Dance with the Devil

Out of Switzerland comes Burning Witches, a band who has proven themselves to be prolific and has come out with their third album in as many years, titled Dance with the Devil, and with a new vocalist and new guitarist, I figure the third time has to be the charm, am I right?

Well, maybe. What I have heard has been good, but it just doesn't have the power or intensity that I expect from a band like the Witches. This is first apparent with the title track. There's a lot of respectable classic influences in this guitarwork, most notably bands like Nazareth and Warlock which is very much to its benefit and I love the drum sound on this album, it's well timed, mid-range power and intense when it needs to. The keyboard work on the title track also works rather well, it's a step up from their previous efforts. These women know their stuff and it's showing while the bass line is playing in a secondary role and only seems to step up when the band tries to sound like it's Halloween every day.

Where though did this go wrong? Sometimes when a band like this screeches to sound evil, like on Six Feet Underground I feel like that kind of sound is better reserved for black metal or black/power hybrids like The Lightbringer and the new singer, Laura Guldemond knows her range, and does well to keep into it, but she rarely tries to hit those higher notes without trying to sound evil in the same way as a band like Snow White's Poison Bite. In a genre that includes King Diamond and Rob Zombie, it would take a lot to truly sound evil in this genre and most people that want to hear something truly evil will be let down.

The other thing that annoys me about this band is the insane amount of untapped potential. I feel with a little more cohesion, this band could shine like a diamond and get 100% reviews across the board. Instead we get songs like The Sisters of Fate which sounds decent but much like the complaint I have with Dragonforce, synergy is important, and there is practically none with the Witches. Once they figure out what makes them awesome, their next few albums will be absolutely electric. 52 minutes later, I'm hardly remembering the opening track.

In conclusion, Dance With the Devil is a clear improvement on a band that has the potential to ride the wave of awesomeness to super-stardom but they just need to bring it all together and on this album, it just wasn't there. The next time will be the charm, I am certain of it. You're almost there, Witches, GO FOR IT NEXT TIME.

In metal, as in most things, old tricks prove to be the best ones, hence the ongoing revival of all things old school in said musical genre. With throngs of bands surging out of Europe, South America, and even the United States after a long period of metallic recession, it seems that a larger label like Nuclear Blast would be bound to get in on the craze after a decade or so of catering to modern mainstream sentiments. Among the more auspicious of their recent acquired acts is a highly dynamic and determined five-piece out of Switzerland dubbed Burning Witches, likely a moniker partially inspired by the famed debut album of original female-fronted and German purveyors of all things denim and leather Warlock. Then again, these Amazonian berserkers are far from a carbon copy of Doro’s former band, and have developed a sound that encompasses a highly diverse repertoire of classic outfits from the glory days of the 1980s that packs a punch intense enough to register on the Richter scale.

Being their third studio LP outing as a band, and the second as a member of the Nuclear Blast family, Dance With The Devil presents a sound the is both undeniably heavy in nature and largely German in demeanor. One wouldn’t be far off to recount the punchy grooves of Accept’s Restless And Wild, along with the modernized speed and fury of Judas Priest’s signature sound as interpreted by any one of Primal Fear’s more recent offerings, with the impact-based new classic Rulebreaker being at the top of said list. The exodus of original vocalist Seraina Telli has done little to blunt the sharpness of their sonic assault, as newly recruited banshee wailer Laura Guldemond (a newcomer to the scene known by some for her brief stint with Dutch symphonic power metal outfit Shadowrise) proves to be more than up for the task, ushering in an intensity factor that is fierce enough to rival Battle Beast’s Noora Louhimo on her best day.

Though largely being an example in back to basics heavy metal that largely eschews the keyboard-driven excesses of many modern European power metal bands, this album does come with a diverse array of influences. Following a dreary, occult-like atmospheric prelude somewhat indicative of early Crimson Glory in “The Incantation”, the haunting disquiet is shattered with a triumphant, speed-drenched anthem with a slight thrashing edge in “Lucid Nightmare”. The raw intensity of Guldemond’s vocal approach is accented with what could pass for death barks during the chorus segment, which when combined with an animated lead guitar presentation and monstrous level of heaviness gives things a slight Unleash The Archers character to the song. Similarly fast and ferocious offerings such as “Wings Of Steel” and “Sea Of Lies” have a comparably thrashing edge to them, while more groovy and melodic offerings such as “The Final Fight” and “The Sisters Of Fate” land closer to mainline power metal territory.

As alluded to earlier, there is a strong degree of nuance and contrast in this album’s presentation, and this outfit tends to shine even more brightly when deviating from the impact factor of their generally faster material. The token power ballad “Black Magic” presents a surprising level of vulnerability and beauty in what is otherwise a bestial metallic affair, dovetailing with the consonant and haunting character of such noted 80s examples as WASP’s “Sleeping In The Fire” and the poignant Lita Ford hit “Lisa” (technically an early 90s offering). The almost AOR-like character of title anthem “Dance With The Devil” proves an equally interesting change of pace, showcasing some of the more impressive technical guitar displays on the album and mixing some Ratt and Dokken elements into their Judas Priest-dominated template. But much like their previous studio outing, this LP’s coup de grace is the brilliant cover of an old school classic, in this case Manowar’s “Battle Hymn”, including a cameo appearance by both Ross The Boss and Mike Lepond in a ceremonial passing of the torch moment that gives an already biting and intense rendition greater credibility.

Often when a band trades out a front person on their ascent to greater exposure, the results can prove to be polarizing, as noted in the comparable cases of Bruce Dickinson replacing Paul Di’Anno and Graham Bonnet stepping in for Ronnie James Dio. In the case of Burning Witches, it’s less of a drastic shift in the band’s sound and more an equally proficient figure with maybe a slightly edgier presentation picking up where the former left off. Suffice it to say, those who were taken in by the fire and fury of this band’s debut and their previous Nuclear Blast-backed outing Hexenhammer will find the same level of sonic splendor with maybe a little extra bite for good measure. Gimmicks are few, but the credibility factor here is definitely firmly in place, and those who remain skeptical about this band due to the label that backs them can take this album as an example that things have changed in recent years, as if Primal Fear’s return to the Nuclear Blast roster wasn’t proof enough.

Originally written for Sonic Perspectives (www.sonicperspectives.com)

Burning Witches is a Swiss band that has been making a mix of traditional heavy metal and contemporary power metal for the last five years. I always found their music mildly entertaining, but something has changed with their new album ‘Dance With The Devil’. First off, there is a larger variation in tempos which greatly enhances the attention span of the album. Those who like myself have been bothered by the reliance on mid-tempo rhythms will certainly find that an improvement. Secondly, new singer Laura Guldemond – the second Dutch member after guitarist Sonia ‘Anubis’ Nusselder – adds an overwhelming degree of power to the band’s music.

While the overall sound of ‘Dance With The Devil’ is not all that different from their earlier work, Guldemond’s grit allows the band to take on a more aggressive and theatrical approach. At times, Burning Witches sounds like a more straightforward sister band to Hell, though the Accept and Judas Priest influences are still quite prominent. More attention has been given to the production as well, with exciting layered arrangements in the vocal and guitar department being the norm. Together with the pacing variation, this all accounts for a more consistently engaging listening experience.

The greater deal of aggression is naturally most prominent in the faster tracks. ‘Sea Of Lies’ and the excellent opening track ‘Lucid Nightmare’ are more or less equal parts modern power metal and the most melodic end of the thrash metal spectrum, with Lala Frischknecht laying down some of her most powerful double kick patterns thus far. The former also shows off Nusselder’s ability to construct a memorable solo section by effectively making her guitar parts sort of a mini-production within the composition. The delightfully energetic ‘Wings Of Steel’ is just begging to be sung along by thousands in front of the European festival stages.

However, ‘Dance With The Devil’ is not just convincing at its most uptempo or menacing. Because of the larger number of fast moments, the mid-tempo tracks are more distinctive and powerful as well. ‘Necronomicon’ and the remarkably aggressive closer ‘Threefold Return’, for instance, have a driving undercurrent of danger, which fits Guldemond’s voice to a T. ‘Dance With The Devil’ and ‘The Sisters Of Fate’ have a bit of a gritty hardrock vibe. A true highlight is ‘The Final Fight’, which is an elegantly arranged eighties-styled Euro power metal anthem with a melancholic twist and another excellent solo section.

A band like Burning Witches is always in danger of being accused of lacking originality. Thinking so would be approaching them the wrong way, however. It is clear that the quintet wants to pay homage to their heroes from the eighties, but they do so without sounding tired or overly reliant on clichés. It does help that most of Romana Kalkuhl’s riffs have a somewhat modern bite to them, while the production is surprisingly natural and old school for power metal these days. Anyone who likes uncomplicated heavy metal with a mind-blowing vocal performance and a great number of fiery solos should give ‘Dance With The Devil’ a chance. It is easily Burning Witches’ best album yet.

Recommended tracks: ‘Lucid Nightmare’, ‘The Final Fight’, ‘Wings Of Steel’

Originally written for my Kevy Metal weblog