Syzygial Miscreancy

Spawned from a scene that knows a little something about technical death metal (see Death and Atheist if you've been living under a whole shitload of rocks), Hellwitch never quite received the attention they deserved. Sporting an odd title, and deceptively silly album cover, "Syzygial Miscreancy" delivers a barrage of constantly changing riffs and intricate structures.

For the record, the disc's opening track, "Nosferatu" (actually track 2, as there is an intro), does seen a bit out of place. Not a bad song by any means, but certainly a more straightforward thrasher than what comes after. The rest of the album is technical death-thrash of the highest order, and there is no denying the incredible musicianship. Throw in some rabid vocals, bursts of speed, and one unexpected accoustic break, and you have a nasty slice of metal on your hands.

So what could have made this album better? There are great riffs here, but some of them just aren't as memorable as others. That said, the album never gets boring, and should hold the attention of any early Death or Atheist fan. Intense and over-the-top. Go find this gem now!