ALBUM REVIEW: Sorrow’s Pyre – Occult Witches
With their unique blend of music and storytelling, OCCULT WITCHES have quickly become one of the most exciting new bands ever since the release of their 2021 debut album Morning Walk. The band’s emotional and narrative lyrics draw on elements of witchcraft, darkness and existential struggle, and now with the release of their fourth album Sorrow’s Pyre, they look set to continue their impressive rise.
Across nine songs, the listener is taken on a journey like no other. Starting off with an ambient Intro, with its haunting sparse use of sound, the album grabs you by the shoulders and demands that you listen to it. Malice, the second song, starts off with a slow acoustic sound that puts vocalist Vanessa San Martin‘s powerful voice front and centre. Then the rest of the band – bassist Danick Cournoyer, guitarist Alec Marceau and drummer Eliot Sirois – come in, making the song truly come alive. Whilst the majority of the latter half of the track is dedicated to the talented instrumentalists, Martin is not forgotten as her powerful voice comes back to shine the last minute of the song.
The album itself is in a league of its own. Even though they play rock music, OCCULT WITCHES have created a style which is truly one of a kind and hard to put into a box. It works really well for the band because they have created their own distinct identity. Sonically, the album is driven by the instruments, especially on tracks like Faustian Bargain, which ends on an extended guitar solo, or Flesh And Bones, where the drums get the spotlight. That said, that does not mean that the vocals are left out. Martin is a powerhouse, and her voice shines best on a track like The Fool, a grungy rock song that wouldn’t sound out of place in the 1980s.
Because the band have developed their own unique sound over the course of their career, the album is paced well. The majority of the songs have an average runtime of four to five minutes, so even though there are only nine songs, the band do not waste a second. Even the three-minute Interlude In E-Flat Minor is necessary as it builds a gap between the first half of the album and the second half, proving that each song serves a purpose.
Four albums in, OCCULT WITCHES are not slowing down. Sorrow’s Pyre is a fantastic addition to their discography. Although it is only nine songs long, not a second is wasted. The band’s sound is hard to pinpoint, but it is hypnotising and will grab the listener’s attention instantly with the atmospheric instruments and powerful vocals. The songs are crafted to perfection, and each of them feels necessary to the album. In a world where rock music has sometimes gone a bit stale, Sorrow’s Pyre proves that there are still bands out there who can bring excitement to the genre.
Rating: 9/10
Sorrow’s Pyre is set for release on July 12th via Black Throne Productions.
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