Void Witch – Horripilating Presence
Release Date: 26th July 2024
Label: Everlasting Spew
Bandcamp
Genre: Death/Doom
FFO: Hooded Menace, Temple of Void, Coffins, Druid Lord.
Review By: Eric Wilt
There is probably no band that will release music this year that I will relate to more than Void Witch. Comprised of ex-members of Azoth, Shitstorm and Drainbow, Void Witch describes itself as “a bunch of middle-aged dads” who are “Chained by responsibility, the mechanical habits of life, [and] a lack of time and energy at the end of every long day,” who, in spite of this, wrote and recorded a record and got it released by Everlasting Spew. The record, Horripilating Presence, is six songs of atmospheric death/doom in the vein of Hooded Menace, Temple of Void, Coffins, and Druid Lord.
As a middle-aged dad who listens to metal and writes reviews when time allows, I realize that I have a lot in common with the guys in Void Witch. For this reason, I wish I liked Horripilating Presence more. It’s not a bad album by any means, but there’s just nothing that stands out to me. The album is filled with guitar work that is characterized by its thick, distorted textures and intricate melodies, thunderous drumming, and deep and emotive gutturals. Everything is performed to perfection by Luke, Nic, Jason, and Adrian, but the six songs on the album blend in too well with all the other albums in a death/doom market that is overflowing with quality releases.
As far as standout individual tracks go, Malevolent Demiurge is strong with its mid-paced opening section that is accented by dual guitar solos that wind over the rhythm and lead to a brief up-tempo section that juxtaposes well with the next tempo change. Another strong song is Thousand-eyed Stalactite, which again highlights Void Witch’s ability to blend eerie melody lines over heavy rhythm sections.
Fans of death/doom will find nothing to complain about on Horripilating Presence, but I’m afraid they won’t find much to rave about either. With the members of Void Witch having such full lives, I know it will be hard for them to find time to make a sophomore album, but I hope they do. If they keep building on the solid base they have created with Horripilating Presence, album number two will surely be one to look out for.
(3 / 5)
