Review: Witch Vomit Don’t Shy Away from Melody on Funeral Sanctum
No strangers to old school, doomy death metal, Witch Vomit are at it again with Funeral Sanctum, out April 5 via 20 Buck Spin. But this time around, in addition to embracing their more traditional sound, Witch Vomit have come out to prove that they aren’t afraid to lean into the melody.
Witch Vomit have always been notable for avoiding cliches keeping things interesting, flirting with black metal and weird experimentation while they play doomy death. On this new record, they also pull in a lot of influence from melodic death metal.
As the band’s third album, it represents a big step forward for their already evolved sound, and while the previous albums were heavy and powerful, they didn’t leave quite as lasting or as catchy an impression as this one. There is also more black metal present in the mix, which is much appreciated.
After the intro, the band kick it off with “Endless Fall” which keeps things frigid, pummeling, and loud. Next up is one of the stand-out tracks, “Blood of Abomination,” which was also the first single the band released from the record. It’s one of the most memorable tracks, and the melody will definitely live rent-free in your head.
“Serpentine Shadows” and “Dominion of a Darkened Realm” are also stand-out tracks because of their blend of melodic, almost ethereal elements with straightforward blasting and almost war metal-like black metal moments. These are probably the two songs I listen to the most on the album, as they’re a great example of the unique sound the band are going for here.
Throughout the record, they don’t seem to be slowing down or losing momentum. “Decaying Angelic Filth” is probably the heaviest song on the album with the most straight-forward death metal flavor. And the self-titled track at the end wraps everything up perfectly.
This is definitely a high contender for my album of the year, and a record that does a great job transcending genre and furthering the death metal genre.
Witch Vomit’s Funeral Sanctum will be available this Friday, April 5, via 20 Buck SPIN. Preorder your copy today.
