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Witchcurse: Heavy Metal Poison
Witchcurse Heavy Metal Poison album new music review

Witchcurse: Heavy Metal Poison

Heavy Metal (NWOBHM)
3.0/5.0

Can you guess the genre? The band name is Witchcurse (they're from Thessaloniki, Greece). Band members have names like Possessed, Stinky, and Necro. (The drummer's name is Paul; what's his problem?) The songs have names like Heavy Metal Kamikaze, Rock Unite, Heavy Metal Poison, Hard Rockin' Man in 2010, and the ever popular Drinkers from Hell. If you haven't give it a guess, this pure old school heavy metal, NWOBHM-style, circa the turn of 1980. Between the cover art and the production quality, Heavy Metal Poison is on the par of those cassettes overcopied and passed about in the early tape trading days. Possessed's vocals are barely audible or intelligible, even though he sings clean. The rhythm section sounds like it's swimming in a sloggy bog. Nevertheless, this heavy metal crew gets good grades (better than passing, at least) for being true to metal's roots.

While average, even juvenile, in quality, Witchcurse gets the old school sound right. Drinkers from Hell and the namesake track Witchcurse are fine modern examples of the form. However, the best song is not an audio track but the bonus video of Curse the False. Also, Witchcurse shows some interesting acumen and sense of history by blending punk with metal on the Ramones-like I Don't Want to Grow Up. (Actually, The Ramones did 'I Don't Wanna Grow Up,' a cover of the Tom Waits song.)

Without doubt Witchcurse has the skills and the sincerity to deliver classic NHOBHM-style heavy metal, and Heavy Metal Poison proves it. Continued development and great production clarity should promise a bright future for the band.




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In Short

Without doubt Witchcurse has the skills and the sincerity to deliver classic NHOBHM-style heavy metal, and Heavy Metal Poison proves it. Continued development and great production clarity should promise a bright future for the band.

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