Skeletonwitch – The Apothic Gloom

Despite numerous efforts in the past, I’ve always had a difficult time appreciating Skeletonwitch. It wasn’t anything in particular that turned me off from the band, but I was just never drawn back to their music. As is often the case, a rousing live performance tends to make me realize my mistakes. After seeing the band crush everything in sight at Heavy Montreal this year, checking out the band’s new EP (with their new vocalist) seemed like a logical step.

Put simply, “The Apothic Gloom” is a serious thrashing force that is filled with twists and turns. It provides a stellar dosage of both death and black metal to go along with the band’s thrash base. The way these three subgenres are intertwined is consistently impressive, with many riffs taking more of a pure black metal approach (using tons of dissonance and aided by blast beats). “Black Waters” even brings back images of bands like Sacramentum and Dissection at times. The true genius of Skeletonwitch, however, is their usage of even more melodic guitars. Often times this takes the form of harmonized leads, and the band uses these sections to put a significant amount of emotion into their music. The doomy sounds that open and close the title track, “The Apothic Gloom”, are just one of many examples. On the other end of the spectrum, the band uses similar techniques throughout “Red Death, White Light” to build an intense, epic climax to the EP. This last track also has an incredible bouncy riff after about 4 and a half minutes in, which is just another example of this band separating themselves from the crowded thrash pack.

Between the more melodic sections, Skeletonwitch just piles on an absurd number of riffs. As long as you can handle some black metal in your thrash, the result will be worthwhile. The rhythm section supports the rest of the band adequately. In other words, their playing is tight beyond belief. The drumming on “The Apothic Gloom” is consistently impressive, with numerous interesting fills, and tons of speedy beats. The bass playing is given room to shine thanks to the guitar harmonies, but even holds its own during the thrashier riffs. 

For most Skeletonwitch fans, the point of contention for this EP will be the band’s new vocalist. As stated above, I was never particularly attached to this band in the past, and so I had no serious expectations of new growler Adam Clemans. He more than fulfills his duties on this record. Unsurprisingly, he can do it all in terms of harsh vocals, displaying a wide range of pitches and brutality. His performance is likely to be enough for most listeners because Skeletonwitch is mostly about the guitar playing (on this EP at least). “The Apothic Gloom” is one of those releases that makes me question if I was the problem, or if Skeletonwitch has truly stepped up their game. One thing is for sure, "The Apothic Gloom" is an essential purchase for all fans of extreme metal!

Be sure to check out and like Skeletonwitch on Facebook!

Highlights

"The Apothic Gloom"

"Red Death, White Light"

Final Rating

4.5/5 or 90%. 

Written by Scott

Skeletonwitch - Serpents Unleashed

Just two years after their previous record, Skeletonwitch is already back with a new album. As much of a cardinal sin as this is to admit, I’ve never really paid much attention to Skeletonwitch. In fact, “Serpents Unleashed” marks the first full record of theirs that I’ve listened to, and it’s pretty much exactly what I expected. For the most part, the album is filled with scorching black metal vocals, thrashy riffs, and predictably clever melodies. The only major moment of variation is in the opening of the first track, “Serpents Unleashed”. This song begins with a punk-influenced drumbeat, not unlike what you’d expect from the new Toxic Holocaust record. It isn’t long, however, until Skeletonwitch returns with their signature sound.

This might come as a surprise to some, but to me, this sounds more like a melodic death metal record with black metal vocals than a thrash one. “Beneath Dead Leaves” is among the best examples (alongside "Unending, Everliving"); the melody is rampant in the song, yet it never truly delivers the aggression that a thrash band would. Even the guitar solo in this track is happy and upbeat, rather than erratic and out of control. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but it does more justice to Skeletonwitch’s sound to call them melodic death metal than thrash. Another reason why I like this term for the band is that they incorporate a wide variety of influences from extreme metal. As already mentioned, the vocals make no effort to deviate from the style pioneered by the Norwegian black metal bands. The drums take cue from all extreme metal genres, but primarily deliver persistent double bass, with the occasional blast beat section. Even the guitars use a wide variety of techniques; the thrash riffs that the band is known for obviously exist on “Serpents Unleashed”, but there are an overriding number of melodic tremolo picked riffs that would not be uncommon in some melodeath or even more atmospheric black metal. In fact, it is these distinctive moods that show Skeletonwitch at their best; they drive the music beyond providing exactly what you’d expect, and instead create moments of grandeur. 

Where I struggle with “Serpents Unleashed”, and Skeletonwitch in general is that it feels too commercial. I find it ironic that bands like Dragonforce are called out for pandering to the crowd when this is exactly what I feel Skeletonwitch does. It’s all so predictable. The “true” crowd loves black metal, and has somewhat of a negative affinity for newer thrash, but combining all of the elements that Skeletonwitch does makes for an extremely attractive package to that crowd. So while the band doesn’t necessarily offend with their music, they don’t do anything that sounds particularly authentic. This isn’t to say the guys aren’t passionate about their music, but it all seems very contrived to me. If you can get past this issue, however, “Serpents Unleashed” is a commendable release. It definitely has all of the elements of a solid record, and should please fans of the band.

Be sure to check out and like Skeletonwitch on Facebook!

Highlights

"Beneath Dead Leaves"

"Unending, Everliving"

Final Rating

3.6/5 or 72%. 

Written by Scott