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Preface
I worship Colombian metal, and heavy metal the Latin America way, in general. Period.
Perhaps because Latin American metal bands are among the most irreconcilable keepers of the flame worldwide.
WITCH HUNT is a confirmation of what just mentioned.
And the most exciting fact is that all of the country’s excellent metal releases lately are from the same label, Rata Mutante Records.
A label which is mainly the legendary REVENGE‘s label, but the guys have recently added new and very remarkable bands to their roster, WITCH HUNT included among them.
However, Rata Mutante is not the band’s only label (read more details below).
Band’s history
WITCH HUNT from Bogota were quite active as a band, before entering the studio in order to record their first full length album.
In 2007, they recorded the single “Justicia Y Venganza” as part of their participation in the compilation V Festival Rock Por Los Derechos Humanos Ciudad Bolívar, which included local bands.
This compilation was pressed in five hundred copies, on CD.
The same track was also included in the compilation CD Latinoamerica Thrashing The World, in 2009, highlighting the participation of bands such as TUNGSTENO from Argentina and GUERRA TOTAL from Columbia among other groups from Peru, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil.
In 2016 a new cycle for the group begins, highlighting in 2018 their participation in the “IV Festival Tunjuelito Territorio Rock“.
Up to this date WITCH HUNT has participated in various local events sharing the stage with bands like SHELLSHOCK, SOBIBOR, WHITE THUNDER, EVILLUCIFER, TORNO, HELLROAR, ADRENALINE, REVOLVER, UNAUTHORIZED, ALMA DORADA, CUENTOS DE LOS HERMANOS GRIND, among many others.
Style of Play & Influences
I have listened the album so many times before writing this review and what I for sure could guarantee to the fans about it, is that the more someone is listening to it, the more he likes it.
The band is dealing 100% with chains and leather heavy/speed metal.
Trying to find the bands whose style are closer to that of WITCH HUNT, after a lot of thinking, I drew the conclusion that this album is the one that the SKULLVIEW and METALUCIFER fans will definitely adore. Without, of course, underestimating the EXCITER, SACRED STEEL, early EXODUS, REVENGE, AXECUTER elements in their style of playing. And, also, let’s not forget to mention METRALLO, another Columbian band whose style is very close to that of WITCH HUNT.
The band in its bio also refers ONSLAUGHT, VENOM, CELTIC FROST, SLAYER, the German STEELER and MERCYFUL FATE as their influences.
Definitely, the above mentioned bands are the influence for a huge amount of bands, and for WITCH HUNT as well, however the bands I mentioned initially could depict the band’s style more precisely.
Therefore, we have to deal with a totally old-school, totally devastating, totally for alcoholics, totally for narrow-minded true metallers and, above all, totally full of wrath album which flirts with speed and old-school thrash metal, with a lot of occult influences.
I think that the album cover is totally representative regarding the band’s style and influences. The band welcomes the listener the right way through the cover image.
Album details & best tracks
“Inquisitor” is the beginning track and, along with “Demon Hunter” which follows, is probably the most characteristic track as far as the band’s style is concerned. Fast, rough, and revolutionary, bringing a lot to our minds the SKULLVIEW’s Night Of Metalkill.
The, exclusively for alcoholic bangers, show continues. After the small instrumental “Iron Pact”, it’s time for ‘Hijos Del Fuego’, among my favourite tracks. Although I do not have the album lyrics available, I think that this is the only track with Spanish lyrics. I equally adore singing in Spanish as much as in English.
All tracks are dealing with a solid rhythm section, Andriana on bass and Jonathan Martinez on drums are rivalling the rhythm guitars of the axeman Robinson Rincón. This is something we can perceive better in the next song, “Margaret”: the thunderous opening drum solo, the bulldozing riff which follows, and then, all the three, the guitar, the bass and the drums are binding together in unholy deeds.
“Witch Hunt” alternates the opening mid tempo riff, which brings us to mind METALLICA’s “Seek And Destroy”, with the straight-from-hell bloody speed metal storm following after that, while the old fashioned solo can slice your flesh to stripes!
“Forces Of Ohe Night” is a more mid-tempo track and is probably my favourite one. We are talking about a sonic assault with a flaming a la SAXON’s “Princess Of The Night” opening riff which will rip your life in shreds, while bass and drums are swirling with pain! But what makes this track really exceptional is the melody line in the bridge, before the catchy chorus. The chorus will make you pound your fists in the air, while the guitar solo is like injecting molten metal poison in your blood!
“Rock’n’Roll Possession” is the next track. You are caught by the spell now. It begins with a combination of NWOBHM riffs whose roughness and style are close to JUDAS PRIEST‘s British Steel and Screaming… albums, however the ruthless and relentless pounding double bass drumming have the leading role in this track. You are surrounded by the demon’s fire as long as this track lasts.
“The beginning And The end” is a two-minute instrumental while the album’s ending track is a bonus one, “Justicia Y Venganza”, the first track ever recorded by the band and which was included in the above mentioned compilations.
Album release details
I totally recommend old-schoolers to buy the album which is available in the following formats.
- In digital form by the Ukranian Dead Center Productions, link here
- In CD format by the Columbian Rata Mutante Records
- In tape format by the Columbian Heretic Forces Records (no links or emails available)
- In CD format (European version) by Alone Records
- Last but not least, you can pre.order the vinyl version, again by Alone Records, in either black or orange colour, available within the first months of 2022.
