ALBUM REVIEW: Earth Witch - "Out of the Shallow"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 10/03/2017

Label: Independent

Every track is a winner. Every riff is massive. The production is raw and warm. Everything sounds big. Everything sounds heavy. This is surely exactly the record that Earth Witch set out to create and I applaud them highly for it. Fantastic and heavy stuff and one of the best albums I have heard so far this year.

“Out of the Shallow” CS//CD//DD track listing:

1). Guts

2). Starfighter

3). Lovecraft

4). Butterfly

5). Riff Rider

6). Green Torch

7). Mermaid

8). Pilgrim

9). Earth Witch

The Review:

A stoner/doom trio from Illinois is how these guys are described- very accurate! This is most definitely for fans of Sleep, High on Fire and The Sword (early period, naturally). There are massive riffs on offer here. The tracks have quite a range to them, too. You get mellow and bluesy (“Butterfly”) swaggering muscular grooves (the band's theme song) and psychedelic Sabbath goodness elsewhere.

Opener “Guts”reminded me of when The Sword were really good and employs similar weighty riffage and tone. “Lovecraft” is a rampaging beast (appropriate), “Starfighter” is an up-tempo headbanger- with a mellow breakdown, of course. These songs are just relentless: riff after riff after riff!

The title “Riff Rider” is a clue as to what the song contains- and it swings mightily. “Green Torch” is a more restrained track- but still romps all over your stereo. “Mermaid” is in the up-tempo bracket... Honestly, there are so many riffs on offer here. The album is, simply put, very strong throughout. The vocals perfectly suit proceedings (not singing exactly, but not intelligible either- ideal for this type of blunt force trauma).

Every track is a winner. Every riff is massive. The production is raw and warm. Everything sounds big. Everything sounds heavy. This is surely exactly the record that Earth Witch set out to create and I applaud them highly for it. Fantastic and heavy stuff and one of the best albums I have heard so far this year.

“Out of the Shallow” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook