A gyertyák csonkig égnek

A band named WitcheR? The first thing that came to my mind was the video game of course and the world of that medieval warrior/sorcerer. Is this what the band is about? I still have no clue as the imagery of the album could refer to that era, but the lyrics are written in Hungarian and I don’t know what they are about. But let’s take it from the start. WitcheR is a band coming from Hungary and they exist since 2010 while they consist of two members. They have released some demos and split releases and in 2015 they release their first full length album. So, we arrive in 2019, when they release in the first of November, the album I have received, called “A gyertyák csonkig égnek”, their second full length. It contains five tracks, four tracks of their own and one cover of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, of overall duration of forty minutes.

The music of WitcheR is melodic, atmospheric, nostalgic Black Metal, that may bring to your mind the style and approach of Summoning. They give a lot of space to the beautiful keyboards to unveil their story and express the feelings and the images of their music. Their music expresses those romantic, classical influences that are manifested with the last song, mixed with nostalgic, melancholic Black Metal giving a very interesting result. The expressed sentiments and the vivid images presented, will catch the listeners attention from the first notes. The tempo of the songs is mainly medium with some slower passages while there are some fast moments but very few. Although that the songs are quite long as they last from eight to twelve minutes, the development of the narrated story is interesting, as every guitar riff, every keyboard theme creates a vivid image or an intense feeling leading the journey further.

The two members show that they know exactly what they want to express and how to do it. The keyboards are the instrument that has the leading role into the entire album. Their beautiful, full of sentiments and passion lines, make the images come to life. The guitars have a supporting role, adding fury, anger, nostalgia and sometimes despair to the compositions, making them more interesting. The bass is not audible, but the music is bassy enough and as bulky as needed. The drums are coming from a drum machine and, although that we all hate the idea of a drum machine, the programming in this album is excellent, as also its sound, generally, is acceptable. The vocals are harsh Black Metal vocals very expressive and intense. The production is bassy and raw, something that gives a colder feeling to the music while the mixture is balanced, emphasizing the keyboards.

This is my first experience with the band and their work, and it was a pleasant and interesting one. This album has some very interesting moments and generally it serves its purpose very well, as the listener can enjoy the journey offered without being distracted or bored. This one is exactly what the fans of atmospheric, melodic and sometimes epic, sometimes melancholic Black Metal, would appreciate. The rest of you, have an open mind and open heart and it may reach you too. It deserves your attention.