Witchskull : "the Serpent Tide"

I was really into this band's 2020 album "A Driftwood Cross ". Their newest effort starts off much heavier with a more driving chug empowering the opening track. The manic desperation in Marcus' vocal plea has renewed urgency , but a little more of an edge. There is a little more brooding and reflection on the second song. This carries over into "Sun Carver" which carries a darker shade of post-grunge in it's DNA. It might not even be intentional but it reminds me of metal bands from the mid 90s who were making a stylistic shift towards alt rock. Where does Alice In Chains end and the Electric Wizard influence begin, is not a bad problem to be faced with. 

It is clear that burly bass fuzz that helms the assaults of "Bornless Hollow" makes the band's metallic intentions clear. The guitars take it in a more sonic direction as it progresses, but this might be the biggest step in the doom direction this album has yet to take mood wise. The pace continues to pick up for "the Serving Ritual" until melting into a chaotic guitar solo. It doesn't strike me as being as hooky or memorable as the previous album, which might be the sacrifice of getting heavier. The title track gives the vocals more room to cry out from. This also places them closer to early Soundgarden. The vocals sit back more against the bigger wall of guitars they have throbbing this time around. 

"Misery's Horse" hammering at you with it's syncopated pound. The vocals are at times allowed to crack into more of a scream. I think it is however the groove of the last song that delivers the expectations placed by their last album in terms of song writing. While they bring what I wanted with this song, things might need to grow on me with other songs, so I will round this one down to a 9, still placing it head and shoulder above what most bands are capable of. I think these guys deserve more recognition and hopefully this album will place them into thm more firmly into the minds of mainstream metal heads,.