The First and the Last

Witchhammer's debut is an output that would bring to the table a thrash sound that isn't entirely likened to their namesake. Which might come with perceptions of a bolder, meaner band. Yet this is thrash with its limits. Their location in Belo Horizonte is another throw-off from some of the more extreme acts that have spawned from Minas Gerais state in Brazil. The subject matter can switch from medically related tracks that talk about anything from being fat, illness and heroin addiction, to a song about guerrillas or even Celtic warriors on another.

The music sounds influenced by Exodus's Bonded By Blood, especially in the vocal department. They're stretched into more of a higher pitched wail at points and deeper gruff, but uses that characteristic 'cracking' voice that is similar to Paul Baloff. The vocals here change up more so as the album unfolds. As there are two vocalists, it can alternate with a few join-ins. There are thrashy moments as well as mid-pumping sections. Sometimes the more middle paced parts use an 80's Slayer-esque, deeper string technique with higher pitched quick notes. There's an abundance of solos, yet on a few tracks when he starts to get going they tend to have a slight stammer. Like he is going a tad beyond his abilities, but nothing so bad that it would warrant immediate dismissal.

The recordings improved over the Warfare Noise II tracks, but aren't as robust musically. The drums and vocals are the loudest aspects here. Yet I don't feel that the vocalizations carry the album, and they do vary a decent amount. The change-ups seem to reflect more of trying to be versatile than what the music projects. Not really saving it, but at points they can be engaging and entertaining.

There is a commercial faction with The First and the Last that I can't relate to. Especially their opener, which is a good, if not odd, example of this. 'Medicine Blues' seems half joke, half serious with an intro about not wanting to wake up a patient and deciding to play music to sooth him back to sleep. The name partly describes what it is: a blues inspired song. It uses a casual ballad with blues-scales, slow moving drums, bass guitar that makes you shake your head side to side in rhythmic fashion, and vocals that are more joke sounding than serious. Not that it would of benefited them to have them any other way, or honestly better yet: not at all. I guess they were trying to pull an Accept on 'Fast as a Shark' where there is puny music before the heaviness begins. But in this case Witchhammer's music doesn't seem to entirely catch up or overcome this ugly duckling on the album.

The collection of songs factor is unfortunately present. This is less like an album than a compilation of the band's ideas at that point. While they thrash and bash their instruments when the time calls for it on each of the songs. I just feel that they don't entirely conjoin together. Sometimes displaying a ho-hum part and at other times showing some audacity. Like those little moments placed at the right times are missing. Although the 'Misery's Genocide' song is played in relentless fashion and sounds fitting. And 'Dartherium' is another where each of the musicians come together for a thoroughly engaging track that sounds somewhat dark due to its building parts. Otherwise the album is the leaning tower of Pisa when it comes to structuring as a whole. Still standing but has that shifting weight that makes it look and feel off.