Loyola Greyhound

Issue date: 2/24/09 Section: Arts & Society

Media Credit: Photo Courtesy of Alarmpress.com Witch's music is original and the strength of the instrumentals displays the talent of the band members, but the repetitive lyrics combined with the limited vocal range tends to weigh down the LP.

Witch, an independent rock band, is coming to Baltimore on February 28th to play a concert at the Ottobar in promotion of their sophomore LP, Paralyzed.
The LP, containing nine original songs, is not your average rock album.
The first track on the LP is titled "Eye," a piece which combines a sort of heavy metal sound, using the guitar, with vocals reminiscent of the punk genre of the late 70s.The guitar solos display great skill on the part of guitarists Kyle Thomas, Asla Irons, and Kurt Weisman.

The vocals, also by Thomas, are good, though the lyrics are a bit repetitive. "Gone" is the next track on the album, with a bit of a funkier feel than its predecessor. The vocals are a bit lacking, as there is no real range in Thomas's singing. This carries on through most of the album.

The third track on the album, "1000 MPH," is similar to some of the fast-beat punk songs of The Ramones, while the guitar solos make one think of Black Sabbath. Though there are elements of these two well-known bands in the song, Witch manages to recreate each of these styles with a rather unique blend of the two genres, making the music their own. "SpaceGod," the fourth track, is not particularly friendly to the ear in terms of the overall flow of the composition, but the guitar is still impressive, with a mix of various different styles, including metal, psychedelic funk, and a hint of classic rock.

Following "SpaceGod" is "Disappear," a song which begins with an upbeat, almost modern punk guitar intro. Again, the vocals take away from the instrumentals, but the guitar continues to be appealing to the listener throughout the whole track. The sixth track is titled "Sweet Sue," which slows down the upbeat pace of the beginning of the album. Thomas's vocals fit in well with the slower track, as the end of the song takes listeners into a psychedelic realm. "Psychotic Rock" matches its title well, as it is a somewhat distorted rock piece. The guitar solos are not as prevalent in this song, and it is a bit difficult to make out the lyrics. It is not the best piece on the LP. "Mutated" begins with in interesting bass mixed in with high-pitched guitar, but the song has little rhythm to it.

The final track on the album, titled "Old Trap Line," is a good finish to the album. The vocals are done quite well, reminiscent of some of the classic rock of the late 60s and 70s. All in all, the LP is inventive. Witch takes elements of various genres of music and finds a way to reinvent them in their songs; it would be almost impossible to characterize the band into one style. Their music is funky and original, and the instrumentals demonstrate real talent on the part of the band members. However, the pieces do not always flow particularly well, and the vocals just don't seem to match up. Music lovers should take the time to give the LP a listen, and decide for themselves whether Witch's creative style is just what the music world needs.

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