Project Description

WITCHSKULL

Transit Bar, Canberra

6 July 2018

(Live Review)

Reviewer – Benjamin Smith

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I’ve been anything but shy about my feelings regarding Witchskull, but in case anybody missed it,  they are the most exciting metal band in the country. Period. Their unique brand of stoner-bred doom is fucking intoxicating. Their debut album, Vast Electric Dark drew critical acclaim from all over the world and cemented them as the leading voice in the Australian doom metal scene.

A three piece composed of musicians who’ve been making metal for decades, Witchskull understand the importance of a dynamic that survives on its own chemistry but also know that in such a streamlined formation every note counts. Comprising members of seminal act Armoured Angel and stalwarts Looking Glass, Witchskull are in town tonight for the official launch of their sophomore offering ‘Coven’s Will’ and to kick off the accompanying tour.

The new record essentially builds on the strengths of the last, with a slight move upwards in the tempo, resulting in something less like the Euro doom-drone of the first record and more like US- fused psychedelic stoner riffage. It should be said that the evolution is a subtle one and not a radical departure from their previous work, thank Christ. It is telling that this example of an obscure sub-genre of archaic metal made by three veterans from the early 90s could pack Transit Bar in a way much younger bands with a far more contemporary sound struggle to do. The impassioned performance led by vocalist and lead guitarist Marcus De Pasquale was contrasted by his remarkable humility. There is something so sincere about their appreciation for their audience that augments the ferocity of their sound. 

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Supporting Witchskull tonight were two local acts, the first being the impossibly dense GrindDuke who played a short but powerful set defined by super thick drop d distortion. The second act, a band in their infancy, called themselves the Pilots of Baalbek. They do a kind of space metal thing, a little  like Acid King or Mythic Sunship with a little more emphasis on the sample element. Fronted by Adam Aguis, there is probably a little more glam in what Baalbek do than most stoner acts but it works, I think in large part because of the impossibly rich tones coming from the Les Paul Grandmistress Melemel wrangles. 

If it’s moshpits and shoeys you’re into, none of the bands are probably going  to do it for you. This is metal for grown ups which means it strips away everything except the riffage and the volume. But if you don’t choke on or get lost in the cannabis clouds on the way to the front door each of the bands playing tonight have something pretty unique to offer. Witchskull are flawlessly tight and have amassed a very loyal following in the years since the release of Vast Electric, and Coven’s Will cements that. If you like your stoner metal infused with just a drop of Dimethyltryptamine then Pilots of Baalbek will be a band to keep an eye out for. They have no release yet to recommend and it’ll be a challenge for them to capture what they do live but they certainly set a high bar for themselves with last night’s performance. 

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