations between the band members, Mark and (later on) Tim left. With a new lineup, Justin Greaves behind the drum kit and Liz Buckingham on second guitar, the band recorded "We Live" in 2004. The band was planning to release a DVD in 2007, but after the escape of Justin, the plan went back(?). So, now, with Shaun Rutter filling the gap in the lineup, their new awesome album is here to haunt us!

ELECTRIC WIZARD is a band that you know what you are going to listen to. The four wizards have never been about complex compositions. Here it is all about DOOM! Everything we all loved about the band is here. Huge bluesy riffs, large amounts of vibrato and distortion create a spacey atmosphere, slow tempo compositions and Oborn’s vocals are still bleak and compelling. The ’heaviest band in the universe’ is still here with 8 songs that make you feel that all the planets are falling on you. And do you want to talk about the songs themselves? "Witchcult Today" and "Dunwich" were the best choices for the opening of the album; space-y and grooving. The third track, "Satanic Rites Of Drugula", has one of the most devilish riffs I heard this year. All the other songs have the same power as the ones mentioned. As for the production, it will take you back in the 70’s, given the band’s high profile, adding even more haze and murk to the already oppressive sound.

Another interesting aspect of ELECTRIC WIZARD are the lyrics. Not many bands can combine with success occult subjects, H.P. Lovecraft’s works ("Dunwich") and pot smoking. Just read the lyrics of "Satanic Rites Of Drugula"! In ELECTRIC WIZARD’s story, Dracula is flying around the city looking for young victims to dope up and partake of their weed-tainted blood.

There is nothing more to say. If you haven’t already bought the album, turn your PC off and go now! We have been waiting for three years, but the band has compensate us. BLACK SABBATH’s sound and legacy is in good hands with bands that release albums like that. DOOM ON!

TRACKLIST:

1 Witchcult Today
2 Dunwich
3 Satanic Rites Of Drugula
4 Raptus
5 Chosen Few
6 Torquemada 71
7 Black Magic Rituals & Perversions: Frisson Des Vampires / Zora
8 Saturnine

LINE-UP:

Justin Oborn - Guitar & Vocals
Liz Buckingham - Guitar
Rob Al-Issa - Bass
Shaun Rutter - Drums