Metal Blade Records has announced that it will re-issue the first three LPs from Swedish psych/doom rock legends WITCHCRAFT on July 17, 2012.
The band’s debut self-titled LP was originally released back in 2004, and was then followed by ‘Firewood’ in 2005, and ‘The Alchemist’ in 2007.
If you’re familiar with WITCHCRAFT, you know these guys are not of this time and space. You know they were born about 30 years too late. And you know that they practically wave a big ole middle-finger at whatever the latest technology trends would suggest that they do, or whatever anybody else would suggest that they do (don’t think the band even yet has a Facebook page, for that matter).
The band will also release its fourth LP entitled ‘Legend’ on September 21, 2012 on the Nuclear Blast label. Click thru for more WITCHCRAFT badass, along with links for order information on the Metal Blade re-issues.
‘Witchcraft’ was the debut album and was originally released in 2004 by Rise Above Records. “Please Don’t Forget Me” and “Yes I Do” are both covers of 70s-era doom pioneers PENTAGRAM. “Please Don’t Forget Me” is credited to Bobbly Liebling (PENTAGRAM) on the sleeve and is often mis-accredited to Liebling’s pre-PENTAGRAM outfit, STONE BUNNY. The cover image is a slightly altered version of a print called Merlin, a pen-and-ink drawing by Aubrey Beardsley for a 1893-94 edition of Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur. The album was initially intended as a one-off tribute to PENTAGRAM.
“This is the kind of album that yields a different favorite song every listen. Consistent with the material (and their obsessions) the band recorded the album on equipment from the 60’s and 70’s, and the production is completely appropriate for the spirit of the album. One can easily spend the entirety of ‘Firewood’ in a closed eyed, head nodding, heel tapping reverie. WITCHCRAFT has surely produced the traditional doom album of the year, regardless of the year of its seeds of origination.” – MetalReview.com
“If you missed Pentagram or Black Sabbath in their time, then this band is for you. Recording on all-analogue set-up gives the album a genuine sound…The Alchemist is on a mission to bring the listener right back to the “good ol’ days” when distortion was pretty much unheard of…Witchcraft are one of the few bands that manage to pull off “the direct descendents of Sabbath and St. Vitus” without sounding like a pretentious clone…Many bands strive for this sort of coherence, and far from all achieve. Witchcraft achieves this goal.” – Ultimate Guitar
‘The Alchemist’ was recorded 100 percent pro-tools and digital free at Stockholm’s UpandRunning studios with producer Tom Hakava and using only vintage amplification.
Photo: Last.fm
In related news, Blabbermouth recently reported that the band has set ‘Legend’ as the title of their fourth LP, due on September 21 via the band’s new label home – Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2007′s ‘The Alchemist’ was recorded with renowned producer Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (KREATOR, OPETH, AMON AMARTH, PARADISE LOST, KATATONIA) in Örebro, Sweden. The CD marks the recording debut of the band’s new members Simon Solomon (guitar), Tom Jondelius (guitar) and Oscar Johansson (drums). Going forward, it was reported that WITCHCRAFT leader Magnus Pelander will focus on his unique vocals without playing guitar anymore.
WITCHCRAFT formed in 2000 in tribute to band heroes Roky Erickson and Bobby Liebling (PENTAGRAM). Their mission was based on creating heavy, blues-based rock augmented with touches of psychedelica and late 60′s pop flourishes. The band’s songs reference the darker side of hard rock while remaining surprisingly accessible. Flying largely under the radar of the popular music landscape over the years, WITCHCRAFT is a hallowed name in underground circles and has found itself championed by a diverse cross-section of distinguished music adherents including Philip Anselmo, who in 2009 proudly proclaimed WITCHCRAFT as his “new favorite band.”
For order information on WITCHCRAFT re-issues, visit Metal Blade Records HERE.
