Search - Witchery :: Symphony for the Devil

Their Best Yet!!!

Ken | Youngsville, LA USA | 12/11/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With this release, Witchery has ultimately proven that you don?t have to sacrifice quality for quantity ? or vice versa, for that matter. In the band?s relatively short life-span, they have released three CD?s and an equally impressive CDEP. And to be quite honest, there?s not an ounce of filler amongst any of them.
Being such a huge ? and I mean HUGE! ? Witchery fanatic, I could hardly contain myself while (im)patiently awaiting this CD?s release. And did I get what I anticipated? Oh, yeah? the first listen simply knocked me off my rocker, to be quite honest! I got my required dose of thrash mayhem, for sure; and on top of that, I was pleasantly surprised to hear quite a few diverse twists that undoubtedly make ?Symphony For The Devil? Witchery?s best album to date.
To begin with, those inclined to shake fists and bang heads along with Witchery?s future thrash classics, remember the names ?Wicked?, ?Shallow Grave?, and a blazing instrumental ripper called ?Bone Mill?, among others. These are just a few of the tracks that solidify Witchery?s reign as thrashmasters of the finest order. Ah, but what of the rest of this slab of metal? Boy, am I glad you asked?
To help explain, I should mention that the boys in the band seem to be unconsciously bringing more modern touches to their style with each successive album. In retrospect, ?Dead, Hot, & Ready? was a bit fresher than ?Restless & Dead? (not to say that ?Restless?? was in any way bad). Likewise, ?Symphony?? can be contrasted as an evolutionary improvement in much the same way. While the main differences from the first record to the next were basically an updated delivery of those infamous riffs-o-fury and thrashier songwriting, the jump to ?Symphony?? is marked with more of an ominous and evil tone throughout. This change in feel is directly attributed to the fact that a majority of these songs at times utilize riffs comprised of chords rhythmically ringing out, rather than having the guitars constantly muting strings for the ?chugga-chugga? factor at every turn. This technique is used sometimes during verses, sometimes during choruses, and sometimes even both. The overall effect of this, however, is that when Jensen and Richard do pull out the ?chugga-chugga? after coasting on a song?s ?open? feel for a while, it feels a hundred times heavier than it would otherwise. In short, Witchery?s been playing with dynamics, and the climactic results will send shivers down your spine.
Highlights that utilize this approach are most notably ?The Storm?, ?Unholy Wars?, ?Inquisition?, and? well, hear it for yourself! The devastating ?None Buried Deeper?? even sounds it would have fit perfectly on King Diamond?s ?Abigail? ? and that, my friends, is a sincere compliment. Oh, and it mustn?t go unmentioned that Hank Sherman?s guest appearance on suitably Mercyful Fate inspired ?Hearse Of The Pharaohs? is just a flat-out awesome touch. To be completely honest, on this particular album there is not a single song that I wouldn?t recommend. That?s right? if you?re a metal-head of any caliber, you will find this CD full of gems and treasures. There are no dull moments or filler tracks in this bunch. In fact, they?ve tossed in a couple of reworked Satanic Slaughter tracks to fill you in on how they?ve evolved from their earlier incarnation with that name before morphing into the Witchery we all worship. Good thing, then, that these extra tracks were added to the CD and not saved solely for the vinyl version of this release, as the band had originally planned.
Thankfully, Witchery has eluded and avoided being tagged and brushed off as a ?retro? thrash band. While they are proud of their 80?s thrash and heavy metal influences, they?ve always maintained a modern and intelligent approach to their thrash worship. In fact, this has always been their forte. Other bands that strive to proclaim a love for 80?s metal generally pick a certain element (generally by copying the styles of only one or two bands from yesteryear) and proceed to beat it to death, and they almost always sound out-dated and geriatric for doing so. Witchery, on the other hand, and as they have so aptly proven on ?Symphony For The Devil?, have a knack for encompassing two entire thrashing decades of metal and driving it home into the present day with a spin that is ultimately all their own.
Chalk another one up in the name of metal ? period."

Inspired Modern Thrash

Yvonne M. Bethe | California Uber Alles | 03/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With roughly a week to go until Witchery release their new album, I think it's time to give their classic Symphony for the Devil a few good words. With head pumping thrashy riffs, Toxine's unmistakable blackened vocals, and a very clear yet still gritty production job, Witchery delivered one hell of an album in SftD. The guitar tone is simply the perfect fit for this sort of slightly blackened and very abrasive yet decidedly old school thrash. Certainly one of a kind, worth a look for anyone who's open to cross-genre pollination."

Just great METAL!

Luis Carrillo | Obregon, Mexico | 08/12/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are many sub-genres of metal in which Witchery could be put (Death, Thrash, Black, Old School) but don't let labels bother you while you listen to this band's eclectic mix of just about everything and come up with a sound that's very much their own. Symphony For The Devil is just a fantastic metal offering from this Swedish band and one not to be missed. Guitarists Patrik Jensen and Richard Corpse really know how to put riffs together and deliver them with equal parts pulverizing power and finesse. The gravely vocals of Toxine may take some getting used to to those unfamiliar with death and black metal but they fit the music perfectly, he doesn't just sing in one monotone growl either, he varies the vocals to fit the lyrics and the mood of each song. The whole albums is killer, but my fave tracks are The Storm, Inquisition, Bone Mill (a fantastic thrash instrumental!) and None Buried Deeper. By the way, bassist Sharlee D'Angelo is also a member of Arch Enemy."