Witchthroat Serpent – Trove of Oddities at the Devil’s Driveway
Release Date: 3rd March 2023
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom, Stoner, Psych.
FFO: Domkraft, Firebreather, Holy Serpent, Green Druid.
Review By: Mark Young
Formed in 2011 Witchthroat Serpent have spent this time touring and refining their sound to get to this point here with the impending release of Trove… which they managed to record in an analogue only environment without computers or digital methods. Written between 2019 and 2020 finally got laid down in 2022 and as you will see below the analogue process has really served them well. The titles below give you a clue as to their direction, with two obvious nods to Hammer and Amicus amongst the six songs here, as they wield a strong and cohesive album that could be the backdrop to any classic horror film.
Make no bones about this, it is slow, ponderous but possessed of one of the sweetest guitar tones I’ve heard in a while. Multi-dimensional Marvelous Throne just oozes from my earbuds with ethereal vocals counterpointing against the thickest of fuzz tones. The lead breaks just take you on a journey which I believe was the aim here, not showy, or overly flashy just simple which is not a bad thing here. Going back to the comment about how it was recorded, there is an incredibly warm feel to the sound with equal representation of guitar, bass and drums which just do the job.
It has that doom swing with a lead heavy backing that anchors the vocals, so they can regale you with their tales of horror, death, and all things supernatural. Nosferatu’s Mastery is a 7minute short story with an unhappy ending. Again, it just sounds great with that fuzz just cutting across everything in its path.
There is a confidence here that is borne from them knowing their best sound, and the songs themselves do not repeat over the course of the album. The Gorgon is effective as an instrumental break that segues into The House That Dripped Blood which again is just monstrous with the opening salvos leading into samples Sweets for my Sweet (I think) before the song condenses the film into 6 minutes of the deepest doom.
Yellow Nacre starts off faster with a propelling rhythm before settling into the standard tempo present elsewhere. It still grooves, which is key, as they have recognised just how important to have this in place. Mountain Temple In Bleakness is the final song and starts with a bass on its own before ushering in the guitars. It ends as it started with that warm guitar just moving along, evoking a Black Sabbath (who else?) feel to it.
The decision to go analogue with this was an inspired one. The warmth really comes through, and you can imagine what this would sound like on vinyl with a great set-up. It’s certainly one of the best sounding albums I’ve heard and with the songs it is a quality release.
It won’t convert any fans of speed / thrash / death / black metal, especially with the tempo’s here, but it’s not their aim. If you are into doom or just generally the slower side of heavy music, then you should give this your time as there is some spot on riffage with each of the songs fitting together as a perfect horror film soundtrack. I’d love to see this in the live environment just to experience how they would perform it because you know it would be something else.
The album opens a door and asks if you want to come along for a ride, and you should say yes because as you know the devil has the best songs.
1. Multi-dimensional Marvelous Throne
2. Nosferatu’s Mastery
3. The Gorgon
4. The House That Dripped Blood
5. Yellow Nacre
6. Mountain Temple In Bleakness
(4 / 5)
