Ice Vajal :: Music Land :: Metal World
 
editorial :: feedback :: newsletter ::  
   Bands :: A-Z / S / Seven Witches /

On disc: Seven Witches



Xiled To Infinity And One - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars
Passage To The Other Side - Claudia Ehrhardt - 9 stars
Year Of The Witch - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars
Call Upon The Wicked - Umberto Mino - 8 stars
Rebirth - Claudia Ehrhardt - 7 stars


www.sevenwitches.net







Rebirth

Rebirth
(FrostMetal - 2013)


Jack Frost is the driving force behind Seven Witches, a band which have been through many line-up changes. Rebirth is their 9th studio album, but Seven Witches are still on track! The opener Man In The Mirror (Enemy Within) is a mid-paced metal tune with clear, powerful vocals by Anthony Cross and some up-tempo parts. Heavy riffs lead you into Claustrophobic (No Way Out), the song has a doomy edge. For Nightmare Man they slow down, it's a quite melodic tune where Jack Frost shows his talent. A song like Hang 'Em High is a good one, but the album has too much of the same stuff to offer... A bit more variety, some tempi changes would have done the album good. But still it's a decent piece of work. And so you sometimes wonder, if you heard this or that song already. The closer Poison All The People is a fast, riff-based tune with mid-paced parts, and sticks out a bit. And it shows that more variety is the key. Hopefully next time Seven Witches can offer more.


7 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

up








Call Upon The Wicked

Call Upon The Wicked
(Massacre Records - 2011)


Another chapter in this Jack Frost's saga called Seven Witches, and another bull eye for this brilliant guitar player. Also this time his brilliant songwriting and the usual special guest on vocals James Rivera (Helstar) gave us this new Call Upon The Wicked, a nice album of pure US metal in their tradition, real bishops of the metal faith!!!!

Like always this kind of albums will be ignored by the masses, but this time I hope that this will not happen.... But anyway let's start with the analysis of this Call Upon The Wicked CD!!

The opener Fields Of Fire is fire marked by a monstrous James Rivera's performance, a killer mid-tempo with angry guitar riff!! The follower Lilith confirm the state of grace of Jack Frost's songwriting, another gem of pure metal!!!! Now it's time for the album title track, Call Upon The Wicked is simply irresistible in their structure, something that reminds the '80s, great chorus and choirs!! Ragnarock is one the best episodes of this album, another simple song with great catchy chorus!!! And after these happy episodes it's time for End Of Days, a particular song with female vocals, a melancholy intro and a doomy time, a prayer..... a cool song!!! But now it's time for some Mind Games, time for rage and speed.

Harlot Of Troy could be a perfect song for an album of Helstar or Exciter or Agent Steel, speed metal at it's best!!! That's what this song is!!!

Eyes Of Fame is a perfect example of what is a killer song: high pitched vocals, killer mid-tempo, great guitar harmonies!!!!! White Room is a cover version of Cream's song with some Frost/Rivera adds!!!! This album is closed by 3 bonus live tracks Metal Tyrant, Metal Asylum and Jacob, 3 obscure jewels of this underrated band!!

Also this time a request to all the people that will read this review: Please buy this album and don't put this band in a forgotten closet of your mind!!!



8 stars

Umberto Mino
 

up








Year Of The Witch

Year Of The Witch
(Sanctuary Records - 2004)


A new album from the American band Seven Witches is getting into the stores. Again their was a line-up change - Joey Vera is replaced by Dennis Hayes and Jeff Currenton is the new drummer. But the drums been played in the studio by Craig Anderson, a studio musician. This album offers a larger variety then the previous releases and also has a short conceptual story called Jacob. The album opener Metal Asylum is Jack Frost's way of giving tribute to metal bands who inspired him. A heavy, fast rocker with screaming guitars and the unique vocals of James Rivera. Live this will soon become their metal hymn. Next is the title track which is - more or less - a typical Seven Witches track. Another fast ones follows, then Cries Of The Living is leading into the new sounds of the four-some. Here they slow down a little, a more mid-tempo tune where Rivera can show his vocal range. The first highlight for me is If You Were God which was written by former Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson. This one is different compared to the first tunes, but very intense. Here and there are parts which remind a little of Megadeth, but this isn't a typical Megadeth track! With the powerful balladesque tune Can't Find My Way the first part of the album ends. The more laid back song fits good and the larger variety makes this album more interested.

Then it's time for the concept part - Jacob. Whispers is the intro of Jacob, spoken words lead into the following Voice Of Jacob. An up-tempo tune where the band works with mid-tempo parts. The music of Jacob is dictated by the story and so requests more from Seven Witches. But you should listen yourself!

It would be interesting to hear a full-length conceptual album... Perhaps they will present us one somewhere in future.


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 






Passage To The Other Side

Passage To The Other Side
(Sanctuary Records - 2003)


On Passage To The Other Side guitarist Jack Frost presents Seven Witches with a new singer - James Rivera. Rivera is known for his work with Helstar - a much underrated 80's US metal band - and Destiny's End. After the release of the last album Xiled To Infinity And One the band toured in Europe with Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Engine, Fates Warning) on bass. Vera is now a permanent member of the band and co-produced the album with Jack Frost. The mixing is done by Vera as well who also wrote some stuff for Passage To The Other Side.

This time the band presents themselves with a more modern sound and from a more serious, darker side which is mainly caused by the loss of Jack's brother who died from cancer right before the band headed into the studio. The working title was Betrayed, but changed when Frost finished PTTOS a few days after his brother passed and the band decided that this has to be the title. This album is more emotional as the last, deeper...

To check out the album I can recommend the opener Dance With The Dead, Fever In The City and Betrayed beside the title track.

Again the quartet covered a track, this time Def Leppard's Waysted which is a duet of Rivera and Frost!

A new piece for the CD collection of power and US metal fans as well as of melodic fans who like who like it heavy!


9 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 






Xiled To Infinity And One

Xiled To Infinity And One
(Sanctuary Records - 2002)


These are the new Seven Witches! It's been awhile since Jack Frost and Seven Witches released their last album. Mainly because Frost joined Savatage and needed to concentrate on Savatage's schedule first. But he's back with a new singer and drummer by name Wade Black (ex-Crimson Glory)and Brain Craig (ex-Destiny's End).

Musically the album offers more fast tracks, but also have a kind of power ballad which is the title track. as well as some mid-tempo tracks like Anger's Door. Starting with Metal Tyrant the way is obvious and is more than just words, it's kind of a motto for the band.

Beside that they recorded a cover of Grim Reaper's See You In Hell where singer Wade shares vocal duties with Annihilator / Liege Lord singer Joe Comeau (ex-Overkill). Cover versions never easy and to cover Grim Reaper is a challenge. Personally I prefer the original, but listen and see if you like it...

Another guest appearance on the bonus track, this time you will hear a well-known voice... It's Jon Oliva of Savatage who also penned the lyrics!

The album is produced by Jack Frost himself together with engineer Don Sternecker. But nothing to complain about soundwise. A step forward for Seven Witches, but still on the way to record their masterpiece. They get closer to it. Perhaps the next one will be the masterpiece which will establish them in the hall of fame of power metal....


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

           ©2008-2015 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


Bands S