Worshipping the Witch/Vacuuming My Apartment For the First Time

Shit. I'm moving out of my apartment right now and it is a major pain in the ass. Thus always is moving, though. Seeing as I'm taking so much time out of cleaning and packing to play Pokemon Pearl (because I'm 22), I might as well talk a moment to plug an album I enjoy.

Skeletonwitch is a personal favorite but is often misunderstood across the board. To people who only got into Black Metal last year vis a vi Wolves in the Throne Room (and don't get me wrong, I love that band), the sheer volume of riffs and heavy metal leanings turn them away. This is Black METAL, though. Lazy music journalists in the past have lumped Skeletonwitch into with the neo-thrash/crossover explosion, which is damn-near insulting, considering how that music phenomenon is entirely contingent upon strip-mining the cultural, aesthetic, and musical idiosyncrasies of the 80s-early 90s.

Speaking of retro-thrash: Fuck that. It's 2011. Thrash metal's impact and vitality was the product of specific musical and cultural contexts. That's why Destruction and Slayer started playing groove metal in the nineties and why Metallica became a hard rock band. Because 1987 came and went.

Ahem. And to others, The 'Witch is too tongue and cheek, thereby undermining their dark message and making a mockery out of extreme metal. That, too, I think is foolish. Musicians are real people, nothing more, nothing less. Acknowledging the suspension of disbelief in metal goes wayyyyy back, even before Bathory.


But, those are the opinions of others. I, too, have opinions. With that disclaimer out of the way, Beyond the Permafrost is a brisk, varied and highly enjoyable listen.


Where Skeletonwitch gains points for me is in their tight, concise riffing. They waste no time flexing their technical skills and instead sink right into catchy melodies. The Judas Priest influence is there, as well as Slayer (good Slayer, mind you).* The songs run the gamut from all out assaults ("Upon Wings of Black," "Vengeance Will Be Mine") to the more grandiose and triumphant (like the title track. Grandiosity is a plus). Generally speaking, it's fast, catchy songs with excellent black metal vocals and really clear production, which seems completely suitable. Strangely enough, the sequel, Breathing the Fire's production almost feels a little too rough in comparison.

Last December, my radio station managed to bring Skeletonwitch and Withered (sans Landmine Marathon) through Greensboro for their tour and it was easily my favorite show of last year. They played excellently and it was really great not being the only person up front shrieking lyrics about wicked demons and murder at the stage. They all seemed really cool. No rock star attitudes or any of that bullshit.

If you dig the album, pick it up, or, perhaps some sex-positive merch.


(*I suppose that kind of brings it full circle when you think of how Priest Show No Mercy is)

[LINK]
"We've played a few songs about killing.....now here's a song about DYING!"