It’s kind of impossible to discuss a metal band from Birmingham for the first time and not mention Black Sabbath. Maybe it’s an unwritten rule or by-law or something that has to be observed – like if you have the wrong kind of car and you drive into Birmingham’s city centre, you have to pay a Clean Air Zone fee. So, here’s Margarita Witch Cult from Birmingham making their presence known with their self-titled debut album – just like Black Sabbath.
But the biggest difference between this trio and their forefathers is they have 50-plus years of a genre to draw from. So on this short but exceptionally enjoyable album is a melting pot of metal as fuzz-laden tones provide the backbone for psych elements, bits of doom, stoner, and punk which naturally gives way to NWOBHM, and even some occult rock for good measure. Opener “Diabolical Influence” is a doom-y bruiser, showing the trio aren’t fucking about. It throws its weight around, swinging and stomping at every turn, the gritty vocals from Scott Vincent spat in deliberate measures to match the force of George Casual’s drums.
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Then, you have the aptly named “Death Lurks at Every Turn”. Filthy and furious, it’s a sprint for the finish line and barely lasts two minutes. Complete with a dizzying guitar solo from Vincet whilst Jim Thing’s bass rumbles menacingly, it’s where the punk and NWOBHM elements come into play, albeit without the operatic vocals. Likewise, it’s a blueprint used again on “Annihilation” and this time come nowhere close to even two minutes. It’s vicious and frenetic, out for blood, picking you up and not allowing you to catch your breath. There’s also a touch of NWOBHM to be found in “Be My Witch”’s intro of bare-bones drumming is eerily similar to “Run to the Hills” but it comes across as homage, rather than a straight lift before mellowing out into a more psych-based number, containing a subtle groove which can relax and discombobulate all at once.
However, even in the tamer moments, there’s still a lot to enjoy. Instrumental “Arcadia” acts as the other side of the coin to fellow instrumental sprint of “Theme From Cyclops”. The former has a more foreboding tone to it but still retains an element of danger to it with its crunch-filled swagger. Meanwhile, “Sacrifice” is the perfect closer, wrapping everything from the past eight tracks into one succinct song – it’s fast with its big, meaty sound, there’s an atmospheric soundscape tucked away at the end which will lull you into a false sense of security as it makes you think they’re going to fade to quiet before one last assault.
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This is very much a metal album. It might not have an illegible logo on the album and be full to bursting with death growls. This is metal for those who like it and those who don’t. It sounds sinister and makes you feel slightly uncomfortable, but you find yourself completely enraptured by it. There’s something special about Margarita Witch Cult. It could be their origins, it could be their relative infancy and sense of urgency in the music, it could just be that it’s a reminder of how great metal is. It could be the trio of musicians are highly proficient and play as a solid unit. It could be the blend of modern production with its old school feel. But more likely – it’s all of that mixed together.
Margarita Witch Cult is out now
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