ALBUM REVIEW: Sound Of The Wind – Psychedelic Witchcraft

Doom/blues outfit PSYCHEDELIC WITCHCRAFT have returned with their second full-length record, Sound Of The Wind. Despite only forming in 2015, the band have been on the rise since their debut record, The Vision, and have since been on bigger and bigger tours, including playing this year’s Damnation Festival. Their entrancing blend of a multitude of styles, including blues and classic rock. We gave Sound Of The Wind a spin to see how it fares up against The Vision, and to see how PSYCHEDELIC WITCHCRAFT have moved on with their sound.

Sound Of The Wind opens up with Maat – a rather calming and inviting acoustic instrumental which eases into the first full track of the record, Lords of the War. PSYCHEDELIC WITCHCRAFT‘s use of stoner, psychedelic elements, and blues is a beautiful thing, and is demonstrated so well in Lords of the War. Virginia Monti’s catchy vocals over guitarist Jacopo Fallai’s hooks and gripping solos make for a track that really sets the bar high for the rest of the album. What’s most appealing about Sound Of The Wind is the diversity within the album. Each track is different from the next, and all have appealing features which make them stand out in their own light.

The mixture of themes and topics discussed in the tracks throughout the record also add to the appeal. For example, Wild We Go discusses being true to ourselves and reaching out for what makes us who we are, and Rising On The Edge talks about pushing and working through hard times in life, which makes the track quite relatable and adds to its depth. There is also Turn Me On, which is quite different from the rest of the album, as its upbeat energy and clear tribute to classic rock and brings even more variety to Sound Of The Wind, making it a pleasure to listen to. It’s quite hard to end an album well for the most part, but Horizons closes the album with a heavy BLACK SABBATH vibe, and is supposed to be a warming farewell to PSYCHEDELIC WITCHCRAFT‘s latest chapter in their cycle. What this means is for the future to tell, but Sound Of The Wind is an excellent time for PSYCHEDELIC WITCHCRAFT.

PSYCHEDELIC WITCHCRAFT have returned on top form with Sound Of The Wind, as they explore the depth of their sound and tap into your mind with each track. It’s an album to sit down, cut off the world, and immerse yourself into as they take you on a blues/doom infused journey that really manages to revitalise and give a breath of fresh air into a genre that’s otherwise typically bleak. Improving with every release, it’s clear that PSYCHEDELIC WITHCRAFT have quite the future ahead of them. Continuing on this trajectory, we can see PSYCHEDELIC WITCHCRAFT becoming a big thing over the next few years.

Rating: 8/10

Sound Of The Wind is out now via Listenable Records.

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