Description

Black vinyl with poster, insert and one side lazer etched

After two years of silence since the release of the sophomore album “The Great Tormentor”, Witchrist, from New Zealand, returned with the EP “Vritra”. This release has the particularity of presenting the band’s new vocalist KzR who is also part of the Swiss group Bölzer. Kicking off with a guitar riff influenced by heavy metal in its rawest and black metal nature, the first song “Haruspex” quickly evolves into a death metal soundscape in which the initial near-melodic riff becomes darker, heavier and fuller. The two minutes long “Transmuting Rituals” is an in-your-face track with straightforward guitar riffs and fast drums containing some speedy rolls and combinations using the rim cymbal. It’s also in this track that the vocals are nearer the putrid death metal scene. The final “The Golden Ascent” personifies Witchrist’s black metal side including a somehow marching pace headed by a full-bodied lead guitar that goes up and down like thunder. And if this last track is all about black metal, they couldn’t miss the deep and cadaveric vocals acting like some sort of chanting. However, the last part gets back to the origins of this release closing it with a death metal passage. Ten minutes of running time are not enough to truly show Witchrist’s actual performance and shape, even so we have the certainty that they are back and with strength.

Track list:
1. Haruspex
2. Transmuting Rituals Of The Absolute
3. The Golden Ascent