Review Summary: Welcome to the unofficial sequel.
It’s not uncommon for elements of one band’s sound to somewhat resemble those of another. Whether a musician chooses to embrace their influences or to neglect them, the effect that external material has on a person is undeniable. In the process of experiencing the work of others, individuals are vulnerable to change, and oftentimes the impact of these influences directly translates to an artists own output; usually subconsciously, but not always. One can only assume from observing Witch Ripper’s self-titled debut that the hugely successful sludge/progressive metal band Mastodon were heavily inspirational during this albums creation.
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with incorporating general stylistic features that may be prominent within a genre, there exists a metaphorical border of originality that is consistently and unfortunately trespassed upon throughout
Witch Ripper. Instead of gently sprinkling in hints, or merely alluding to genre cliches, Witch Ripper unashamedly emulate their idols, proving to be an unoriginal yet entertaining clone in the process. Everything from the similarly nasal vocal style, to the thick guitar tone and unusually experimental drumming; all of it resembles Mastodon save the occasional deviation. Syrupy bass lines and overdriven guitar passages intermingle creating that signature Mastodon haze, recognisably slow-paced in comparison to the erratic drumming, all the while a drawn out vocal approach complements dissonant riffs. Without context you could be forgiven for incorrectly guessing the bands name.
Putting all that aside however, for the moment at least, the music itself has irrefutable merit. Sure, the album plays like an unofficial bridge between
Crack the Skye and
Blood Mountain, but it’s handled exceptionally well. This isn’t some cheap knockoff; this is premium plagiarism. Perhaps that’s not the greatest complement to be dolled out but allow me to explain. The songwriting itself far surpasses that of most of their contemporaries within the genre. Whether this presents itself in the low end, stripped back chugging and bouncy bass playing in ‘Queen of the Green’, or the well-placed use throughout of discordant, high-pitched riffing over the top of a deep and rumbling low-end attack from the rhythm section.
Even the vocalist, while obviously not as varied in his approach as the members of their hero-band, limited as a single individual, manages to create an excellent, slow-and-sludgy atmosphere that propels this EP’s charm. Lyrical subject matter varies from unspecific religious beliefs, to a passionate and dejected spiel on the damage the human race is causing the planet (a topic visited on over half the album). While they’re generally quite upfront in nature, the lyrics are downright effective and are constantly reflected in the mood created by the instrumental component. Ultimately, the listener must choose one of two options when judging
Witch Ripper; either to criticise the bands poorly disguised lack of originality, or instead to passively accept the album for what it is and appreciate the material within. I for one find it much more rewarding to settle upon the latter.
