Welcome to the LOUDEST DOT COM ON THE PLANET!
KNAC.COM News Reviews and More Watch The Latest Videos Buy KNAC T-shirts and More


SEVEN WITCHES The Way Of The Wicked

By Alex Yarborough, Orlando Contributor
Friday, September 11, 2015 @ 4:33 PM


- advertisement -
SEVEN WITCHES
The Way Of The Wicked

2015 Independent Label Services, Inc.




SEVEN WITCHES is a New Jersey-based heavy metal band formed by guitarist Jack Frost in 1998. Over the years, Frost has played with a variety of bands including BELLADONNA, BRONX CASKET COMPANY, SAVATAGE and METALIUM, but every few years he returns to make another SEVEN WITCHES album. The band has a revolving door lineup, with members coming and going depending on their availability. In the past, the band has featured vocalists such as Alan Tecchio (HADES), Wade Black (CRIMSON GLORY) and James Rivera (HELSTAR), as well as bass players such as Joey Vera (ARMORED SAINT) and Mike LePond (SYMPHONY X).

The current line-up on The Way Of The Wicked is: Jack Frost - guitar, Anthony Cross (ATTACKER) - vocals, Ronnie Parkes (BONFIRE) - bass and Johnny Kelly (TYPE-O NEGATIVE/DANZIG) - drums.

I own all the band’s releases and have been following them most of their career. This new album follows very closely to the back-to-basics stripped-down style SEVEN WITCHES adopted on Rebirth (2013). I went back and listened to Rebirth again and this album is very similar in sound and tone. I also listened to the album before that, 2011’s Call Upon The Wicked (which featured Rivera on vocals) and to be honest, the band sounds nothing like that anymore. The production is kind of raw on The Way of The Wicked, but actually not that bad, with emphasis on the rhythm section. Cross’ voice reminds me of a rawer Jeff Keith (TESLA), so you do not get the high-pitched vocal style of Rivera, but his voice is still unique.

The down ‘n’ dirty approach has some appeal on tracks like “Among Us”, “Soul Searching”, “Without Man” and “When I Flew”. I feel like these tracks work best and probably express what SEVEN WITCHES are about in 2015. The main riff in “Without Man” is killer and the pace of the song is faster than most on the album. To be honest, there are some tracks that I feel don’t work at all, like “Dreams” or the title track, both of which fell flat for me. The album is fairly short by today’s standards (9 songs, 41 minutes) so perhaps another killer cover of a metal classic was needed here. I would like to see SEVEN WITCHES return with a little more fire in the next album, with maybe some faster paced songs. I guess I am more of a fan of the uptempo material by SEVEN WITCHES, in particular the albums featuring James Rivera and even Alan Tecchio, both of whom I thought did great work with the band.

All in all, The Way Of The Wicked is not a bad album, just not as good as classics like Year Of The Witch (2003) or Call Upon The Wicked (2011). This is definitely worth your investment if you are a SEVEN WITCHES fan.

3.0 Out Of 5.0

Pre-Order your copy of The Way Of The Wicked in the KNAC.COM More Store right HERE.


Back to Top

 

 

 Recent Reviews
QUEENSRYCHE In Houston, TX With Photos!
FEED MY DAEMONS Feed My Daemons
THE END MACHINE The Quantum Phase
JUDAS PRIEST Invincible Shield
RINGWORM Seeing Through Fire
SUICIDAL ANGELS Profane Prayer
GEOFF TATE, ADRIAN VANDENBERG In Houston, TX With Photos!
MIDNIGHT Hellish Expectations
AVENGED SEVENFOLD In Cleveland, OH With Photos!
KK'S PRIEST, LA GUNS, BURNING WITCHES In Ft. Lauderdale, FL
RIOT V Mean Streets
SKELETAL REMAINS Fragments Of The Ageless
EXHORDER Defectum Omnium
LIZZY BORDEN In Los Angeles With Photos!
MEANSTREAK Blood Moon EP
ZAKK SABBATH Doomed Forever Forever Doomed
CRAZY LIXX Two Shots At Glory
CRYPTA In Los Angeles With Photos!
BRUCE DICKINSON The Mandrake Project
BORKNAGAR Fall
HONEYMOON SUITE Alive
NORTH SEA ECHOES Really Good Terrible Things
SOCIAL DISORDER Time To Rise
MINISTRY HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES
MICK MARS The Other Side Of Mars



HOME | MAGAZINE | VIDS | STORE | HELP/POLICIES

©2024 KNAC.COM. All Rights Reserved.    Link to us    Advertise with us    Privacy policy
 Latest News