Skeletonwitch

thrasher73 wrote:

I've already trade my copy off.Didnt care much for it.The music was great but I didnt like the vocals.

Ditto for me.

I guess mc666 and I are in the minority here - but wow - I just can't seem to get enough of this album.

Sure the vocals are 'deathy'. It actually reminds me of old Vengeance Rising (Human Sacrifice era) or even Ultimatum. The riffs are starkly thrash - no mistaking this.

If this album had come out in the late 80s, second wave of thrash movement - this album would have been esteemed extremely highly. Actually, it's getting high praises now all across the net. For some reason the people here aren't too hip on it - but this album is destined to be an 00s thrash classic. I don't care what anyone says.

Here's a postive review off of Metal-Archives:

Quote :

Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery! - 86%

Skeletonwitch are a band that draws influences from several different
corners of the metal scene but has managed to form something pretty
recognizable and unique out of them. In the cauldron of the Witch one
can find traces of NWOBHM, thrash, Gothenburg and black metal, and yet
Skeletonwitch can't be categorized under any of those labels. Suffice
to say they play a fast, raw brand of metal with emphasis on riffs and
guitar melodies.

Beyond the Permafrost, their first release on a decent-size label,
contains some re-recorded old songs and some new songs, basically
summing up their entire career up to this point (not that they've been
around a terribly long time). The songs, despite being from different
eras, all fit together fine. The greatest thing about Skeletonwitch is,
as always, the guitars. Not that Nate Garnette and Scott Hedrick are
the greatest shredders in the world, but the guitar parts combine and
work off each other in a way that I've never really heard in any other
band. Chance Garnette's raspy snarl sounds great here; unlike on other
Skeletonwitch releases, the lyrics are quite audible, and if a skeleton
witch ever existed, its voice would probably sound like Chance's.
Finally, the production is what sets Beyond the Permafrost apart from
the other Skeletonwitch albums. It maintains a raw, old school sound
but doesn't sound like it was recorded in someone's basement, as was
the case with their first album, At One With The Shadows.

These guys also have a very clever use of melody. Their songs are
melodic, no doubt about it, but they never resort to ripping off Iron
Maiden in a way that many supposedly melodic extreme metal bands have
done. At times they borrow a page or two from the book of Amon Amarth,
and at other times they use the type of melodies you might hear in a
Dissection song. Anyway, the melodies never detract from the heaviness
of the songs, which is the most important thing.

If you're interested in hearing a band that puts a new edge on some
established metal traditions, you would do well to check out
Skeletonwitch. So lay down your soul to the Witch's black sorcery and
prepare for quite a thrashing.

That's a good review!

I was just cranking this (again) today and I was just loving it. I mean, these guitar melodies are terribly infectious. Good riffage. I've not heard riffs that make me wanna tear out the air guitar like this in a long time on thrash releases.

Suffice it to say, this is my pick for thrash album of the year. No doubt about it.

I listened to it again today in my car at maximum volume. Still don't
see it as being "thrash". I'd actually agree with the review above, "Skeletonwitch
are a band that draws influences from several different corners of the
metal scene...traces of NWOBHM, thrash, Gothenburg and black metal."
I suppose "Gothenburg" means 'death metal', and with several areas
where blast beats are incorporated, I'd agree. I don't hear a lot of
"thrash riffing" overall, but some superb guitar melodies are used. The
music is outstanding. Heavy but melodic. All the hooks are in the
music. Excellent production as well. The guitar tones are great.

I still think the vocals really bog this down. All the vocals seem a
bit low in the mix. I really don't hear any comparisons to myself or
Roger Martinez. These vocals are much more 'extreme.' There are
basically two vocal styles used; high, shrills black metal vox and low,
gutteral death metal. There are no real vocal hooks or standout vocal
melodies, unlike a release like "Tales from the Thousand Lakes" where
the death growls still have memorable hooks.

Overall, the music rules. The musicianship is outstanding. I still
don't agree that this is thrash metal, even though there are some
thrash influences in the music. I just wish the vocals weren't of the
death/black variety.

Well, I do see this as a thrash release. However, I am in agreement that there is a major NWoBHM vibe mixed with black and death metal. There is not any metalcore here at all (which the reviewer also didn't bring up).

So since I love thrash, nwobhm, death and black metal - I guess that's why this album is right up my alley.

Vocally speaking - I just love them. They are extreme (and yes, far more extreme than many a typical thrash singer), but that's what gives them their edge IMO.

I really like thrash that has more extreme tendencies (not of the metalcore type, but more black and death). That's why I always loved Vengeance Rising and Death. Many people consider their stuff to be death metal too, but all in all they were thrash bands with much more of an extreme approach.

Many people are comparing the new Ultimatum to Obituary. Frankly, I can see this comparison as well. I think that's a major complement though - as I love Obituary. But you guys are also in death territory at times.

I hope you don't take offense to this cause I think you rock and I love Ultimatum. Just being honest here. But it's meant in a very positive way.

i see it as thrash as well. blackened thrash, but still thrash. whatever the case, i love it. i don't know about comparisons to Ultimatum. i purchased Into The Pit on Saturday but it hasn't arrived yet. the only other one i have to compare it to is the Puppet album & that sounds nothing like Skeletonwitch vocally.

mc666 wrote:

i see it as thrash as well. blackened thrash, but still thrash. whatever the case, i love it. i don't know about comparisons to Ultimatum. i purchased Into The Pit on Saturday but it hasn't arrived yet. the only other one i have to compare it to is the Puppet album & that sounds nothing like Skeletonwitch vocally.

Cool. I hope you like it. The vocals on Puppet of Destruction are different than on Into the Pit. For that matter, the vocals on Into the Pit vary a bit from song to song.

Blackened thrash metal. That's a good description of Skeletonwitch.

EvyMetal wrote:

i agree with rex, not that great, but the artwork is bitchin'

Not exactly my style but I'll agree that is a great CD cover. Looks like it could be a work by the famed "Pushead"... is it? If not, then somebody did a nice job biting his style.

YES! Blackened thrash metal! That's EXACTLY what this is!!!

You nailed it MC!!!

blackieboy wrote:

Blackened thrash metal!

Does that come with rice or my choice of potato?

spectrefate wrote:

blackieboy wrote:

Blackened thrash metal!

Does that come with rice or my choice of potato?

How about a side of nails and mashed concrete!!!

I just picked this up today.....I really like it.

This surprises me as I am no fan of death metal or that style of singing...usually...However it works here and I can quite dig it.

I just picked up the latest issue of Terrorizer magazine. They have a small feature on Skeletonwitch and clearly label them a 'thrash band'. I agree.

Anyway ... at least I'm not the only one who thinks this.

Glad you like this Shiney! I think more people will start liking them as they become more known. They are still quite a new band.